New to Bonsai and I have many questions

[carpenterlan]

I just bought this Its the smallest sapling that my local nursery had, I know that the leaves on this Autumn Blaze Maple are quite large but I'm hoping that it will work, I put it into a bigger pot and now I'm not sure on where to chop the trunk back. Any and all related help would be much appreciated.

 

[Redwood Ryan]

Welcome!


Unfortunately, they don't make the best bonsai. They have big leaves (as you mentioned) and long internodes, which makes bonsai-ing these guys difficult. If I were you, I wouldn't worry about trunk chopping it, but instead planting it in the ground for a few years to get a bigger trunk on it that will allow for the size of the leaves.

 

[iant]

Welcome to the forum! I think the most important thing to decide first is what you'd like to do with this tree. What sized base trunk would you like? (and are you willing to be patient growing it out to get there?) Or if you're happy with current thickness more or less you could start thinking about where you'd like the first turn in the trunk. This is where you'd chop. I wouldn't chop until late fall or early spring anyway.
If it were me I'd plant it at a 30-45 deg slant and grow it out if you have space and time until the base is 2-2.5 inches then chop at the 3-4 inch mark.
Ian

 

[carpenterlan]

It already has a 30-45 degree angle at the base of the trunk. I'd like to do an informal upright style, so I may leave it as is until next spring, and then chop it back and use a new leader at a 30-45 degree angle opposite of the one that is already there.

 

[Poink88]

I just bought this Its the smallest sapling that my local nursery had, I know that the leaves on this Autumn Blaze Maple are quite large but I'm hoping that it will work, I put it into a bigger pot and now I'm not sure on where to chop the trunk back. Any and all related help would be much appreciated.

I think this is your first mistake. Bonsai is not about the smallest tree...rather creating a smaller version or representation of a large old tree. You can create one from a seed or seedling but it will take longer. As mentioned, large leaves will make it more difficult. Proper proportion is difficult enough with smaller leaves but compounded by larger ones.

Good luck!!!