Juniper Branch Selection Advice Please.

[Nickuk74]

Hello,
I am about to build the apex of a juniper I bought in the sales a year or so ago (it had a few weak branches which are now doing really well). I think I might already know the answer, but a very healthy branch is growing from the top of a bend. I think it needs to come off, but the alternative is to incorperate it into the apex, however that does mean I would hide a "twist". What do people think? (Please excuse the wiring, I still haven't mastered it, and it's in proper potting medium, the compost is a temp top dressing as birds have been digging).

Thanks.

 

[shimbrypaku]

If you are thinking of removing the branch, I would twist it up, let it grow out and create a dead branch (Jin) if you think the dead wood would complement the final look of the tree.

Then if you didn’t like it, you can always remove it.

Just my opinion.

Thanks

 

[Wires_Guy_wires]

Whenever I run into one of these issues, I just wire the whole plant. See what works and what doesn't.
It's difficult to look into the future and that makes it difficult how the whole composition is going to look, but if you can get the whole composition started.. There's no need for 'what if' or a glass orb to peer into the future. What is right in front of you then, is what you'd need to decide on.

Maybe it's my brain, but I can see an overal image I want to achieve, and I can maybe envision two or three separate branches in my visual memory. I can not process more than three at the same time. And I'm starting to believe it takes a lot of training in visual arts to do more. Doing all the other branches and leaving three for me to think about, is a working solution for me. Similar to when I want to draw a face, I draw a cross, and then a circle first. Then position the hairline and eyes, once the eyes are there, the nose, cheeks and mouth, and eyebrows and ears fall into place almost automatically. Try this yourself: draw two eyes, and then a face around it. If you're good at spatial visualization, that's going to work. If you're a untrained human, it'll misalign.

 

[leatherback]

Impossible to say anything without seeing the whole tree.

 

[shimbrypaku]

Agree, seeing the tree up close and in person gives the owner a different perspective from a picture on the web.

I always error in the side of cutting when your 100 % sure, it takes a long time to re grow a juniper branch.

Thanks

 

[Orion_metalhead]

I agree on needing to see the whole tree. Show a clear photo of the whole tree from your intended front as well as any additional angles which may be worth considering.

I agree with waiting til you are 100% sure / potentially twising to use as future jin.

 

[Shibui]

I would also like to see more of the tree. While this branch may contribute foliage to the apex of the tree it is a long way from being an apical branch. In most cases we tend to retain way too many branches on developing bonsai in an attempt to develop ramification. In most cases, thinning out entire branches allows the remainder to fill out and make a much better bonsai.

Let us see the tree from a few different directions but I suspect removing this one will be better than trying to fit it in somehow.

 

[Nickuk74]

I would also like to see more of the tree. While this branch may contribute foliage to the apex of the tree it is a long way from being an apical branch. In most cases we tend to retain way too many branches on developing bonsai in an attempt to develop ramification. In most cases, thinning out entire branches allows the remainder to fill out and make a much better bonsai.

Let us see the tree from a few different directions but I suspect removing this one will be better than trying to fit it in somehow.

Thanks, I will take another image when I next get time.