Juniper Styling -- Apex

[Apex37]

Well finally got around to trimming and styling this juniperus virginiana I bought from Lowe's for $2 back in February. I got him when I first was starting up bonsai and really had no idea what I was doing. I hadn't done anything with him other than trying to keep him alive as he looked rough when I got him. I'm pretty sure he was suffering from phomopsis. Anyway, I'm trimming him up a lot, which he desperately needed, and I could use some advice on figuring out the apex. I feel like the main trunk line should follow the middle of the three main branches, but the right branch is thickest. It also does this thing where it goes out and back in towards the center, which isn't ideal. I could use some advice on final wiring and apex.

Any advice is appreciated!

 

[Shibui]

Personally I think the tree is far too young and skinny to be worrying about the apex.
A thicker trunk is good but taper is also important so I generally look for places I can prune back to a thinner side shoot that will give the trunk taper but it could be a little premature to do that now as the tree is still skinny and pruning will also retard growth. Generally leave as much foliage as possible while trees are growing and developing.

Many beginners want to rush immature trees through to styled bonsai. If you really want to do that with this one it will always look a bit thin and wispy. The foliage type does not really lend itself to smaller. compact bonsai style.

 

[Apex37]

Personally I think the tree is far too young and skinny to be worrying about the apex.
A thicker trunk is good but taper is also important so I generally look for places I can prune back to a thinner side shoot that will give the trunk taper but it could be a little premature to do that now as the tree is still skinny and pruning will also retard growth. Generally leave as much foliage as possible while trees are growing and developing.

Many beginners want to rush immature trees through to styled bonsai. If you really want to do that with this one it will always look a bit thin and wispy. The foliage type does not really lend itself to smaller. compact bonsai style.

I removed a lot of foliage due to the way he was growing. Almost all the inner branches were dying off due to him folding back on himself. I cleaned up a lot also because of the phomopsis and a lot of it was browned and dying or dead. Hoping this will help him get circulation and air flow and also more light penetration. Maybe I'll just do what Bjorn does in one of his younger juniper videos and just give them all some movement and let it grow for a few years, because I do agree, this species has been harder in my head to style due to its foliage not being as compact as other juniper species.