Some questions...

[Chloe.S]

Hi, I'm new to bonsai, and the pruning season is either now or soon, I have a few questions regarding pruning and styling.

First of all, I have a really young Japanese maple that's going to have it's first spring in the pot soon. If I prune it back it will literally look like a stick in the pot, but it is showing signs of lateral buds. It's very short and could do with growing taller, so should I prune it?

Secondly, I have a bigger trident maple that hasn't been doing too well. Given it's winter, I recently pruned the roots and repotted it. It appears to have taken root in the new pot indicating it's still alive.
I really want to prune it back before spring so it can concentrate it's energy into growing new leaves and branches, but I don't know where to start. It has some younger growths that I could pinch and some older branches I want to prune but not get infected.
How can I promote new branch growth in an area without the risk of infection?

Also the trident has a very bendy thin trunk and I don't know how to style it. Any tips?

[joannm]

Hi Chloe,
suggest you turn up this weekend to our show. plenty of experts to help with s

Mount Waverley Community centre
cnr Stephensons rd & Miller cres. Mt Waverely .

joann

[Isitangus]

Hi Chloe try to post a few pics for the most accurate responses-is that possible?

[Bougy Fan]

Hi Chloe and welcome. Being your maples are deciduous they will look like they aren't doing anything at present. If you are way down south then it could be another month before you see any new shoots. As Joann said join a club or at least post some photos here to help us to help you.

[Phoenix238]

Hi Chloe, I read an article that was linked on the wiki the other day (http://warnell.forestry.uga.edu/warnell ... ?docID=146 ) that I found very helpful in understanding how trees work. The part that you might find most useful is that the tree will only put out the maximum amount of leaf growth that the roots can support. So by pruning our trees to compensate for root pruning, we can actually slow down their recovery as they might not have the maximum amount of leaves they could have, generating food. At least, that's my understanding of it

Hopefully some of the more expert members can give you a definitive answer, or as the other guys said attend your local club. It is much easier to give a straight answer when you have the plant in front of you

[kcpoole]

as per Wiki, wait until late spring before doing large chops and cuts on Maples. You can do them now but this is when sap is flowing and bleeding will happen
https://www.ausbonsai.com.au/wiki/index. ... hould_I%3F

You cut a trunk / tree to shorten sections of trunk and then regrow the next section so you get movement at each bend and taper as the sections reduce.

Each tree is different and really needs to be looked at to give proper advice. Post a pic and we can see

Ken

[Guy]

-- you have to decide what "size" bonsai you are aiming for-usually a decision after havingthe plant for a while-allow to grow past that size then prune back again and again and again in order to get a trunk and branches with decent taper-generally, quality takes time