AusBonsai

Gave it to a friend 9 years ago. Stayed in the same pot for the whole time. No repotting, trimming and styling done. It was returned to me yesterday. Thickened a lot in 9 years.
Any styling ideas? The curves look too pronounced.

compress them down? as they look like a spiral to me

Ken

kcpoole wrote:compress them down? as they look like a spiral to me

Ken

Yes, looks like a spiral. That was the reason I gave it away as a gift. Forgot where I got it from.
Compress them down? Using tourniquets to pull them together gradually?

I'm not too fond of tall junipers so forcing it down sounds like the way to go
I think it could give you a good mini tree/shohin from the top part. They are slow but
do airlayer . Why not make 2 junies to play with. Both with that nice thick trunk which
takes soooo long to get get like that

Bonbon wrote:

kcpoole wrote:compress them down? as they look like a spiral to me

Ken

Yes, looks like a spiral. That was the reason I gave it away as a gift. Forgot where I got it from.
Compress them down? Using tourniquets to pull them together gradually?

Raffia and wire, bend and compress, make the bends differnet radius and direction to provide interest.

Ken

make the bends differnet radius and direction to provide interest.

This would be the key. A compressed spiral is still just a spiral only compressed

My eye keeps being drawn to the back branch - 2nd branch? I can't see the tree in 3d but I would consider using that as the new apex. It should still bend enough to bring it left and forward then grow some branches down on the left - leave some of the existing main trunk for a jin though. That's a long term project so I understand if you keep the tree as it is.

I note from one of the photos that this tree has been grown for some time without rotating. All the growth is going in one direction and there is very little growth on one side. A great example of why we need to turn trees regularly.