New pot for a Taiwanese Maple; a little advice wanted

[Thymetraveller]

So here's this cute little Taiwanese Maple, and here's this gorgeous rustic pot...

TW1.jpg

I'd had my eye on it for ages, dropped heavy hints around the Day of Saint Valentine and subsequent birthday, and then it disappeared from the website. What can we learn from this? Buy it when you see it, I suppose.

TW2.jpg

Anyway, in an almost fairytale ending, and thanks to Tracey at Murrumbung, (whose customer service is as charming as her creations!) the pot is now mine!

TY6.jpg

Here's where I could do with some advice.
As you can see, it's quite a bit shallower than the Maple's current home.

The tree is to be chopped like this:

TW4.jpg

And my idea it to build up a small hummock on the right hand side using muck and moss; almost treating it as a slab planting. I haven't worked with muck before and I am wondering if the area is too small for the muck to make a strong enough wall.

Can anyone advise?

While you are thinking about it, here's a picture of a surprise visitor who pitched up just as I was writing this post...

lorikeet.jpg

[kez]

I wouldnt worry about the pot being shallower, ive not worked with taiwanese maple before but assuming its the same as tridents and Japanese maples you can pretty much flat cut the base and it will grow roots radially from the cut. Infact you will probably find that it needs some of this sort of work to start to build root development and future nebari.

As far as the muck etc. I wont make comment as the styling and direction of the tree is entirely up to you and your taste and I don't want to make any impressions on you 1 way or the other do what you like and like what you do

[Charliegreen]

Take the maple right out of a display pot and plant it in a large amount of decent non-organic growing media.
The trunk looks skinnier than a pinky finger & tree could benefit from some vigor.

Its always baffled me why bonsai as an art form is not taught by club house experts in two distinct divisions:
- A Development Stage
- A Refinement Stage

I realize everyone wants instant gratification with this hobby but come on Australia

[Thymetraveller]

Actually, Charliegreen, a look round some of my other trees will reveal plenty of chunky trunks, and quite a few younger trees in large nursery pots bulking up like doormen.

I happen to like this little maple at the size it is. There's reasonable taper and following the chops, there'll be some nice movement, too.

not all bonsais have to be great bloated sumos. I love my larger specimens, but I am developing a real soft spot for smaller shohin and mame trees. As for "instant gratification," this little one has a long, and carefully managed journey ahead as I develop, select and shape branches.

It's also plenty vigorous, thank you very much.

Again, the craft of bonsai embraces many styles, shapes and sizes of tree. It also seems to me, given the wealth of knowledge and the superb array of beautifully worked examples on this very forum, that Australia is coming along rather well .

Right.
I'll get back in my box.

[shibui]

I agree with Kez. There's plenty of room in the new pot for this little tree. If you're worried about looking after it in a small pot you should refine your care rather than work out ways of overpotting

If you're determined to have a raised area for aesthetic reasons then a thin wall of muck should hold together long enough for the roots and moss to get a grip and reinforce the mound.

Good luck with making a little tree with Taiwan maple. I find them frustratingly reluctant to ramify so better as larger bonsai I think.

[Ryceman3]

Right.
I'll get back in my box.

Nah! Stay out of that box. I know nothing about Taiwanese Maple but it is your tree, your vision and your right to do what you will. I say why not, I love a good shohin (wish I had one... It's coming!) Good luck with it!