[shibui] large shimpaku

[shibui]

This juniper was in the ground for a couple of years. It did not grow very much but the trunks are now too big to bend effectively so my plan is to reduce the height by jinning the tops. I think that there's also a possible cascade here so time will tell what comes out.
Species: Juniper chinensis - shimpaku
Current height 60 cm
From: Shibui Bonsai - grown from a cutting.
Cost: free to me but value assessed at $45

AB shohin shimpaku maybe 1 A.JPG

AB create shimpaku large .JPG

[bodhidharma]

So we are getting a little serious this time around Neil

[shibui]

Who? Me?

Yeah... Playing for sheep stations this time

[shibui]

Update time.
I've done some preliminary pruning and wiring. The taller bits will be left on for the time being to try to get some trunk thickening. Still haven't decided whether to keep one or both as jins later.

shohin juniper.JPG

[shibui]

Since the last update I have wired the long trunks and put a little movement into them. they will eventually be jinned but, in case I decide to leave longer jin the movement might be useful. At the moment those long bits will be adding bulk to the lower trunks.

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[shibui]

All the shoots that were wired have set in place and wire removed during January.
I decided to try to grow some variation in the areas to be jinned so I've stripped the bark off half of each hoping that the side still with bark will grow and thicken giving some natural texture and interest to the final jins.

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I have concern that the foliage at the top of both branches will be too close together as it is but I think I can see a solution.

[shibui]

Here's an update photo. Not much to report this last quarter.
I think it has grown a bit. The aim is to get all the future jin branches to grow a bit before they are finally stripped.

ausbonsai shohin large shimapku 2017 5 .JPG

It looked like the foliage from the upright trunk was going to end up right on top of the foliage pad of the left trunk so I've wired the upper shoot upward again. Later it will go back down into a hanging branch.

[shibui]

I would have liked to give this tree more time to develop but as Steven pointed out, time is against us with the comp end drawing closer.
I decided to jin all the remaining sacrifice branches and wire the living parts. In the first design the top seemed to be right in line with the left branch which did not look good to me so the top has been rewired and a couple of bends added to enhance the wildness I'm looking for.
Cut back the lower branch to stimulate some density there.

ausbonsai shimpaku 2017 7 2.JPG

I had repotted this and put it back into a grow pot then saw the reminder that the comp ends in November so I went looking for a pot. Not much choice here at the moment and this is the best I could do.

ausbonsai shohin juniper 2017 8 12.JPG

Still a few adjustments to make so for some good growth between now and November.

[shibui]

Foliage pads are developing. I'm still not happy with the jins or the final foliage arrangement but not sure if I'll get time to make any changes before the end of this period so here's where it is at today.

ausbonsai shohin shimpaku 2017 nov 4.JPG

[shibui]

Second photo as required:

ausbonsai shohin shimpaku 2017 nov 3.JPG

[shibui]

managed to find some time to make a couple of changes before the end of this current stage.

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As you can see, 2 of the jins have been shortened and I've removed an extra branch from the left side to compact the profile a bit.

Here's a picture with the tape for size reference

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