Japanese maple thoughts please

squizzy · Post by **squizzy** » November 2nd, 2011, 10:00 am

Hi to all.

I have been training this small maple into an informal upright style for about 18 months now. As it is I have started to develop the basic branch positions so please feel free to comment as to wether you think it is heading in the right direction. I am considering removing thecompletly removing the top 1/4 of the tree so the ultimate height of the tree only goes to the 3rd tier branches.

I do understand that it probably shouldnt be in this shallow pot ( its probably what I had around at the time) and it is also not aligned in the pot correctly but any alternative suggestions on position would be more than welcome. This wiring technique is to reduce the scaring which seems to be a result of me never getting old wire off in time ( probably the result of too many trees and not enough hours).

This is purely a tree to keep me interested whilst I hopefully develop better stock in bigger pots but I beleive it has a certain likeable character.

Cheers

Squizz

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63pmp · Post by **63pmp** » November 3rd, 2011, 6:39 pm

Hi squizzy,

I think this is an interesting tree. It has a certain contradiction in it; in that the trunk has interesting movement as if growing in a hostile place, but is also obviously quite young. I can't imagine where this kind of trunk would grow on a maple in nature, which makes it hard to determine what sort of branching it should have. Its not your typical natural maple trunk, though you see lots of them as starters because they become like this through neglect in nurseries.

I think at the moment the branches are overly long, and there is confusion about what style they should be. Some are in a young maple style, another old maple style, one is pine style. As a bonsai, I personally see this tree as mimicking a middle aged maple in the natural style. I would try and get the branches moving in a similar style to the trunk, cutting them back, non very long, only about 1/3-1/2 of the overall height, but with intense branching (ramification), and having more branches, 6 or 7. Tips of branches must rise at the ends. Removing the top at the sudden change in direction would be a good move, but I think it would leave the tree too short. I would keep the tree at about it's current height, wire up a new leader after cutting off the straight section. I wouldn't aim for a very thick tree, but one with slight taper, with the sudden movements of the trunk just tempered a little by a slightly thicker trunk, to make a middle aged looking tree. And the branches should reflect that, with the upper branches reaching upwards, like a middle aged tree. Too many folk have middle aged trunks adorned with "old tree" branches, or worse, a maple with pine branches, and it's not right.

If this tree has been fed well in the last few weeks you should have a lot of new buds forming after this defoliation to pick branches from. Pruning and defoliation would have been better in December, but you could remove the top part of the tree now, as well as shorten the branches, as this will encourage back budding. I wouldn't feed now in hope of pushing buds as this wil cause overly large leaves and long inter-nodes.

I would also suggest you wrap wire in either paper or cloth to help prevent it bitting into the bark and paying more attention to them in uture. Pulling old branches down with wires is fine, but it doesn't develop a nice profile for young branches, wiring will give you much better movement. I would also work upon the roots, exposing them will prevent good nebari development, cover with a mulch for now so you don't lose small feeder roots near the trunk.

This tree is not ready to be in a bonsai pot yet, leaving it in this pot will dramatically slow development.

This is not an easy tree to develop, but I think it could become interesting, good luck.

Paul

squizzy · Post by **squizzy** » November 4th, 2011, 12:41 pm

Hi Paul,

Thank you for taking the time to give such a comprehensive analyisis of the tree.

You have given me plenty to think about. I will see what happens with the new shoots and try to post some photos with my thoughts once it comes back into leaf.

regards

Squizz

squizzy · Post by **squizzy** » July 24th, 2012, 9:02 am

Just a quick post of this little Japanese maple as an update.

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I have wired it into a bit of a rough shape and intend to pot it up into a trainer pot once spring is here.

Happy to hear any thoughts.

Squizz

Andrew F · Post by **Andrew F** » July 24th, 2012, 9:33 am

Wow Squiz, love the downward movement in the branches, do you have a patch of earth you could plant it in to thicken up the trunk at little?

Hackimoto · Post by **Hackimoto** » July 24th, 2012, 10:05 am

I think you have done a great job compared to how it looks in the top pics. The tree has a delicate feminine feel to it and I can imagine how good it will look with more ramification of the branches. The lower sub-branches on the right look like they need to be spaced a bit more as they look a bit too squished together.

Weed ya pot.LOL

squizzy · Post by **squizzy** » July 24th, 2012, 10:36 am

Vs, Cheers for the comments. As hackimoto has said the tree has a feminine feel to it so I dont really wish for the trunk to be super fat. I am potting it up to get a little more girth to it but that would be all that is needed in my opinion. The roots are the biggest flaw with this tree so I would hope by potting it up and covering the nebari a bit I can develope this a little more. I really dont have the space to plant anything out anyway. The things you have to sacrifice for living in the city.

Hackimoto, leave my weeds alone. They are the best indicater to a lazy gardener that I have got enough nutrition in the soil??????? Or maybe I am just a lazy gardener. Thats one pots worth, you should see the rest of the garden.

I will look at that lower right branch though.
Cheers

Squizz

Hackimoto · Post by **Hackimoto** » July 24th, 2012, 1:21 pm

squizzy wrote:Hackimoto, leave my weeds alone. They are the best indicater to a lazy gardener that I have got enough nutrition in the soil??????? Or maybe I am just a lazy gardener. Thats one pots worth, you should see the rest of the garden.
I will look at that lower right branch though.
Cheers

Squizz

Would this be the same nutrition that the Maple could be using?

I can't talk as I'm always rapping myself across the knuckles for the same thing. I guess as long as they don't get too big, Eh.

Post by **kcpoole** » July 24th, 2012, 2:02 pm

I like the latest iteration

I like a taller more feminine tree, so this appeals to me

what about root grafting to improve nebari?
Ken

Andrew F · Post by **Andrew F** » July 24th, 2012, 3:26 pm

squizzy wrote:Vs, Cheers for the comments. As hackimoto has said the tree has a feminine feel to it so I dont really wish for the trunk to be super fat. I am potting it up to get a little more girth to it but that would be all that is needed in my opinion. The roots are the biggest flaw with this tree so I would hope by potting it up and covering the nebari a bit I can develope this a little more. I really dont have the space to plant anything out anyway. The things you have to sacrifice for living in the city.

Squizz

Ahhh true, the feminine trunk and downward deflected branches make it seem like a few years worth of snow and rain have weighed it down but its fought against the odds.

Does the toothpick method work with maples???

Andrew Legg · Post by **Andrew Legg** » July 24th, 2012, 6:40 pm

BIG improvement Squizz! Good job!

squizzy · Post by **squizzy** » July 24th, 2012, 7:36 pm

might look into root grafting or the toothpick method. I havent tried either but I am not afraid to do so.

Thanks fellas.

Squizz

matlea · Post by **matlea** » July 24th, 2012, 8:18 pm

Agree nice improvement with the wired up branches.... Should develop into an nice tree.

squizzy · Post by **squizzy** » November 21st, 2012, 9:10 pm

Ok here is an update for this one.

I have given it a haircut to try and increase branching but it will deff be left alone now until late winter as it hasnt shot back with te vigour it did in spring.

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Cheers

Squizz

jayde01 · Post by **jayde01** » November 21st, 2012, 10:32 pm

looking good!

AusBonsai