JRP #1

[Apex37]

I picked this guy up about 2 years ago. First year I repotted him into an oversized box that lead to severe needle cast. It struggled didn’t grow much at all that year. I decided last spring to repot it into a pond basket and it did exceptionally better.

I just finished up needle plucking and bud pruning for the first time.

Here’s how it looked before:


After:



I have two ideas for styling that I could use advice on.

First option I’m not as keen on as it seems to be a default of mine to go semi-cascade. One thing to note is basically the top half would be pruned and grown out as a sacrifice to be removed at the red line:



The other option is moving to the “backside” and adjusting the angle. The plan would be style and prune to shape and select a new sacrifice branch to grow on the backside to thicken the truck that would eventually be removed.



Here’s a couple videos so y’all get an idea:

Semi-cascade

Informal Upright

Would love to hear any thoughts or suggestions!

 

[Orion_metalhead]

I like the first option, but not cutting off the top like you say and growing out for a wide flat but very curvy informal upright.

 

[Apex37]

I like the first option, but not cutting off the top like you say and growing out for a wide flat but very curvy informal upright.

Hmm, that idea hadn’t crossed my mind. Something else to ponder over

Would you keep the angle as it currently sits or would you tilt it like in pic 4?

 

[ACooke]

I like the first idea; another option to cutting where you've noted, might be to tilt the planting angle even further and drag one of the current apex, or right hand branch over to the left as an apex, and the other could be used as a back branch to create depth. Removing the surplus branches.
At first glance, maybe closing the angle - further bending - the bend just above your red line and using the two (or one) left-most branches in the current apex as a new, tighter and further-to-the-left apex could be cool. Then dragging one of the other branches over as a back-branch.
Just a thought/another option.
Either way, cool tree - seems like you have a few interesting options here.

 

[Orion_metalhead]

Hmm, that idea hadn’t crossed my mind. Something else to ponder over

Would you keep the angle as it currently sits or would you tilt it like in pic 4?

I like it tilted a little. Depends on the nebari also... that could be a key deciding factor in the tree's long term front/angle determination.