A few small Japanese maples in the works

[MACH5]

Sharing a few small Japanese maples. These are all in their beginning stages and years away from being in any sort of "finished" state. In spring I will refine all cuts, prune away most of what's not needed, wire and start to build the canopies. Also I plan to repot all three and possibly do some root grafts as well.

 

[cmeg1]

Hey,that's awesome.I love the first one.It seems to have a head start for being in a finished appearance.
All cool trees

 

[whfarro]

Looking forward to seeing the progression on each of these.

 

[KennedyMarx]

Little

These look great. What's the story behind them? You just recently acquired them or have you had them a while?

 

[MACH5]

Hey,that's awesome.I love the first one.It seems to have a head start for being in a finished appearance.
All cool trees

Thanks cmeg! I think the one you like will make a very nice sumo style shohin one day. Huge 3"+ base and only 5" high. I think out of all three, this one will require the most work on the nebari.

Little

These look great. What's the story behind them? You just recently acquired them or have you had them a while?

Thanks KM! Well when I said small I meant in height :roll eyes: The were bought earlier this year back in June. I got these from the Growing Grounds. Yes I am aware of the many issues with this vendor but based on the recommendation of a few members here that recently dealt with Marc, I decided to go ahead with the purchase against my better judgment. However, all came as advertised and my experience with Marc was positive although his shipping methods are well... less than desirable However trees all made it fine to my house. Perhaps Marc is changing his ways??

These were all grown for roughly 15 years in the ground. Now they are potted up and ready to begin their next chapter as bonsai.

I think I like the last one the best at least right now

 

[JudyB]

Very cool little guys. I would imagine buying basic stock would be pretty safe from there, after all, its just the trunks you are after.

 

[MACH5]

Very cool little guys. I would imagine buying basic stock would be pretty safe from there, after all, its just the trunks you are after.

Yes that's exactly right Judy. Honestly that would be the only way I would buy from there. If a branch to two get broken during shipping no big deal.

 

[Eric Group]

I had not visited that site in sometime, and doesn't look like a bunch of updates have been done there lately... Were the trees you picked up from those listed on the site, or did you vist? Did you correspond with him and find them by emailing photos...?

Just curious..

Great little trees for sure!

I really like reading about how various people grow their stock out.. I have kind of fumbled through it on my own in years past, but really started doing thing "right" in recent years I believe. Hope to see some results on par with what he has in a couple years...

 

[Smoke]

I see someone else has his own "three little pigs". Are these straight mountain maple?

 

[MACH5]

I had not visited that site in sometime, and doesn't look like a bunch of updates have been done there lately... Were the trees you picked up from those listed on the site, or did you vist? Did you correspond with him and find them by emailing photos...?

Just curious..

Great little trees for sure!

I really like reading about how various people grow their stock out.. I have kind of fumbled through it on my own in years past, but really started doing thing "right" in recent years I believe. Hope to see some results on par with what he has in a couple years...

Thanks Eric. Yes the site has not been updated since like... forever! I sent him an email and inquired as to what he had available as well as telling him what I was interested in. He sent me pics and I went from there. Definitely a tough guy as far as getting him down on price. At least that was my experience.

I also have my own stock in a growing bed but it is still a long way before looking anything like these.

I see someone else has his own "three little pigs". Are these straight mountain maple?

Funny Al, as I was posting these I was also thinking about your own "pigs" I believe the first two are standard green maples or at least look like they are to me. However, the last one is not. It has deeply incised leaves. I think it may belong to the Matsumurae group of maples. At any rate it does not look at all like a straight up A. Palmatum.

 

[JudyB]

The last one is far and away my favorite. I know you have a sketch for it, (even if only in your head) would love to see it. I do hope your plans might include a natural broom for this one!

 

[Dav4]

I love them all, Mach. I just subscribed to a thread for the first time ever.

 

[Eric Group]

Thanks Eric. Yes the site has not been updated since like... forever! I sent him an email and inquired as to what he had available as well as telling him what I was interested in. He sent me pics and I went from there. Definitely a tough guy as far as getting him down on price. At least that was my experience.

I also have my own stock in a growing bed but it is still a long way before looking anything like these.




Funny Al, as I was posting these I was also thinking about your own "pigs" I believe the first two are standard green maples or at least look like they are to me. However, the last one is not. It has deeply incised leaves. I think it may belong to the Matsumurae group of maples. At any rate it does not look at all like a straight up A. Palmatum.

Well those are all great stock! I am really impressed with the quality of what he is selling there, and it is only one state up from me... I am going to have to save up some money and make a visit there one day.

The second is probably my favorite. From the angle shown, looks like a decent root spread... Has great subtle movement to the trunk, and most of the branches are in a good place, probably won't need too many grafts. Just a bit of growth and some wire.

 

[MACH5]

The last one is far and away my favorite. I know you have a sketch for it, (even if only in your head) would love to see it. I do hope your plans might include a natural broom for this one!

Sure Judy here you go Forgive the crappy 5 minute virts but is probably not hard to envision them looking something like this one day.

I love them all, Mach. I just subscribed to a thread for the first time ever.

Haha thanks Dave

Well those are all great stock! I am really impressed with the quality of what he is selling there, and it is only one state up from me... I am going to have to save up some money and make a visit there one day.

The second is probably my favorite. From the angle shown, looks like a decent root spread... Has great subtle movement to the trunk, and most of the branches are in a good place, probably won't need too many grafts. Just a bit of growth and some wire.

Yes Eric probably the best way to purchase from him is of course in person that way you won't have to deal with any shipping issues. If you're that close to him I'd probably pay him a visit. In my experience he is not flexible with his prices FYI.

The second tree has good spread and root flare but will need additional grafts to fill in gaps in the nebari. I may try the easy method first and make incisions into the bark, put some root hormone and see what happens.

 

[Smoke]

As I look at your virts, I am compelled to ask, is it your plan to keep all the branch stubs and work from them?

 

[MACH5]

As I look at your virts, I am compelled to ask, is it your plan to keep all the branch stubs and work from them?

Al I do not know yet. Some I think I may be able to use while others most likely not.

 

[Smoke]

Just curious, I always find the angles wrong often times.

I figured maybe you had a good method for utilizing them.

 

[Bunjeh]

Finished vs. Fine

These are all great. However, I see a lot of posts about "finished" Bonsai. I always have a problem with this term. To me, finished means dead and decomposing. Each phase of development can be beautiful. Just like kids. This ties in with a conversation I had while showing a guest my collected seedlings. He asked, "how do you know which trees have potential?" My reply was simple; "How does an artist know which canvas has potential?"

Great trees. Would love to see summer pics this year.

 

[MACH5]

Just curious, I always find the angles wrong often times.

I figured maybe you had a good method for utilizing them.

Yes I agree and looking at these I think I have a little bit of everything. For some of the thicker (and possibly usable) stubs I'd like to fork the branch as close to the base as possible and then make the cut in a "V" for a more natural taper. Other stubs with bad exit angles or simply too thick to use will have to be cut off and start over.

 

[MACH5]

These are all great. However, I see a lot of posts about "finished" Bonsai. I always have a problem with this term. To me, finished means dead and decomposing. Each phase of development can be beautiful. Just like kids. This ties in with a conversation I had while showing a guest my collected seedlings. He asked, "how do you know which trees have potential?" My reply was simple; "How does an artist know which canvas has potential?"

Great trees. Would love to see summer pics this year.

Thanks Bunjeh! I completely agree and that's why I used the word "finished" with quotation marks in the OP. As they say, the only finished trees are those that are dead