Help me style my first Maple

[simoncools]

I bought this maple bonsai a few months back as my very first bonsai.
I wanted to try and style it yesterday but I just couldn't figure out what to do with it.
The branches are already quite thick and difficult to bend (broke a branch while trying to wire it )

I wired what I think should be the trunkline. Please advice me how to proceed with styling this little tree

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

Welcome to the site. Assuming it’s summer where you are, it’s not really the safest time to wire maples, since the branches are full of sap and can easily break. Coupled with high transpiration needs, this creates an unforgiving situation. Pruning for branch selection is ok, since the tree will start to callus, and produce some new growth.

Also assuming this is your tree’s best front, you could make some pruning cuts similar to what is shown by red lines. The goal is to reduce long, straight, taperless sections and replace them with shorter sections with some movement and taper.

Build a tree from the bottom up. Find the best base, make that the front, and then start working on a trunk line. You have started with a decent tree with some potential. Study up on what work to do in each season, and find a few people whose work you admire, and start to do what they are doing.

 

[Tieball]

A helpful tip. Go to your Bonsainut profile and put in some location information. Click on your icon at the top right next to the mail/message icon. Select account details. Scroll Don to the location. The type in some basic information and your usda zone number. This will help target replies.

Keep the roots covered. Does that substrate soil drain well through the bottom of the pot? It looks rather soggy.

 

[simoncools]

Welcome to the site. Assuming it’s summer where you are, it’s not really the safest time to wire maples, since the branches are full of sap and can easily break. Coupled with high transpiration needs, this creates an unforgiving situation. Pruning for branch selection is ok, since the tree will start to callus, and produce some new growth.

Also assuming this is your tree’s best front, you could make some pruning cuts similar to what is shown by red lines. The goal is to reduce long, straight, taperless sections and replace them with shorter sections with some movement and taper.

Build a tree from the bottom up. Find the best base, make that the front, and then start working on a trunk line. You have started with a decent tree with some potential. Study up on what work to do in each season, and find a few people whose work you admire, and start to do what they are doing.
View attachment 557913

Should i really cut the braches back that much, even the thicker ones?
I'm not that experienced pruning bonsai so this is a bit scary to me

 

[simoncools]

A helpful tip. Go to your Bonsainut profile and put in some location information. Click on your icon at the top right next to the mail/message icon. Select account details. Scroll Don to the location. The type in some basic information and your usda zone number. This will help target replies.

Keep the roots covered. Does that substrate soil drain well through the bottom of the pot? It looks rather soggy.

The soil drains reasonably well. Looks wet because I just watered them!

 

[Jrmcmich]

Should i really cut the braches back that much, even the thicker ones?
I'm not that experienced pruning bonsai so this is a bit scary to me

If you look at some of Brian’s progression threads I’d say he definitely knows what he’s doing so probably good tips. You could always try a few of the cuts and see how tree responds

 

[SeanS]

Should i really cut the braches back that much, even the thicker ones?
I'm not that experienced pruning bonsai so this is a bit scary to me

Yes you should. At the moment you have long, fairy straight tubes as branches. Good branching should progressively get thinner as it extends outwards. Go look at some full size trees in the landscape around you; the branching (and trunks) get progressively thinner until the small twigs at the ends. We can only create that in the small bonsai scale by pruning and allowing new growth to grow from the pruned branches/trunks.

 

[SeanS]

This is also an excellent free course on wiring. You should watch the course

Bonsai Wiring Essentials

Uncover professional secrets to wiring better, faster and more accurately in this FREE mini-class, and develop beautiful bonsai trees!

www.craftsy.com

 

[99 Mile Creek]

Should i really cut the braches back that much, even the thicker ones?
I'm not that experienced pruning bonsai so this is a bit scary to me

It seems drastic -- it is -- but it's necessary, and the advice given is with tree's future in mind.

Your JM has some interesting nebari BTW. Good luck!