You be the judge. Blue Pfitzer Juniper

[Hartinez]

Sup Nuts. Thought I’d have a little fun with this one. I’ve always done as I pleased in terms of styling, but I thought I’d open the floor on this Blue Pfitzer Juniper I bought for $30. Purchased this one just over a month ago. And all I did was run a few skewers through the dense root ball for moisture intake and Jin the overly extended trunk line. This is what’s left. Foliage may always be a bit leggy, but I loved the trunk movement. Ive got an idea of where I’d like to go, but I also see multiple options. Ive also never done a poll on here soooooo..... WHAT SAY YOU!!

LINE 1 - keep the movement more graceful running left.

LINE 2 - accentuate the initial curve of the trunk with a new leader that bends back and forth a few more times.

LINE 3 - utilize the low branch on the bottom left to creat a second trunk with both main trunk and sub trunk moving gracefully to the left.

LINE 4 - I see another option and this is what I (you) think. Or this tree is shit, throw it away or burn It.

 

[Hartinez]

Hard decision and struggling to answer the question? Want different angles, close ups or have questions? Let me know and I will oblige.

ALSO, I’d love your opinion on why you chose the answer you chose. You know, so I can scrutinize the shit out of said response. JK, not really, but JK.

 

[Hartinez]

One more note. None of the work on this tree will take place until next year.

 

[Pitoon]

I picked Line 3. You can whip that lower branch up for sure. How thick is that trunk?

This is what I see in the tree. Do you have enough branches and foliage to pull it off?

 

[Hartinez]

@Pitoon About 1 1/2”. and yes, there is quite a bit of foliage at the top, bottom, back, front. Partially why I see so many options.

 

[Pitoon]

About 1 1/2”.
View attachment 331096

Nice, I have three Procumben junipers with decent trunks still in their nursery pots as well. I would like at least one of them to be styled professionally though.

 

[Hartinez]

Nice, I have three Procumben junipers with decent trunks still in their nursery pots as well. I would like at least one of them to be styled professionally though.

One of these days I will do a workshop or take classes with a Pro. But time and and geographic location do not lend itself to that as of yet. So I’ll just rely on the NutHouse in the meantime!!

 

[Pitoon]

One of these days I will do a workshop or take classes with a Pro. But time and and geographic location do not lend itself to that as of yet. So I’ll just rely on the NutHouse in the meantime!!

What's your thoughts on the picture I edited?

 

[Hartinez]

What's your thoughts on the picture I edited?

Yeah, I like the idea of creating two trunks as well, with the foliage and directional branching moving left as you’ve drawn. There is more than enough foliage to make that happen. If I go the direction of your drawing though, I’m jinning or eliminating the first branch on the bottom right, which may need to happen anyways.

 

[Pitoon]

Yeah, I like the idea of creating two trunks as well, with the foliage and directional branching moving left as you’ve drawn. There is more than enough foliage to make that happen. If I go the direction of your drawing though, I’m jinning or eliminating the first branch on the bottom right, which may need to happen anyways.

It's hard to imagine the tree with the jin or without it at all. Probably need to do the bag or towel trick to cover and see how it looks.

 

[Pitoon]

You thought about incorporating some shari on the trunk?

 

[Hartinez]

You thought about incorporating some shari on the trunk?

Certainly. But I need to decide on a few other things first. It def needs it. I left much of the job as is and wired it where I wanted it to sit. Knowing that I can remove much of it later if needed.

 

[leatherback]

What does the nebari look like? Is it possible to tilt 45 degrees to the right?
What do the other anges look like?

 

[Hartinez]

What does the nebari look like? Is it possible to tilt 45 degrees to the right?
What do the other anges look like?

without being too aggressive, the roots seem to only get better. Something I noticed at purchase.

 

[Hartinez]

A few other angles.

 

[Japonicus]

At this point in your thread/voting I'm in the minority choosing line 2 (1:4:1) tied with line 4.
This is one in part due to more graceful foliage, two, keeping the lower left branch as a sacrifice to thicken the trunk there.
The sacrifice can later be used if you change your mind.
Line 2 is a touch more compact than line 1 and naturally already bows towards the viewer.

Probably my lack of experience using multiple trunks, but line 3 seems to be off balance visually with 2 apexes to the left of the trunkline.
Would have to see a good example of that rather than a mock up I think. @Arnold_K does really good virtuals.

 

[Hartinez]

At this point in your thread/voting I'm in the minority choosing line 2 (1:4:1) tied with line 4.
This is one in part due to more graceful foliage, two, keeping the lower left branch as a sacrifice to thicken the trunk there.
The sacrifice can later be used if you change your mind.
Line 2 is a touch more compact than line 1 and naturally already bows towards the viewer.

Probably my lack of experience using multiple trunks, but line 3 seems to be off balance visually with 2 apexes to the left of the trunkline.
Would have to see a good example of that rather than a mock up I think. @Arnold_K does really good virtuals.

Arnold’s virtuals are the best.

 

[leatherback]

Good nebari. Good planting angle!

As for the trunk line.. Most trees look better with a "hollow" than a "belly" as trunkline. So a trunk the moves sightly back and then comes towards the viewer is most often better than a trunk that come to you, and then moves away. As such, I would go for the third of the next images you are showing for the front.

 

[Dav4]

I love a well done Mother/Daughter styling, so my vote would be line 3 if you can pull it off.

 

[Hartinez]

I love a well done Mother/Daughter styling, so my vote would be line 3 if you can pull it off.

My entire bonsai as hobby lifeline has been a big IF. sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t. 3 is my fave also, as all the necessary components are there.

Great to get some input from the people I am getting input from. I respect your all’s view point. Like my first post says. I usually just style and show and don’t always ask for help in that process. Thought it’d be fun to do this poll.