Semi Cascade Juniper

[missybonsai]

Hi everyone
Bought this juni about two years ago now. As you will see from the pics it was much more compact (being wired into tight bends) when i bought it. Now it has "gone to seed" slightly, as all the branches strightened out once the wire was taken off. It also had an infection of a scale-like insect that wouldnt respond to pest-oil.
Subsequently I've let it grow and fed it up, and its now much healthier and bug-free. I would like to do a major revamp to make it into a much more compact and appealing tree again, but not the same as it was when I bought it. I was thinking a few jins possibly, and maybe just a few pads of foliage; something really compact. I would love some imput and ideas, anything is welcome!
Heres the tree (almost forgot the pics!)

Heres a link to show you the tree when I bought it, its the first pic:
viewtopic.php?f=130&t=2999

Current front:


The branch structure:


Thanks in advance!

[The Specimen]

.. well there are always potentials just depends on how time you have

Where im at with things atm, i'd ground him n grab more to work on.. that way you can have some great me time

and can rotate them that way you dont have so much down time

[Andrew Legg]

Missy,

If it were my tree, I'd wire the main trunk to come back in front of the pot and then just feed and water it well. In time it will fatten up a bit and then you can worry about more detailed styling.

If it were mine that is . . .

Cheers,

Andrew

[missybonsai]

.. well there are always potentials just depends on how time you have

Where im at with things atm, i'd ground him n grab more to work on.. that way you can have some great me time

and can rotate them that way you dont have so much down time

Well if you give me 4-5 weeks for exams to finish, I'll have a couple of months to do as much or little as i want putting it in the ground may be an option however, being thicker in the trunk is always better

Missy,

If it were my tree, I'd wire the main trunk to come back in front of the pot and then just feed and water it well. In time it will fatten up a bit and then you can worry about more detailed styling.

If it were mine that is . . .

Cheers,

Andrew

Thanks Andrew, however I'm not sure what you mean by wiring the trunk to come back in front of the pot. But yes, it could do with thickening up now I think about it I would still appreciate some other future styling ideas however

[missybonsai]

Hey everyone
just a little update on this little juniper, has been almost fully wired now into a more elegant shape (well i think so anyway ) and once it fills out it should look nice, i hope. Im planning for some of the small branches on the apex to grow longer so that they can fill in the gap between the apex and the first pad of foliage. will post an update when it has filled out
heres some photos anyway:

viewing front



branch structure


Happy Australia Day!!


back

[hugh grant]

Nice work missy.
Now you need to let this grow for a while. Give it a good feed regularly and just let it grow for the next season to strengthen as there isn't much foliage on it right now.
Good luck with it.

Hugh

[missybonsai]

Thanks Hugh, yes thats the plan! I always find my junipers bounce back really well after having a lot of foliage taken off, often getting much healthier in the subsequent months. It will get a good feed of seaweed solution and chicken poo

[hugh grant]

That's the way!

Hugh

[bodhidharma]

I look forward to the update M.B. If i do that to juni's where i am they die. Goes to show, different area, different choices.

[missybonsai]

Hmm yes that is interesting Bodhi, people have cautioned me against taking off so much foliage before, but for some reason they always come back brialliantly, no complaints about that of course! It also helps that there is currently some cooler weather which will help it recover even better! Still just learning how to grow and style junipers properly, but of course bonsai is always a learning experience