My first bonsai from nursery stock

[Bonsai_creations]

Thats sweet mate.A treasure .

[greggles]

Update after removing dead lower branch.

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[Ryceman3]

I don't think it is detrimental to your overall design with that branch gone... If anything it helps it. Keep going with it, good stuff! It's looking pretty healthy all up

[kcpoole]

Nice effort
the tree looks much nicer now than the initial attempt. Everyone should take note that bending and movement in trunk and branches makes our trees look much nicer

Unless of course they are formal upright, but they are few and far between.

Ken

[Daluke]

Looks awesome mate.

[greggles]

Thanks for the positive comments and a big thank you to every one for your tips and info. It really helped transform my tree. Can't wait for the canopy to grow out now.

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[greggles]

Update!

Its come along way thanks to every one on here! What do you think?

Looking at photos o realise bottom left needs to be made smaller but other than that in pretty happy

Cheers

Greg

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[MJL]

Good on ya Greg. You are receiving enough advice about this tree from everyone else - so no need for me to add to the foundation of ideas already received. I just want to say well done for keeping at it and Its great to read of the enjoyment that you are clearly getting from advancing this tree.


Bonsai teaches me patience.
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[Raging Bull]

Looking better all the time. It may be just me, but I think it would look better if the bottom left pad was reduced a little in size and the branch given a couple of subtle lateral bends to bring the foliage a little closer to the trunk. I think you have the makings of a fine tree there.
Cheers, Frank.

[greggles]

Looking better all the time. It may be just me, but I think it would look better if the bottom left pad was reduced a little in size and the branch given a couple of subtle lateral bends to bring the foliage a little closer to the trunk. I think you have the makings of a fine tree there.
Cheers, Frank.

Hey raging bull,

Definitely agree. Is it ok to reduce it now? I've read conflicting information Bout when it is ok to trim and prune junipers.

Cheers

Gregory

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[jonathanv]

I’m all for a nice clay pot. IMO forcing it in a bonsai pot isn’t good practice. You are doing a good job and keep up the photos!!

[Raging Bull]

Hi Greggles, It should be OK to still reduce that pad if you're in Sydney. A good way to reduce these junipers is to cut back the branchlets in the pad, but leave all the small buds and new branchlets sprouting out of the junction where the branchlets originate. And of course reduce the overall length of the branch to the desired length also. To clarify I've attached a photo of one such shoot on one of my Junipers. It's the little shoot near my fingertip. Normally as these shoots get a bit larger they are rubbed off or pinched out, if the branchlet is carefully removed the new little shoot will take its place.
Cheers, Frank

[greggles]

Hi Greggles, It should be OK to still reduce that pad if you're in Sydney. A good way to reduce these junipers is to cut back the branchlets in the pad, but leave all the small buds and new branchlets sprouting out of the junction where the branchlets originate. And of course reduce the overall length of the branch to the desired length also. To clarify I've attached a photo of one such shoot on one of my Junipers. It's the little shoot near my fingertip. Normally as these shoots get a bit larger they are rubbed off or pinched out, if the branchlet is carefully removed the new little shoot will take its place.
Cheers, Frank

Ok, after 2 hours of being pricked to death I have finished reducing pads and rewiring tree.

What do you think?

I find it so hard to know if I'm doing the right thing with the branches and sub branches. I've also put up a top view of my first branch for you all to see. I know my wiring is a bit all over the place.. I tried my best... Haha

Is this about right? All foliage obviously on the tips of sub branches... how do i/am I meant to be getting all foliage on the tops of the pads?

Also just wondering what to do with the canopy of the tree? Is it fine like this or should it have a more flat edge at bottom of canopy?

Thanks for your help everyone. I cant beleive how this tree has turned out after only 4 years

Regards,

Greg

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[ReDirtBonsa1]

Looks great

Just the top doesn’t look right to me. It looks a lot more dense then the rest of the tree but Yeah looks awesome you’ve done well there. Gotta be happy with that.

[shibui]

Yep, wild wiring alright As you do more you should work out strategies to make the wires a bit neater but I say as long as it works and you are not showing it doesn't matter how it looks.

You've spread out al the sub branches on that first branch really neatly but in doing so you've left the middle bare. I've noticed that all the experienced bonsai people place a few of the sub branches over the centre of the branch to fill that area in, even if it means crossing a few over each other.
The other thing I notice is the side view. I can see the main branch above all the sub branches. The other way round looks better where the tips are wired up a bit so we can see the branch structure under the foliage pad. Remember that's the way branch tips grow - upwards rather than down. No need to get too carried away. We really just want to show a hint of the branch structure under the pads. Probably something like you have now but upside down if that makes sense.