Long and leggy growth

[melbrackstone]

I've not reached this stage yet, but understand that after you've had a finished tree in exhibition condition for a couple of years, they start to get too long and leggy, and pretty much need to be heavily pruned and regrown. Would this tree be at that stage, would you say? I found it on Bill Valavanis's blog https://valavanisbonsaiblog.com/2018/02 ... t-2-final/

6p4a7983.jpg

[Watto]

Mmm, interesting question.
I think just trimming it back a few centimeters all around would be my plan of attack.

[TimS]

I have an old Japanese Maple the previous owner did this with. It had been exhibited multiple times over the years with the original grower; the new owner purchased it and cut it back very hard to get new buds closer to the trunk and now I’ve taken over regrowing the branches.

I’m no expert but I would guess because Japanese Maple grow such dense foliage that shaded out the inner portions they end up becoming an outer shell with few or no inner branches and cutting back hard prompts new buds to shoot from old wood. I wish it hadn’t been cut quite so hard as my timeline for the tree is 5 years to look ‘bonsai-ish’ again and 10 years to have it looking like it used to; but it will certainly have better taper and ramification as a result of this pain now.

[melbrackstone]

I think just trimming it back a few centimeters all around would be my plan of attack.

Hi Watto, the reason I ask is because it looks like that's what's been done over the past few years, and the interior branches are getting quite thick, with ramification mostly appearing on the outer edges.

I’m no expert but I would guess because Japanese Maple grow such dense foliage that shaded out the inner portions they end up becoming an outer shell with few or no inner branches and cutting back hard prompts new buds to shoot from old wood.

Hi Tim, yes I can understand what you're saying, but I'm used to seeing much more interior ramification on a bare branch plant on display at Kokufu, so am a little surprised that this was shown as is. I'd have thought a hard cut back and regrowing more interior buds for ramification would make it a much more likely candidate for display. Maybe this tree owner was just trying to show a different view from the standard..?

Thanks for your responses, I'm keen to understand more of what I'm seeing.

[EdwardH]

I don't know the history of this tree but it reminds me of those trees which have been grown quickly. Note that the branches are all of a similar thickness and length which are the hallmarks of quick growing. The result is quick thickening and lengthening of branches but with little ramification mostly on the edges of the branches with little internal ramification. This looks OK when in leaf but not so much when bare.

[melbrackstone]

This looks OK when in leaf but not so much when bare.

Thanks Edward, that might explain it then. I'm sure it looks magnificent when in leaf.