AusBonsai

Hi everyone,

I recently purchased 4x Jpanese Maples and 1x Trident Maple at a bonsai nursery sale. The first Japanese Maple is about 1.8 meters in height with some good (I think) movement in the trunk. The 2nd Japanese maple is about 1.2 meters in height. The 3rd is about 60cm and the 4th is only about 20cm. The trident maple is about 50cm tall. I am unsure on what I should do with them

I obviously need to shorten the first two maples but not sure where to cut or how exactly and what to do afterwards. Could anyone have a look at each maple and comment or offer advice on what they would do and why.

Any comments would be immensly appreciated.. I will then decide on what to do and have a go at it.. if i bugger it up its not too bad as all up the trees only cost me 45 bucks (bargain). Hope the upload photos work, havent done them before

Heaps of people here will say "GREAT TREE MATE!!!!!" but really, these are less than starter trees. The tall J. maples I would layer off several new trees. It's hard to say with the others because a lot depends on the roots. Unfortunately it's a bit late to do root work now. So I would leave root work till next year, root prune and either field plant or pot up. In the mean time slip pot them into a larger pot and feed feed feed.

I'm not sure why they are bare rooted, I have had nothing but failure working on J maple roots when they are in leaf. Perhaps it is only early spring and they might survive. I certainly wouldn't prune them to harshly now.

Paul

Thanks Paul, Does anyone else have any other advice?

the tall trees you can air layer several trees out of both. this will one give you a heap of maples and too give you a place to start on the big ones EVENTUALLY.
you should be able to trunk chop these at and angle and have them grow new shoots and buds all over the place after the air layers if you choose to go that way.

as of the little ones, go with shohins but a lot of development is needed this will take a far long time too. so if you are after instant results sorry, i dont think that is going to happen. if you want more of an instant pleasing to the eye tree you will have to hunt the nurseries or buy one that is pre trained. it all depends on what you want mate..

the price is great and the trees do have potential for the long term, but that said it is the long term you have to loook at with these ones buddy!

there are a far more experienced people on this site that can help you and i am sure they will get to ya mate.

enjoy.

regards jamie