First maple.

[klaery]

Hi guys and gals.
So far all my bonsai efforts have been with normal cheap nursery stock. I am happy so far with where those plants are going but they are small and it will be a long time before any of them see a bonsai pot. (Except for a bux, but only because it is going to stay a small tree)

So anyway I bit the bullet and spent the cash on some bonsai stock. It is a trident maple from Australian bonsai grower at park ridge (down the road from me). Now I am probably horrible at choosing stock but I fell in love with this little maple even though it has some flaws. I have some questions about direction as I will be giving it a trim/repot once all the leaves have dropped. I eventually want quite a large informal upright. Here's the pics before I ask my questions.


Proposed front?



From the left


From the right


Back


Questions:
Do you agree with the choice of front?
The top third of the tree moves away from the viewer. Should it be chopped and a new leader chosen?
The first branch comes to the front. Remove it and look for new branches?

[lackhand]

I think I actually like the proposed back as the front. For a larger tree, chop and grow is probably the go. Looks like a fun project though, good movement and should be a nice tree in a couple years.

[Tony Bebb]

Hi Klaery

Good on you on the upgrade of stock. I think the front you have picked shows the best line for the trunk and has nice movement. There are still some issues to overcome, but saying you want a large informal gives you time to fix them.

The top third moving away is not a problem as you can use that growth to fatten the trunk and then cut to the branch at the top red line. I think you should remove that front branch and the heavy one on the top left as indicated at the other 2 lines at the end of winter when it would be good to repot the tree. When you repot I would cut the forward part of the heavy root at the line to improve the spread and also remove as much root from under the trunk as possible to also improve the root spread.

Have fun.

Tony

[klaery]

Thanks guys for the quick replies! I hope so Lackhand and yes also considered that side

Thank you for all the great advice Tony
I understood most of and am super thankful/agree with everything you said. I was a little confused with the bonsai talk though. When you say to cut at the lines do you mean to follow the line of the tree? I figure that is it but you also say to cut a branch at the top red line. Did you put lines on one of the images or what did you mean by that? (I am colourblind so if there is some red mark on the bark I may not see it).

Thanks again guys

[Boics]

I can be pretty sure Tony has forgotten to upload his pic..

[klaery]

If thats it hope he checks back! Would love a virtual aid.

[Tony Bebb]

Woops

Totally missed the pic. Sorry about that.

klaery AB.jpg

[klaery]

Thank you very much Tony. Makes what you were saying very clear and I like where that would take the tree I'll put more pics up when I have taken the next steps