Japanese Maple

[Reklaw]

Hi Ausbonsai Community!

Long time lurker first time poster! I've been learning a lot from reading current and old post on this forum and also been inspired by a lot of your fantastic trees.

I've started Bonsai in the last 4 months as a tool assist with post military life and the associated baggage one leaves with. I have a few trees im just trying to keep alive and simply care for like a child trying to ensure their development is sound!

I am however at a point with my Japanese Maple where I am in need of some advice. I am a novice and have found some subjective opinions, some contradicting opinions and some just confusing! So i do appreciate all advice given but will ask that those who are going to roll their eyes, groan and offload their double barrel in my direction to remember we all had to start somewhere!

So I've had this Maple for approx 3 months over which time all I've done is water it and prune it high to try and thicken the trunk low. It was sitting in full sun all day, however with the hot dry and windy days I've had in my area i was experiencing, what i believe to be, a lot of leaf burn. So I've since moved it to an area where it gets the morning sun from 6-11am, then move it to a shady area out of the wind. Seems to have done the trick as i no longer have black tips of leaves or dead ones.

What I am now after is advice on thickening the trunk. There is no taper (i haven't seen the nebari or roots yet either so that will be a surprise when i pull it out) and as you'll see simply looks like a stick with branches! I understand the concept of thickening a trunk (ground planting, growing long branches low so energy is focused lower in the trunk, trunk chopping etc etc), however not all can be done at once and some techniques cant be done this time of year...or that is my understanding and hence why i'm here; clarification/guidance!

I would like to see this as an informal upright as the end result. So id like to put the tree on the correct direction during its development into a Bonsai.

So...Should/could I trunk chop now (as seen in the photo it has had a previous trunk chop)? Could/should I put it in a colander now and ground plant? Could I air layer it so as not to waste anything from a trunk chop? Should I just let it go and just keep watering and look at some work during or after winter?

I live in the country 40km South West of Brisbane near Beaudesert so that should give you an idea of weather and climate (if you now where that is!)

Again, please be gentle on me!

Thanks for your help!

[mcgee]

Hey mate cant really offer any advice on these as im currently looking for decemt stock here in brisbane. Where abouts did you pick this up? Aussie bonsai grower?
Im keen to finally get one but just trying to scope out all the available options around brissy.

[Daluke]

Hey.

Thanks for your military service!

Good on you for getting into Bonsai. It’s a great past time.

I found this video helpful;

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=pa-cu9kkAFk

Also, our club had a great presentation which is even more useful;

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=4c3q2jiGh8o

Keep us updated!

[longd_au]

Hi

If this was mine and based on the last picture, I would trunk chop to the first branch.
You may air layer the top part off to create a few more stocks to work with.

After cutting, I would just let it grow so the cut will heal over and allow the branch to thicken. I would also wire the branch upwards with some bends so it becomes the new leader.
I would also work on the root at repot time.

Alternatively, use it as a stock tree to take cuttings and air layer branches off to create lots of good stock for the future.
If you go down this path, just let it grow in a bigger pot and create stock from the branches by wiring them early.

The truth is, as it is now, it isn't going to make a very good bonsai.

Dennis

[Reklaw]

Hey mate cant really offer any advice on these as im currently looking for decemt stock here in brisbane. Where abouts did you pick this up? Aussie bonsai grower?
Im keen to finally get one but just trying to scope out all the available options around brissy.

Yeah mate Steve from Aussie Bonsai is where I found it. The only other nursery I've checked out is Oxley. They have a small, very small, range of Bonsai. Little in terms of pre-bonsai. There are a few North Side around Kedron I will eventually go have a look at!

Hey.

Thanks for your military service!

Good on you for getting into Bonsai. It’s a great past time.

I found this video helpful;

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=pa-cu9kkAFk

Also, our club had a great presentation which is even more useful;

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=4c3q2jiGh8o

Keep us updated!

Thanks Daluke. I've watched the first one only a week ago and found it informative. I'll watch the second one tonight!

Hi

If this was mine and based on the last picture, I would trunk chop to the first branch.
You may air layer the top part off to create a few more stocks to work with.

After cutting, I would just let it grow so the cut will heal over and allow the branch to thicken. I would also wire the branch upwards with some bends so it becomes the new leader.
I would also work on the root at repot time.

