before and after

jarrydbonsai

this thuja was purchased from an old garden centre about two months ago and has undergone its first styling.

before:front
after:front
compliments and criticism welcome

cheers jarryd

Attached Images

	IMG_1780_2_1_2_1_1.JPG (64.4 KB, 97 views)
	IMG_1929_1_6_1.JPG (27.0 KB, 170 views)

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klop

Good job!

Attila

Hi Jarryd

One thing about the shape of the branches: on your tree the branches leave the trunk in an upward angle, and then you wired them downward.

This is very unnatural, unless we are talking about trees with weeping growth habits.

So, you should lower the branches starting right at the base. This is not easy at times, and there is a risk of breaking them. But I would make every effort to do that. Sometimes, when the branch is already too thick, I make a cut right above the base of the branch into the trunk, effectively breaking the branch a little. This allows me to lower the angle even more. You can do this after the branch is already wired, so the wire will hold the branch and prevents it from moving too much around. Then you can use a sealant to seal the cut to prevent too much leaking of the sap.

Also, cypresses in general don't like to bud from old wood. It's challenge to get new foliage closer to the trunk. You do that by cutting back the foliage from the end of the branches, step by step, leaving only a little foliage. This will chase the foliage back to the trunk. Otherwise the branches look too leggy.

Good luck
Attila

jarrydbonsai

yeh Attila

the branches are fairly thick and quite hard to bend but i will try what you say and mabee the technique that suggested i think its one practiced alot by jerry meislik on his ficus.. also i know about back budding and the basic conifer stuff (not to sound like a rude know-all but im not stupid) i may have only been doing bonsai for three years but thats 1/5 of my life and in that time i have learned a few things due to information from this site,the internet,books and also my local club.

any way thanks for the replies

cheers jarryd

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Ashbarns9999

Jarryd this is really good work for a 1st styling. Well done!
regards Ash

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weeijk

Think you did a much better job here than you did in the contest, why didn't you use this for the contest?
I go with Atilla's comment, he's totaly right about wiring down the branches.

keep up this good work and show us the progression.

Cheers Wessel

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