AusBonsai

I've got a little Japenese Maple starter that is in need of a hair cut, But I'm not sure where to begin..
I've let it go over spring to fatten the little branches up and took of the tips of said branches, But now I'm not so sure where to begin....
The pictures show the tree and trunk....

As you can see, it's a big boy and is about X3 from when i got it in october..

And the trunk..




Any thought and idea would be great....

Not sure where to start here.
Simply, you can cut anywhere and the tree will make new buds from nodes, even in the old trunk where there are no leaves but usually cut back to leave some leaves and shoots will come from the base of each leaf. just shorten each shoot wherever you think appropriate.

More complicated, Japanese maples need special pruning to keep them looking good long term. They are particularly prome to thickening where there are several shoots in one place so wherever possible remove excess shoots leaving only v forks = 2x2 pruning. Count the trunk as 1 so at any point on the trunk you should only have 1 branch then the next branch higher on the trunk. In pic 2 you have 2 new shoots growing from 1 spot and 2 or 3 more from the back of the trunk at the same level. the trunk will thicken at that spot and end up with an unsightly bulge. Use the same on branches so the branch should fork with only 1 side branch at any point then another side branch a little further along. hope that makes some sense.

Remove long internodes. Future shoots can only grow where there was a node (where originally there were leaves) If you make the trunk or branches from long interenodes it will always have bare spots which also tend to be straight and lack taper. in the long run it is better to cut back and start again than to use shoots with long internodes as the base for your trunk and branches. usually spring growth has long internodes but if you prune them right off new shoots will grow and often with shorter internodes and more compact.

Lots more subtle pruning techniques for Japanes maple. I don't recommend them for beginners.

Not meaning to hijack the thread, but when would you remove the spring branches?

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Looking at trunk PIC 2, I was thinking of removing all the left and right branches using the middle large one as the new trunk...
Or, by the sounds of it I should reduce all branches right back.....

Looking at trunk PIC 2, I was thinking of removing all the left and right branches using the middle large one as the new trunk...

When I loom at that I think that the large middle one is very straight and almost the same thickness as the trunk below. Lack of taper and lack of movement = boring bonsai - see notes on long internodes and straight bits above.
However, you have the advantage of a 3d view while I only have 2d pictures to work with. I liked the line of pic 3 - up the main trunk then up one of the branches on the right. The lower one looks good but the angle might be a bit too acute and I'm not sure which direction it goes...... It is your tree and you can see it in full and you have to live with it after so you need to be comfortable with the result.

Cutting all the branches back is an option but it does not really address the problem of multiple branches from one spot so local thickening will still be a problem. You are also just putting off the inevitable decision of what this tree should look like. the sooner you can choose a trunk line the sooner the scars can start to heal and branches developed in the places you want them.

Not meaning to hijack the thread, but when would you remove the spring branches?

There is no correct answer to this. It depends.....
If you want the tree to develop or thicken leave nearly all on and let them grow all summer.
Remove any that are threatening to destroy taper or movement as soon as you see them. I am constantly rubbing off tiny shoots that I see growing in the wrong spots or cutting off longer shoots when I notice they are going to cause a problem.
To develop ramification and density allow shoots to grow 3-6 pairs of leaves then cut them back. Leave 1 or 2 pairs of leaves if internodes are ok, Cut the shoot at the base if internodes are too long and start again. Really doesn't matter whether the shoot has 3, 5, 6 or 10 pairs of leaves. Cutting earlier will allow quicker regrowth and more pinching during the summer = more density. cutting later allows more growth which should build up trunk and branch thickness but will only allow 1 or 2 pinches during the summer = less ramification.
In other words it depends what you want to achieve.

I am assuming that you actually want to style and shape the tree, and not just let it go wild and grow in.

Like shibui mentioned, you MUST prune back to leave only 1 shoot / branch at each junction. Now to what to remove?

Look a the trunk and pick a trunkline and tree shape you want tas the final image. Look for branches that will help you by starting in the correct direction. Keep those shoots and wire to get the trunkline you want.
if it is time to develop branching, then select the one you want to keep and remove everything else back to the trunk.
of the branches left. Cut them back to just past a node ( leave a little stump as it will die back to the node?

As the new shoots develop. pinch out ot prune back to 2 leaves and you will get ramification and smaller leaves.

Ken

I hope I haven't ruined it by letting it go, I thought it was a good idea in getting a thick trunk and branches...
Overall the multi branch is a worry and i don't know where to begin..
My image in my head is formal upright with some movement in the trunk....
And all those branches grow straight up...
So where to go from here, would a trunk line like the white line be the best option, cutting it where the red line is.

I don't want to muck it up......
**I'm joining a bonsai club in February for the workshops**

I thought it was a good idea in getting a thick trunk and branches...

Rarely a bad idea to let it got to thicken, but make usre you do not cause any more problems by allowing too many branches from one spot., Also on Growth spurt while in a smaller pot will do not much. If you want to thicken trunk then do so in a large pot or the grounsd.

Overall the multi branch is a worry and i don't know where to begin..

Then grab a pen and paper and sketch the desired trunk as to develop a tree y0u must have a plan. Then you can work to that plan.

My image in my head is formal upright with some movement in the trunk....

Ain't no such thing. A formal upright is straight trunk https://www.ausbonsai.com.au/wiki/index. ... ight_style

Japanese maples would Never be used for this style Imho

And all those branches grow straight up...

Yep! Thats what Maples do. Wire is the key before they lignify as they will never bend. If they are wrong place and shape, Cut them off and start again.

So where to go from here, would a trunk line like the white line be the best option, cutting it where the red line is.

IMHO that makes a too sharp a bend the branch above might be better..

Ken

That is the trunkline I was looking at but as KC points out from that angle it may be a bit too abrupt - I'm not sure because I can't see the tree in its entirety. However if you rotate the tree so that branch a little bit further toward the front it will change the whole look and may be better (depending on which way that branch actually points after exiting trunk - that's why it is so difficult to offer advice from 2d photos). A change of trunk angle to the left might also help soften that change of angle.

I think it would be better to just let it grow for the moment and wait until you can get someone more experienced to have a look at the tree and offer suggestions. There may be a few more possibilities that we can't see properly from the photos you have given us. Letting it grow for another few months won't ruin it. However I would advise removing spare branches, especially if they are growing from inside curves on the trunk and you may be able to identify some really thick straight branches that could be either cut short or removed entirely.

I thought I would clean up some of the smaller branches and take a photo of every side, which gives a better shot of the trunks.




And the shot of the growth from all 4 sides





And sorry, I meant more informal upright

ace2weather wrote:I thought I would clean up some of the smaller branches and take a photo of every side, which gives a better shot of the trunks.

Your tree, in the direction you are currently taking it, will develop into a broom style. Maybe. ( At the moment you have three leaders and no branches.)

Take the advice of someone who wasted ten years doing the wrong things to japanese maples and run, don't walk, to your local library and get your hands on "Bonsai with Japanese Maples" by Peter Adams.

There's probably similar books out there but his is extremely clear and step-by-step for us beginners.