lackhand wrote:Alright, these really are twigs in pots, but here they are anyway. I'm really excited about them because I love maples, so it's nice to have some. So far they seem happy in the heat, and have grown lots of new leaves since their arrival.
My plan is to develop one as a shohin so I can get to work on it soon, and let the other fatten up and grow into something bigger. Obviously both are a long ways from real bonsai, so it's a good thing I'll be around to enjoy them when they finally look nice . . . in 20-30 years.
The moss on the trunks needs removed, but it's a bit of a novelty as moss just doesn't grow here. At all. It should die by itself after another week or two.
The leaves seem like a nice size for bonsai, and I've read that they reduce well too, so my first impression is that these are great maples for hot climates. Another couple years will confirm that for sure.
Hi Karl,
They look quite healthy and have a good potential.
However, don't wait for the moss to die by itself - remove it with a wet toothbrush and put it in a small tray and grow some more. Your trees will thank you for that! 
There's a great thread on how to grow moss on this forum, just check it out .... and it works too! 
Slip-pot the trees in to a polystyrene box or growing bed in your garden - without disturbing the roots too much, to fatten them up a bid. You can do some leaf reduction as well, as long as you don’t take all of them off - do it in stages, about half at a time.
Hope that helps a bid to get you going …. good luck and enjoy!
Cheers,
Rudi
