Juniperus Procumbens Nana

[CatInATree]

While I love ficus trees, I realize, I must also learn other species to develop a better general understanding. I found at the store this interesting Juniperus, it's a procumbens nana and it was already sort of cascading when I saw it. I saw some potential in it and bought it, I haven't yet pruned or styled the paddings, I'm not sure how I'll do some more research first. Though I did wire it to make it more cascading and to bend the top part, it was laying down like a second cascade branch but the wire lets it sit up like a tree top. There are also 2 smaller branches that I'm unsure what to do with.. perhaps I can turn them into Jin since I think it would look unbalanced without anything there.
Below are some photos:
Before wiring

After wiring

Photo from above

2 side branches (Potential Jin)

 

[TimIAm]

I think this is some good material with branches well placed to makes something good in the future.

I've got some thoughts for you to consider which I think follow along with your initial shaping.


Is it possible for you to put some shape into the first section of the trunk coming out of the pot?

It looks better if you avoid a trunk with a straight line as in the picture below:


Junipers give an excellent opportunity to add interesting twists and bends as they are so flexible. With cascade, the trunk has to arc up and over the edge of the pot, but it will also improve the design if you can have some movement in that first section of the trunk between the soil line and the vertical branch. It doesn't need to be too dramatic, but as you go forward and you expose the trunk, develop the roots and the base starts to thicken, you will want to show that section off. Not sure how difficult it is or how much flexibility you have available? Maybe needs to be done with thick wire and rebar.

Also, in the first pic I provided, the light blue section, if you decide not to jin it, I suggest putting more back and forwards movement in that section with wire.

My personal preference would be to use that light blue section as the back portion of then tree. I would use the vertical branch for the top and bring it down, compacting it closer to the base. Then I would work on thickening those two sections and then build in taper. While developing the tree, I am sure you will get plenty of opportunity to add a jin if you don't use the current back branch for that purpose.

Here is a rough example of my suggestions above with a roughly placed triangle to guide the overall shape.

If you do wire out the cascading trunk more, consider where future pads will be, you want to aim to have branches from the trunk on the outsides of curves and bends and remove those that are on the inside.





It is also worth considering at some point in the main trunkline to cut the end off and regrow to improve the taper, again going back to my first suggestion of avoiding the trunk be a single line. It may take a year or two to regrow the length, but the taper it provides will be a big improvement.

 

[SeanS]

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[CatInATree]

I think this is some good material with branches well placed to makes something good in the future.

I've got some thoughts for you to consider which I think follow along with your initial shaping.
View attachment 549879

Is it possible for you to put some shape into the first section of the trunk coming out of the pot?

It looks better if you avoid a trunk with a straight line as in the picture below:
View attachment 549880

Junipers give an excellent opportunity to add interesting twists and bends as they are so flexible. With cascade, the trunk has to arc up and over the edge of the pot, but it will also improve the design if you can have some movement in that first section of the trunk between the soil line and the vertical branch. It doesn't need to be too dramatic, but as you go forward and you expose the trunk, develop the roots and the base starts to thicken, you will want to show that section off. Not sure how difficult it is or how much flexibility you have available? Maybe needs to be done with thick wire and rebar.

Also, in the first pic I provided, the light blue section, if you decide not to jin it, I suggest putting more back and forwards movement in that section with wire.

My personal preference would be to use that light blue section as the back portion of then tree. I would use the vertical branch for the top and bring it down, compacting it closer to the base. Then I would work on thickening those two sections and then build in taper. While developing the tree, I am sure you will get plenty of opportunity to add a jin if you don't use the current back branch for that purpose.

Here is a rough example of my suggestions above with a roughly placed triangle to guide the overall shape.

If you do wire out the cascading trunk more, consider where future pads will be, you want to aim to have branches from the trunk on the outsides of curves and bends and remove those that are on the inside.



View attachment 549881

It is also worth considering at some point in the main trunkline to cut the end off and regrow to improve the taper, again going back to my first suggestion of avoiding the trunk be a single line. It may take a year or two to regrow the length, but the taper it provides will be a big improvement.

Thanks for the suggestions! I really like the triangle shape in the last image, going to try creating a more fluffy top that's closer to the cascading bit, and work on getting the arch to be a little more shmovementy. The jin comes later I want a thicker jin so it the deadwood doesn't look too tiny it may mess up future proportions.
As for the pads I did cut off some, trying to make it go from left–right and removed the inside ones.

 

[Mats Hagström]

I usually learn to get a new tree established and make sure I know how to first keep it alive and second get it to grow before doing anything with it. Every once in a while something needs to be done in a hurry but that’s generally rare in bonsai.

Get to know your tree. Ponder your decisions. If you are correct about styling choices they will persist time and time again. When I slow down and wait I often see the trees potential differently. For young material the primary goal is development so styling should often be secondary consideration.

 

[Bonsai Forest]

Do not twist wires together and wrap the tree. As the tree grows the tissue will swell and the gnarly twisted wires will bite into the bark/branch/trunk and the scarring will be much much worse than it would be if the wires had been doubled up but sitting directly next to each other rather than twisted around each other

Example of doubled wire:







You could also consider pruning half way down the cascade trunk so that the general direction of the entire trunk does not curve like a or , meaning where a branch comes off the trunk and grows to the right (instead of left), you can prune the trunk leaving that branch at the end so the trunk has interest/movement/new direction.

You could also apply raffia and double wire and bend to force it in the other direction, but as someone new you run the potential risk of snapping the trunk in half and losing half the tree unintentionally.

Example of cascade growing with movement:

 

[CatInATree]

Do not twist wires together and wrap the tree. As the tree grows the tissue will swell and the gnarly twisted wires will bite into the bark/branch/trunk and the scarring will be much much worse than it would be if the wires had been doubled up but sitting directly next to each other rather than twisted around each other

Example of doubled wire:

View attachment 549909

View attachment 549910
View attachment 549911


You could also consider pruning half way down the cascade trunk so that the general direction of the entire trunk does not curve like a or , meaning where a branch comes off the trunk and grows to the right (instead of left), you can prune the trunk leaving that branch at the end so the trunk has interest/movement/new direction.

You could also apply raffia and double wire and bend to force it in the other direction, but as someone new you run the potential risk of snapping the trunk in half and losing half the tree unintentionally.

Example of cascade growing with movement:
View attachment 549912

I see, thanks for the wiring and other tips!