Another last tree for the year:)

[Adair M]

First cut back is in fall. To an active bud. Preferably an up/down pair.

In spring, let the new shoots grow. Don't pinch. But do cut off the downward growing shoot keep the upward growing one. When they get to 8 to 10 pairs, wire the new shoots. Since it was growing up, you'll wire it down. The stem should still be soft and easy to bend. Don't make radical curves, they'll snap. After 3 or 4 weeks, the wire is beginning to cut in! And the wood is lignified. Remove the wire, and cut back. If this is a multiple flush tree, you'll get a second flush of growth. Let that grow out, and wire.

So, there's pruning to be done in fall and spring, and summer.

Those deciduous trees are a lot of work! Lol!

 

[LanceMac10]

I've got one and they are interesting. This fella' needs a cutback.......




Have fun with yours!!!

 

[aml1014]

When leaves drop I'd like to help him figure out what the styling will be. My idea is to lose the low right branch and bring the branch above that down to fill the space, also to cut the tree back to a basic structure. I recommended to him to prune shoots smaller then a pencil after leaf drop and any other larger branches can be pruned in spring and the wounds sealed. I've had success with fall pruning but I do tend to get die back on certain species. I like to do hard pruning in spring as the tree seems to heal quite a bit quicker then wounds made in autumn.

Aaron

 

[MACH5]

As mentioned, Sharp's pygmies are outstanding for bonsai. They have a tendency to get rather dense after some time. In order to manage foliage density, partial leaf defoliation should be done otherwise all interior branches will certainly weaken and die back quickly. On your tree Joe, you will need to cut back hard since it looks like there are not many interior branches. I would do this gradually on this species. Also the nebari will need to be addressed either through root grafts or air layering. I do not have any experience with air layering Sharp's pygmies so not sure how well they do in this regard. Perhaps someone else has done it?

Attached is how I do leaf defoliation on this species. Green areas represent new growth. It is done differently than on regular green Japanese maples. The first node usually is quite small and I do not cut back to this because it is simply too small (sometimes only 1/8" or even less) to build any significant ramification with it. So I cut back using the second internode which is always longer.





To give you an idea of autumn color here is mine in early November.





Here in winter silhouette last April just as it was budding out.

 

[Don Blackmond]

When leaves drop I'd like to help him figure out what the styling will be. My idea is to lose the low right branch and bring the branch above that down to fill the space, also to cut the tree back to a basic structure. I recommended to him to prune shoots smaller then a pencil after leaf drop and any other larger branches can be pruned in spring and the wounds sealed. I've had success with fall pruning but I do tend to get die back on certain species. I like to do hard pruning in spring as the tree seems to heal quite a bit quicker then wounds made in autumn.

Aaron

I'd thin it out and trim it back 6"-8" generally and more where needed, then let it backbud and grow a bit before chasing it back even more. It needs interior buds to develop branching and then the existing structure will look much better, like a real tree instead of a contrived topiary. I would not rush to chop to a basic structure. Sometimes patience really is a virtue.

Or, you can chop it.

 

[LanceMac10]

cut back hard. I would do this gradually on this species.

Vague timeline alluding to "gradually".....

 

[abqjoe]

As mentioned, Sharp's pygmies are outstanding for bonsai. They have a tendency to get rather dense after some time. In order to manage foliage density, partial leaf defoliation should be done otherwise all interior branches will certainly weaken and die back quickly. On your tree Joe, you will need to cut back hard since it looks like there are not many interior branches. I would do this gradually on this species. Also the nebari will need to be addressed either through root grafts or air layering. I do not have any experience with air layering Sharp's pygmies so not sure how well they do in this regard. Perhaps someone else has done it?

Attached is how I do leaf defoliation on this species. Green areas represent new growth. It is done differently than on regular green Japanese maples. The first node usually is quite small and I do not cut back to this because it is simply too small (sometimes only 1/8" or even less) to build any significant ramification with it. So I cut back using the second internode which is always longer.





To give you an idea of autumn color here is mine in early November.





Here in winter silhouette last April just as it was budding out.

Beautiful tree!

 

[abqjoe]

I'd thin it out and trim it back 6"-8" generally and more where needed, then let it backbud and grow a bit before chasing it back even more. It needs interior buds to develop branching and then the existing structure will look much better, like a real tree instead of a contrived topiary. I would not rush to chop to a basic structure. Sometimes patience really is a virtue.

Or, you can chop it.

I don't really want to chop it and am leaning towards your strategy..

 

[aml1014]

I'd thin it out and trim it back 6"-8" generally and more where needed, then let it backbud and grow a bit before chasing it back even more. It needs interior buds to develop branching and then the existing structure will look much better, like a real tree instead of a contrived topiary. I would not rush to chop to a basic structure. Sometimes patience really is a virtue.

Or, you can chop it.

I actually did a virtual for him which is the way I'd take the tree. But I wouldn't chop back yet, only prune back as you said. There's only one branch on this tree as I see it that I would remove, but the natural taper of this tree is great and I would never personally want to ruin that. Maybe 10 years down the road it'll need to be chopped back a little to keep it at size, or it could be hard pruned every year and continue the nice natural taper. Im personally a fan of taller, more slender trees, not so much the intense tapered short trees.

Aaron

 

[Don Blackmond]

I actually did a virtual for him which is the way I'd take the tree. But I wouldn't chop back yet, only prune back as you said. There's only one branch on this tree as I see it that I would remove, but the natural taper of this tree is great and I would never personally want to ruin that. Maybe 10 years down the road it'll need to be chopped back a little to keep it at size, or it could be hard pruned every year and continue the nice natural taper. Im personally a fan of taller, more slender trees, not so much the intense tapered short trees.

