Squamata Prostrata

[dayne]

how about starting work on it as a literati leaving the bottom branch finish it sleep on it wake up have another look not what you want then give it the chop but post up a pic as a literati for insperation check john nakas sketches

[Mitchell]

Greth, thanks for the advice.
When you say-
"i agree that it would look out of place as a cascade/semi."
Do you mean as it is now with the top foliage, or it would not look right even if I removed the top and just kept the lower branch.



Dayne, sounds like a plan, i'll create the lit tree with the tail, then work backwards from there. Looks like some helpful chap has collected some of John's drawings on site. I must check them out. viewtopic.php?f=7&t=4655&p=52922&hilit=john+naka#p52922
Here two candidates, based on the "s" trunkline.



The one with the top jinned is mine, just quick sketch.
Going to class tonight and taking it along, we shall see where it heads.
Might take once last shot of full size for reference as I have done a lil' work on it, before what ever happens tonight.

[dayne]

go the bottom one great sketch jmo

[Mitchell]

It does look like an interesting option Dayne.

Can anyone say bored?

[Mitchell]

Thought I would return back to this thread to keep it together.
Started removing foliage from the top section, with the intention of jinning it.

Off to start jinning now, not going to spend to much time on it as, it will most probably be reduced further in the future stylings.

[Mitchell]

Started the jin at the beginning of the straight section to remove it. Not visible from the front atm, but I intend on continuing it down to the lower branch and having the whole top jinned.

How's the general consensus with the top removed? I am only now starting to see where I want to go. That straight top section I believe was just confusing the situation at hand.

Shall we continue the jin down, to the top of the cascade branch? Or can anyone see something else at this point?

[Jamie]

hi mitch,

If this were mine and i was going for a literati with this tree, what I would do with where you are at now with it, is turn it anti clockwise 90 degrees, this with some wiring to bring the "tail" to an apex would make a very good tree, I will try and sketch my thoughts later tonight

[Mitchell]

Might want to put a hold on those thoughts mate... This bad boy's head is coming off.

[Mitchell]

And so the mighty have fallen...

Well that was a little adventure unto itself. Pleased I started it as procrastinating was getting me nowhere, now I have a tree to work with.
Will posts some detailed pics of the jin in a couple of hours when I'm finished. I'm thinking no bleached white, more polished sandblasted light brown for the deadwood.

Any objections to proceedings so far? Anyone care to do a virt for foliage?

How does everyone see the pads turning out? Should I be thinning out and wiring the cascade now prior to spring?
I understand that we keep the branches on the outside of the curves... but say the tail has 4 curves, do we really remove all but the four branches on the outside of curves? It seems that would leave the tail a lil' sparse looking... Obviously the branches under the tail need to go but, then what about the branches coming from the top of the branch? Do we keep them or use them to fill voids??

I think I need to go research cascades more. Google images here I come...

Thanks to all for the knowledge you have given, it has been much appreciated as I was definitely stuck with proceedings.

[Mitchell]

PO'D at myself today. Was putting only a slight amount more movement into the cascade branch, and didn't notice a coil of wire had come loose on the underside, due to movement. Because the branch was not supported on the inside, I heard one snap, I think there must have been a knot, as the branch has heaps more flex than that. One crack, right through no live vein remaining. $#@GVT%$QBY%#@^B$#@^$#!!!! That's Spanish for "I'm an idiot!!!!"

Oh well looks like a different plot shall be struck... I'll update with the damage tonight... frickin' annouyed I wasn't watching the coils whilst bending, stupid noob mistake. Blast...

[Jamie]

mitch,

remove the wire and wrap the whole branch with raffia or biketube, make it very tight then wire it again trying to keep the break close together. you could possibly save it.

If not it will have to be left alone for a couple of years and use a couple of those small shoots as new leaders tilt it more upright when growing it on now, similar to the sketch i sent you

[Mitchell]

Nah it's gone mate. Was really weird, wasn't a fracture, was a clean snap through entirely. Didn't even leave any live vein connected to try and bind it.

Just chopped through the wire. Good thing I got my grow beds sorted last week. My big fig cuttings think they are gonna grow into big trees again...
Consoled myself this arvo and bought three little Kurume Azaleas, called little lady... Fantastic tiny flowers and leaves, I'm going to try and turn em' into some nice lil' shohins.

[Mitchell]

Here's some pictures of the current situation.
As you can see, most of the tail is now gone. One bonus is the trunk is now back budding which shall give me more options.

Still not finished with the jin, got my major lines sorted but it still needs much more detailed to work.

[Jamie]

hi mate,

this will still make an interesting tree and also having forced a smaller tree out of it will help with the overall composition. you could also still go literati with this one, a literati doesnt need to be more upright, I have seen many a good literati that have a horizontal or below that were brilliant.

jamie

[Mitchell]

Here's an update. Pushing some ridiculous growth, an inch since winter. Haven't been pinching as the remaining branches after the snap, were once over shadowed and were sickly. They now have regained their full health.

I am happy with where it is headed atm, but any suggestions are always welcomed.

Since the snap I am still debating which style to run with. Any ideas, as I'm still open to creating a cascade or perhaps the idea of an upright is growing on me by the day.