AusBonsai

Hi all
This is my big squamata, it stands 700mm from top of pot to top.
I am going to try avoid using wire for this one and just trim and grow (some major branches may need to be wired).
I'd like to know if it's too late this growing season to do a major trim? I'll most likely be removing a lot of foliage.
Also open to ideas on style.

Cheers

I think now is the best time. After the trim feed, water and sun heavily.

You can prune most trees at any time of the year Ben. It should respond quite quickly at this time of year because it is actively growing. When was it repotted last? I don't think it is good to work on the top soon after cutting the roots.

Good luck with the clip and grow. I've found that I can't get good results with junipers without extensive wiring. They don't shoot and grow quickly like maples.

I thought so, thanks guys.

It was repotted a year ago so nothing to worry about there.
As for the clip and grow, it's something I haven't tried and I have seen good results from others.

After a decent trim.
Had to add some wire as I thought

I hope you get some new growth further down the trunk. That would help balance out the top heavy look it has now, but you've done a nice job so far. I'd thin out the top a bit more. So it's even, or even thinner than the bottom branches. It'll help spread the energy throughout the tree and not lead to lower branch die off.


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What a change, I love the difference styling to a juniper can make.

Just my opinion here but you may want to look at putting a little more movement in that lower left branch. At the moment it appears to be growing upward with all the others growing down. I'd pull it down a little and make some movement so it doesn't look like you accidentally gave it Viagra instead of seasol.

You could then maybe lower the next but of foliage directly above it a little so all the foliage isn't on a single level, in turn reducing the new negative space the lowering of the bottom branch would create.

Just my two cents Goodluck with the tree!

Cheers,
Pearcy.

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Thanks for your input Pearcy
Will keep that in mind.
For now I'm just going to let it recover.
Will probably rework it next season

Need to drop that lower left branch down to be in sympathy with all the others.
no reason to wait

Ken

Okay will do

Been a while since I updated this guy
Has bee growing vigorously.
And recently I decided to compress it a little by making small cuts at the angles so I was able to bend the trunk
Still would like to compress it a little more but will do it over time.
Also could do with another decent trim

Hi Benbonsai,
It's looking better all the time! Compressing the bends in the trunk has made a big difference. In the pics from last December the trunk looked too much like a wavy line I have found the same with one of my Cypresses and a JBP, with a more squat appearance they look much better. Keep up the good work, the end result is satisfying.
Frank.

Cheers raging bull, starting to see some results
Just a nice trim and a repot at the start of spring should get it ready for the season.

Ben,

I like the direction you are going with this tree. If I could make one comment I find the lower left branch which originates from the center front of the main trunk a little distracting. Have you ever thought of attempting to in-arch graft that branch lower down and slightly to the side of the main trunk?

Personally I would also thin the top a little as Junipers tend to be a little dominant at the top of the tree, thinning the top would help balance the vigor of the tree and re-direct some of the tree's energy to the lower branches.

Just a thought.

cheers,
Jeff

Hi benbonsai, Love the look of this tree! Thanks for the inspiration! I now have some direction with what i want out of the "wavey line/ S-bend" procumbens i picked up

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