Aaron

Actually, you chase it in over time if you want to maintain taper and flow, then pinch and prune each year to maintain size and develop ramification. Every couple years or so you need to replace a primary with a secondary branch to keep the size in check, but otherwise there should be no need for chopping.

These are apically dominant trees, so they don't follow bonsai "paint-by-number" rules, and that's not a bad thing unless you want a 1st branch, 2nd branch, 3rd branch etc tree with proportional ladder branching. Sergio's tree is a great example of a really beautiful tree that looks like a real tree and doesn't strictly follow "bonsai" rules. Why would anyone change it to conform? Hopefully, they would not. In my opinion, that would ruin a beautiful tree, and then you'd be fighting the natural tendencies of the tree.

 

[LanceMac10]

The good thing is this tree does have the tight growth. Should be plenty of spots along the branches that will,(umm, hopefully!)back bud.

I don't think I'll need to use my fancy "Bonsai'n Saw" on mine. But I will be cutting the top and putting it back in a grow box.
I'll be cutting back pretty strongly. And I'm sure the level of development between @abqjoe tree and mine is quite a few years!

The 6" to 8" sounds about right and seems sound. I'll be doing everything in one shot come March. He looked pretty grumpy this year, best to save any pruning until spring, it whispered to me.

I'm anxious to see what approach you'll use....I love JM's so therefore, love any info I can sniff out around here!

 

[LanceMac10]

Oh yes, those rising lines on Serg's tree are amazing!! Flaws on other trees only add to the feel of that beaut'!! Straight sections on some branching just seem to flow into the design.
'Course....@Mach5 is pretty good at this!

 

[aml1014]

Actually, you chase it in over time if you want to maintain taper and flow, then pinch and prune each year to maintain size and develop ramification. Every couple years or so you need to replace a primary with a secondary branch to keep the size in check, but otherwise there should be no need for chopping.

These are apically dominant trees, so they don't follow bonsai "paint-by-number" rules, and that's not a bad thing unless you want a 1st branch, 2nd branch, 3rd branch etc tree with proportional ladder branching. Sergio's tree is a great example of a really beautiful tree that looks like a real tree and doesn't strictly follow "bonsai" rules. Why would anyone change it to conform? Hopefully, they would not. In my opinion, that would ruin a beautiful tree, and then you'd be fighting the natural tendencies of the tree.

I'm very terrible at getting my point across but everything you said here is what I meant. I love the naturalness of this tree and would never want to see that change.

Aaron

 

[abqjoe]

I was just taking a peek into this tree and it's actually budding in quite a few area's right now. It's definitely a happy and thriving tree! Natural look is what I'll be going for, no doubt.

 

[Eric Group]

Thanks! That means I'll be able to use a few of the new tools that I have coming

What tools did you decide on?

Man, you must be working with the budget of a medium sized COUNTRY! I know the price range some of these trees go for and what you were willing to pay for tools... We are looking at more in one year than I have probably spent on bonsai in the past Decade! You building a collection for a a State arboretum or something? Wowza!

 

[fredman]

LoL I was thinking the same thing...proud to have a rich bonsai buddy like you...albeit a virtual one

 

[sorce]

Adair said Dad Gum!

Sorce

 

[abqjoe]

What tools did you decide on?

Man, you must be working with the budget of a medium sized COUNTRY! I know the price range some of these trees go for and what you were willing to pay for tools... We are looking at more in one year than I have probably spent on bonsai in the past Decade! You building a collection for a a State arboretum or something? Wowza!

I decided on a set of Masakuni, stainless steel. I found a dealer in Tokyo Japan that sells Masakuni for 7-10% more than Kaneshin. As far as what my budget is, well, I don't have one lol. One hobby is funding another I've been a hobbyist my entire life and learned early on that I would never be able to afford the stuff I truly want unless I turned my hobbies into small businesses. That being said, I've managed to do exactly that and it's allowed me to obtain some pretty nice stuff in my life. All of which I have $0 into because my stuff was purchased with profits made from within the hobby, my hobbies funded themselves. These tree's, I only have $800 into total. I bought a couple early on and then traded into the rest with stuff that I had $0 into because it came from profits within it's hobby which at one point was a small business to fund itself. The tools, well, I sold a knife that I haven't looked at in a while and used part of that to buy the tools! Develop a strong hustle and be honest and really there's nothing you can't do or obtain if you want it bad enough I'm no lawyer or doctor, hell, I've worked in the commercial construction industry for the last 21 years! I'm just a regular ol blue collar God fearing guy who's managed to put in the work and found a way to enjoy myself with a few of life's little treasures...........

BTW, you give me too much credit, I haven't been into this hobby for 1 year yet, only 5 months, since the last week of March or first week of April. I don't plan on going anywhere anytime soon though! I think Bonsai will be one of the last hobby's that I ever take up in life. It's certainly a hobby that I plan on being a part of for the rest of my life for sure.......

 

[Adair M]

Lol!!!

Joe, you are spending money for these trees. Your logic is flawed because the items you're trading or bartering do have value.

Let's say I invest $1000 into the stock market. Some years later, it has doubled, and is now worth $2000. So, I decide to sell half, and buy a bonsai tree with that $1000. Is it a free tree? I still have the original $1000 invested in the stock market.

No, it's a $1000 tree!

Ok... Enough of that!

At this point, you really should invest in education. It will repay you far better than buying another tree.

 

[Adair M]

No, I meant education about bonsai! Lol!!!