My 2nd Juniper - Looking for Some Inputs on Styling :]

[El Triminator]

Hey everybody,

Very new to this hobby, but am not stranger to cacti and houseplants. Found this at a SoCal big box store and grabbed it since they're not really all over. I made my first simple bonsai with a small nana and it looks very cliché, so already looking for more. Got some wire today, doing a lot of research as one does, and following Heron's Bonsai channel...I like the guy's approach.

Anyway, this tall nana is essentially two long stems staked up...what I was thinking was to remove the stake and perhaps wire the two stems together? Is that way against the grain? The other idea was to literally wire the trunks with like 5mm wire (got some today) and bend them completely over to create a gnarly cascade. Not even sure if that's possible. Might snap, but would do slowly...one at a time. If anything should make for good practice. Really appreciate anybody chipping in!

My first bonsai (in progress)


Cheers!
Chris

The tall nana front and back.

 

[DavidBoren]

Looks like you have a lot to work with, no matter what you choose to do. I say go for the cascade... you already have the wire for it.

 

[sorce]

Get to the Choppa!

Welcome to Crazy!

Sorce

 

[El Triminator]

Got the madam up on a table and about to see if I can wire the trunks to start a double cascade. Not sure if that's a thing, but that's the vision. At the same time, the trunks are those skinny nursery stocky looking things...better just a vertical? The tops have that downsloping apex already that looks pretty sweet...choices! Arg

ok, will just stop overthinking, wire first and go from there! Thanks for nice quick input!
Chris

 

[El Triminator]

Looks like you have a lot to work with, no matter what you choose to do. I say go for the cascade... you already have the wire for it.

I didn't cut enough for the last tip, but I tried my best...does this look acceptable? Should I have made the wraps closer?

 

[qwerty Bonsai]

the movement of the trunk is pretty good. However, overall it's way out of proportion. If it is mine, I would break it into 2,3 smaller trees by air layering or by cutting. Hopefully you haven't cut all the lower branches yet. (The photo is not very clear)

 

[El Triminator]

Thanks for your input. On the large branches there wasn't much at the bottom. What made up the bottom bulk were other separate trunk pieces. I was thinking about separating everything and maybe growing it out in a 15g that's taller and can support the first branches as an apex. I already wired the two main branches and cascaded them, as they are part of the same weird trunk ball. Not the perfect tree, but good practice. I just dint know if the trunk will ever beef up or how to do that besides giving it more space...

Chris

 

[DavidBoren]

Fortune favors the bold. And, if all else fails... a cascade can be shortened to a windswept... to a slant... you have a lot to work with (by the looks of it).