Help/Opinions Cascade Juniper

[assumingthetruth]

I have had this small juniper (procumbus?) for 2 years now. I would really appreciate any kind of styling advice or opinions. What would you do? This is the only juniper in my collection, the rest are satsuki.

 

[Nybonsai12]

If this were mine, i'd just feed heavy and not take any action further this year. let it fill grow and fill out to revisit styling next spring.

 

[assumingthetruth]

Thank you, I will do that! I have been fertilizing lightly with Biogold but will ramp it up.

 

[harshadg]

One straightforward solution would be to wire the branch going straight up (in pic 2, the “head”) to form a canopy over the cascading branch (“tail”). This would allow you to hide the leggyness of the branching on the tail. Then let it grow out, clean up the foliage to form pads. To make it interesting leave jins and add/expand shari over the years.

 

[assumingthetruth]

Thank you, I like that idea a lot!

 

[Deleted member 47471]

Cascade (with top apex)

Two overall directions (1 for top, 1 for bottom)


Option to bend top forward (twist/turn)
Reasoning: noted curve of trunk toward the rear (avoid snapping trunk!!)


Cascade (bottom half of tree)
Primaries hug trunk line then curve-fan outward like to create future padding out of secondary and tertiary branching that grows off of those primary branches:


Happy growing!

 

[Deleted member 47471]

I have a similar plan for my junipers currently in development:

#1



#2

 

[bwaynef]

I agree with BF above. As for bringing the apex into agreement with the cascade, I'd wrap the wire so that you can take the apex branch AWAY from the front first as its twisting back around, to make the weird angle less prominent. Also, don't be afraid to use heavy enough wire ...and maybe multiple strands of it, to bring that branch into submission.

 

[HENDO]

I agree with @Bonsai Forest and @bwaynef on Apex Formation feedback. Doubling-up on wire but offsetting them rather than wiring them snugged-up to eachother will maximized the number of curves you can put into it. Use wire 1/2 to 2/3 the diameter of the primary apex to set the structure.

Otherwise my main feedback would be on the cascade portion. If you can put some bends into this section it would add nice movement, both side-to-side and up/down bends. Even if they're subtle bends, they'll break up the overall straightness and compact the cascade nicely. Make the bends so that the cascade branching is on the outside of the curves.

 

[assumingthetruth]

@Bonsai Forest wow I love it! That is definitely the route I will take. I’ll feed it now and wait until fall to bend the apex/primaries into place. Your visuals are very helpful, thank you for doing that I really appreciate your help! Your cascade looks great

 

[assumingthetruth]

@bwaynef thank you for the feedback! That is an excellent idea, that angle has always bothered me. I’ll make sure to use heavy gauge or I may even double up.

 

[assumingthetruth]

Thank you @HENDO 10000% agree with you regarding the cascade branching, that looks great. I will save your pic and use it as a guide for the branching in the fall.

 

[Deleted member 47471]

I agree with BF above. As for bringing the apex into agreement with the cascade, I'd wrap the wire so that you can take the apex branch AWAY from the front first as its twisting back around, to make the weird angle less prominent. Also, don't be afraid to use heavy enough wire ...and maybe multiple strands of it, to bring that branch into submission.

agreed

 

[assumingthetruth]

agreed

I tried following the visuals and moved the primary branching into place. What do you think? May need to rewire and start over but will plan on wiring cascade and apex in fall.

 

[Deleted member 47471]

I tried following the visuals and moved the primary branching into place. What do you think? May need to rewire and start over but will plan on wiring cascade and apex in fall.

Commendable efforts my friend. Is fine for now. But I might wait until Fall of this year (when the internal traffic of sugars and starches slows down) and bend the primary branches growing off the main trunk line according to diagrams/virtuals posted. Though I am risk taker, it is generally safer to bend in Fall and less risk of snapping or breaking. Same goes for trunk.

 

[assumingthetruth]

Commendable efforts my friend. Is fine for now. But I might wait until Fall of this year (when the internal traffic of sugars and starches slows down) and bend the primary branches growing off the main trunk line according to diagrams/virtuals posted. Though I am risk taker, it is generally safer to bend in Fall and less risk of snapping or breaking. Same goes for trunk.

thank you that makes sense! I definitely don’t want to risk any harm to the tree. I’ll post an update in the fall