AusBonsai

G'day and thanks for letting me join.

Here's a juniper I just started on. Still in progress and I will probably air layer the trunk in spring as the base is too tall to the first branch. Advice/constructive criticism welcome.

Tree is 45cm from soil to apex.

Cheers,

Steve

Looks too tall for me. I would shorten it. You've ended up with branches that are pom poms. Also looks a bit 2D. I think you also need more movement in the trunk.

I agree it is too tall. Part of that IMO is the lower trunk, it's too tall now and will get worse when I dig down looking for roots for the nebari, there is nothing near the surface I can use. Hence I am considering the air layer in Spring.

I could bring the apex down by cutting to a lower branch and wiring it to form the new leader.

As far as the pom poms go, this tree has already had 75-80% of its foliage removed since I started last weekend. I want to thin the pads out more but I think the tree needs a rest before I do that. I haven't repotted it yet for that very reason.

A photo is always 2D. Every photo of a bonsai I have looked at makes the tree look like a 2D image. The photo doesn't show the depth of this tree. It is far from 2D.

Cheers,

Steve

Even layering new roots will still leave it far too tall and thin. Definitely look for a side branch to cut back to.
Branches are downswept but otherwise appear very straight. You have wired the branches. Why not use that wiring to put some movement into them? branches should reflect the trunk. Straight trunk = straight branches. Lazy curved trunk similar branches and strongly curved trunk should be matched by strongly curved branches to match. Just a little 3D movement in these branches would match better I think. Some bends will also shorten those branches a little.

I would also prune the branches a bit shorter. Pruning is the best way to stimulate back budding any I think this would look far better with more ramification along those bare branches. I know you don't want to stress this tree but I think it would take further pruning in its stride at this stage. Up to you whether to do it now or some time later.

Is this better?

Sorry for the photo, it's getting late in the day and I was trying to minimise shadows on the wall.The tree needs to rotate to the left to show what I was thinking of as the front.

Cheers,

Steve

This is a better shot.

Improvement in the branch shape with the new curves Quite simple but can make quite a big difference.
Do you see the changes as improvements?

Hard to see in photos but always try for 3D movement - up/down and back/ forward. Many first attempts seem to just have single dimension bends.

Still a very tall, skinny bonsai though

Well done Steve, you're off to a good start and you're wiring is excellent.

One option is to let one of the lower branches grow unhindered for a few years to thicken the trunk below it, then cut it off when it's done it's job. Growing sacrifice branches is one way to thicken a trunk or branch rapidly, and you can still work on the rest of the tree and shape it the way you want. The first back branch on your tree would be a good candidate and the resulting scar from removal is hidden at the back of the tree.

Here's an example taken from Watto's blog:
Cheers,
Matt.

shibui wrote: Improvement in the branch shape with the new curves Quite simple but can make quite a big difference.
Do you see the changes as improvements?

Hard to see in photos but always try for 3D movement - up/down and back/ forward. Many first attempts seem to just have single dimension bends.

Still a very tall, skinny bonsai though

I do see the improvement, I'm still fiddling and adjusting as I see something I think could be better. I don't like that the 2 lowest branches seem almost a mirror image so I'll work on them. I'm also looking at which side branch to rewire as the new apex so I can reduce the height of the tree. I'm thinking the 4th branch up on the right.

Matt S: Thanks for the encouragement. I could grow that back branch out, it is already almost too thick for the tree anyway, even though the photo doesn't show that.

Cheers,

Steve