These are the original trees purchased from the nursery , dug up from the ground bare rooted and transported home in plastic garbage bags. The single trunk tree was 1500mm high and the multi trunk tree {9} suckers was 1850mm high , heavy root pruning , branch reduction including reducing the number of trunks to {5} took place within 1 hour of digging. The height was reduced to 1200mm and 1400mm , then potted up and allowed to recover for 4 weeks then a further reduction of branches and trunks to {3} would take place. Allowing another 4 weeks to pass before tying down the branches using fishing line to shape the single tree branches into something resembling the desired shape . The multi trunk was different because of the juvenile foliage {fern like} i used pla
stic spring-loaded clothes pegs to hold the foliage at right angles to the main trunks.This method works exceptionally well on Maples . See you can teach an old dog new tricks . I find the pegs eliminate bark damage and is far quicker and easily adjusted unlike wire . Left alone for a futher 6 weeks for the new shoots to appear , all the original branches except for a new leader for the single trunk were removed leaving only the current years growth to sprout . Pegs were then used to direct this growth out at rightangles to the trunks until the branchlets were hard enough to hold their position and then of course they were removed . A futher height reduction would take place reducing the triple trunks to 550mm , 650mm , and 800mm and the single trunk with its new leader to 850mm . Currently both bonsai are doing exceptionally well with the new growth being controlled by pinching out and rubbing off of unwanted shoots
stic spring-loaded clothes pegs to hold the foliage at right angles to the main trunks.This method works exceptionally well on Maples . See you can teach an old dog new tricks . I find the pegs eliminate bark damage and is far quicker and easily adjusted unlike wire . Left alone for a futher 6 weeks for the new shoots to appear , all the original branches except for a new leader for the single trunk were removed leaving only the current years growth to sprout . Pegs were then used to direct this growth out at rightangles to the trunks until the branchlets were hard enough to hold their position and then of course they were removed . A futher height reduction would take place reducing the triple trunks to 550mm , 650mm , and 800mm and the single trunk with its new leader to 850mm . Currently both bonsai are doing exceptionally well with the new growth being controlled by pinching out and rubbing off of unwanted shoots
