AusBonsai

Just rescued a Japanese Maple from Bunnings (last one left, so i didn't have much choice).
As you can see, the tards at the nursery pretty much ruined it by cutting the main trunk.

Now my thoughts are to remove the end of the trunk and a branch and try to grow it as a cutting, or should i leave it as a bificated trunk and have one shorter, one longer etc?

Anyone else got an idea?

Could i remove both branches off and try to graft one (on living wood) where the original trunk used to be?

what i would do is put it in the ground or in a large pot. a styrofoam box works too. and let the little critter grow. putting it in a bonsai pot now will hinder its development. first thing i would do before you put is in the ground is wire some movement is the trunk. you can plant it on and angle then kick on the the two branches in the opposite direction to give it a nice movement. the other brnahc you can wire as the first branch. but ideally, no matter what shape you want etc i would wire the main trunk line and put it in the ground to grown and thicken up

astroboy76 wrote:. you can plant it on and angle then kick on the the two branches in the opposite direction to give it a nice movement.

Does that mean have the two branches growing on one side and have the trunk lying down or do you mean twist the branches around the trunk

Anyway after some careful considerations i decided on 'root over rock' and wired the branches out a bit more.