First steps to turn this maple into a bonsai

[szxnx]

Planning to make this shohin size but open to suggestions, i have never made a bonsai from pre-bonsai like this and i am curious as what you guys would do such as the first steps and ideas for shaping/wiring.

 

[Canada Bonsai]

Planning to make this shohin size

There are a few ways of going about that, but how do you plan on doing it?

What you have is not a pre-bonsai, it's a tree meant for a garden or a landscape. In my opinion, there are major obstacles that will require planning and creativity:

1 - The distance between the roots and the first bend is far too great for shohin, or for any size bonsai really
2 - Leaf size will also be highly-problematic for shohin
3 - From what I can tell this is very likely a cultivar that will not ramify appropriately for shohin, or for any size maple bonsai as we commonly think of them (you may want to look to Acer shirasawanum or japonicum for inspiration, rather than palmatums -- Danny Use has a nice one!).
4 - Any major cutbacks will have to consider the location of the current graft
5 - The roots will certainly require a major overhaul

But putting all of that aside, if I had a tree in this shape that happened to be a cultivar that was appropriate for bonsai and for shohin, I would:

1 - take cuttings, and completely ignore the parent plant
2 - plant cuttings (once rooted) side by side
3 - once fused to each other, gradually remove the trunks and replace them with small branches

Here are some pictures from one of my favorite instagram accounts to follow. These are not necessarily the same trees in each image, but the steps are nonetheless quite clear if one understands the functions of sacrifice branches/trunks. https://www.instagram.com/bontarou_ichinokawa/

This is not the only way to create shohin size maple bonsai, but when dealing with lemons this is one way to make lemonade.

 

[szxnx]

But putting all of that aside, if I had a tree in this shape that happened to be a cultivar that was appropriate for bonsai and for shohin, I would:

I see, I have seen a few videos of the process and I was thinking of doing something similar to this as I do agree that the height is far too high.

I was thinking of forming four different cuttings of the two main branches and putting them together, but I've never done something like that and it's sort of a risk. With this being said, I just bought this tree from a random garden store because I really enjoyed the leaf colour that I had, I will for sure be thinking of this - thanks for the help and insight!

 

[sorce]

I like your mini Machu Picchu.

Sorce

 

[szxnx]

I like your mini Machu Picchu.

Sorce

 

[KikurageOtomo]

As a person also infatuated with non-conventional Japanese Maple cultivars its important to remember you're selecting an uphill battle like Canada previously alluded to; Hit or miss grafting sites and potentially weak root systems if you decide to sever the scion from the root-stock, leaves that may not respond to foliage reduction, increased susceptibility to harsh sunlight in variegated material (which Japanese Maples are already infamous for). Personally I believe its best to focus on developing raw size and vigor for a few years when starting with nursery stock like this, it will allow you to decide if the graft site is going to be a major cosmetic defect down the road or if the root stock melds nicely enough to justify leaving it as is. One unfortunate aspect of the piece of material you're working with was already addressed by Canada as well, the root stock is perfectly straight and is essentially the entirety of the trunk of your tree at this time, this means any foliage emerging from the lower portion of the tree is going to have the foliage of said root stock (likely a plain Acer palmatum). This really limits your options in deciding the final sizing of the material because a shohin shouldn't exceed 8 inches, which I believe is a generous allotment compared to more traditional and conservative guidelines. So you now have 6 inches of perfectly straight trunk topped off with a two inch mophead of the cultivar foliage.

Naturally I'm not interested in putting anybody off the prospects of working stranger cultivars into the bonsai scene, but this piece of material in particular looks like the sort of candidate for years of advanced level grafting techniques to get it to a point where the branching is what most would consider acceptable. Alternatively... familiarizing yourself with air layering and praying the Bonsai gods smile upon it.

 

[Ugo]

There are a few ways of going about that, but how do you plan on doing it?

What you have is not a pre-bonsai, it's a tree meant for a garden or a landscape. In my opinion, there are major obstacles that will require planning and creativity:

1 - The distance between the roots and the first bend is far too great for shohin, or for any size bonsai really
2 - Leaf size will also be highly-problematic for shohin
3 - From what I can tell this is very likely a cultivar that will not ramify appropriately for shohin, or for any size maple bonsai as we commonly think of them (you may want to look to Acer shirasawanum or japonicum for inspiration, rather than palmatums -- Danny Use has a nice one!).
4 - Any major cutbacks will have to consider the location of the current graft
5 - The roots will certainly require a major overhaul

But putting all of that aside, if I had a tree in this shape that happened to be a cultivar that was appropriate for bonsai and for shohin, I would:

1 - take cuttings, and completely ignore the parent plant
2 - plant cuttings (once rooted) side by side
3 - once fused to each other, gradually remove the trunks and replace them with small branches

Here are some pictures from one of my favorite instagram accounts to follow. These are not necessarily the same trees in each image, but the steps are nonetheless quite clear if one understands the functions of sacrifice branches/trunks. https://www.instagram.com/bontarou_ichinokawa/

This is not the only way to create shohin size maple bonsai, but when dealing with lemons this is one way to make lemonade.

Thanks for sharing!

 

[Potawatomi13]

First develop a trunk. Once(after several years)foundation developed, develop upper tree.

 

[szxnx]

Alternatively... familiarizing yourself with air layering and praying the Bonsai gods smile upon it.

What's your opinion on repotting it and putting the long trunk on the side, and leaning one branch down? I have been brainstorming with the help of others.

 

[szxnx]

update on this nebari!

 

[amcoffeegirl]

What's your opinion on repotting it and putting the long trunk on the side, and leaning one branch down? I have been brainstorming with the help of others.

You could try to ground layer this long branch.
You keep the current rootball mostly intact and tip the whole thing on its side or pin down a branch after making some cut marks on the side that will meet the ground. I’m not really sure how well this works with Japanese maples.
Here’s a link that better explains the process.

Bonsai Rafting – Sinuous & Straight | Bonsai Bark

bonsaibark.com

 

[amcoffeegirl]

Is this a maple or a Japanese maple?
It reminds me of my autumn moon???

 

[szxnx]

Is this a maple or a Japanese maple?
It reminds me of my autumn moon???

It's an autumn moon, do you have any pictures of yours?

 

[amcoffeegirl]

It's an autumn moon, do you have any pictures of yours?

Mine is the same as yours. It’s been in the ground for one year. Currently being eaten up by bugs. I keep it caged for now so the squirrels don’t chew on it. I will eventually separate a piece to begin a bonsai.
I have a shishigashira that I may eventually do the same with.
I purchased a shishigashira this year. The top got broken off during shipping.
It is grafted but a good graft.
I also have some own root Koto Hime that I got from Matt O. These would make excellent smaller bonsai.

 

[szxnx]

Mine is the same as yours. It’s been in the ground for one year. Currently being eaten up by bugs. I keep it caged for now so the squirrels don’t chew on it. I will eventually separate a piece to begin a bonsai.
I have a shishigashira that I may eventually do the same with.
I purchased a shishigashira this year. The top got broken off during shipping.
It is grafted but a good graft.
I also have some own root Koto Hime that I got from Matt O. These would make excellent smaller bonsai.View attachment 443039View attachment 443041View attachment 443042View attachment 443044View attachment 443048

They all look great! I have made a decision that i'm going to put the trunk on the side and try to grow rooting there, and then try to fuse the two branches together to make a sort of twin maple design - thanks for the ideas!