Alternatively, use it as a stock tree to take cuttings and air layer branches off to create lots of good stock for the future.
If you go down this path, just let it grow in a bigger pot and create stock from the branches by wiring them early.

The truth is, as it is now, it isn't going to make a very good bonsai.

Dennis

Thanks for the advice Dennis. Your last comment is exactly why I posed these questions. At the moment and unless i push it in the right direction it will remain a tree in a pot! So im keen for a trunk chop but would also like to try and save the top for exactly as you said, stock tree for cuttings. So I was thinking I could air layer above the first branch, and then again up higher. Feasible idea? I feel there is plenty of hot weather remaining in the season, and given my location, winter arrives late!

Thanks all for your input so far.

[shibui]

Hi Reklaw,
Welcome to bonsai. You will need to get used to contradiction and different opinions. That's just par for bonsai. Differing opinions are partly because our trees are living things and respond differently in different areas. They also mange with a range of different conditions and techniques so even though the opinions appear to be contradictory they may all be correct (for a specific area/species/time, etc). It also depends on your standards. Some people are happy with a rudimentary tree in a pot, others strive to grow the best of the best. Some growers also adopt one particular technique which appears to work for them and refuse to even consider that there may be alternatives. You will note that this occurs in almost all areas of life and I've learned to critically listen to loud, bombastic advice then seek out the quiet achievers who really know what's what.

You have chosen to start your bonsai journey with a difficult species. First, Japanese maple is not particularly suited to tropical climates. It may grow but will never do as well as it ill down here where we have cooler winters. Even in an appropriate climate JM is difficult as bonsai. They are prone to producing lots of shoots close together which will create locally thickened areas particularly on the trunk and at the ends of branches. Add susceptibility to root diseases, sunburn, dieback and you may appreciate some of the difficulties you face.
For beginners in Brisbane I'd recommend figs and Chinese elms as far more appropriate for learning with. Both are quite fast growing and far more forgiving of less than perfect techniques. Local up there could probably recommend a few more.

As for the tree you have, Dennis has given good advice. the trunk currently has no taper and little movement. In fact it looks like you already have some reverse taper from that cluster of branches at the top - very typical of JM. I think the best way to achieve both taper and trunk movement is through repeated pruning and growing which will take time (a number of years).
Most bonsai growers are initially happy to have a relatively unrefined tree as their first bonsai and will settle for a roughly pruned tree in any pot. It is quicker and satisfies a need but if you want to grow something more impressive you'll need to plan for the long haul, maybe 10-20 years.

Some things you could consider now: If you want to increase the trunk thickness it can be slip potted (just tip the root ball out and put it into a larger pot and top up with extra mix) into a larger pot. feed every few weeks to get maximum growth. Wait for winter (oh, you don't have that???) to bare root the tree to prune and assess the roots.
Pruning the trunk will usually improve the trunk but will slow down thickening. I don't know of any way you can get both at the same time.
Be aware that growing trees on in the ground is not a magic bullet. You will get larger trunks but you also often just get thick crap. Fast growing needs to be tempered with technique and some restraint to get best results, even then we still have a reasonable failure rate.

I don't think there's room for more than one layer on this tree. Apart from practicing the technique I'm not sure that layering this tree will achieve much for you. I can't really see much future for the top as it is and layering just delays getting on with the job of improving the tree you already have.

[Reklaw]

Thanks for the advice Shibui.

I've read alot of your articles on your website. Very informative and interesting and really shows how to think out side the box come up with ways to make a tree do what you want!

Oh BTW, we do get a winter in QLD! It just may not feel like it some times...Of-course though no one has it harder than a Victorian when it comes to weather!!

[Rory]

Welcome to bonsai. You will need to get used to contradiction and different opinions. That's just par for bonsai. Differing opinions are partly because our trees are living things and respond differently in different areas. They also mange with a range of different conditions and techniques so even though the opinions appear to be contradictory they may all be correct (for a specific area/species/time, etc). It also depends on your standards. Some people are happy with a rudimentary tree in a pot, others strive to grow the best of the best. Some growers also adopt one particular technique which appears to work for them and refuse to even consider that there may be alternatives. You will note that this occurs in almost all areas of life and I've learned to critically listen to loud, bombastic advice then seek out the quiet achievers who really know what's what.

This should be a sticky for all new members to read ; fantastic advice.