Old Maple got chopped and I found inspiration

[Paulkellum]

Well I've had it a month with no ideas then in one day I got 5. I picked the one that I hope will give the tree a shot at being a great bonsai. It's a tama hime and has super short internodes so I think in years it will be amazing. Haven't finished the apex cut I want to give it another season to back bud and give me few more options on the apex. Let me know what you think or any suggestions.

 

[MACH5]

Very nice material Paul with good potential! Your current trunk line leading up to the apex with your main cascading branch form a 90 angle making your current design too static. I have suggested in the pic below what I would do for the apex and overall trunk line direction. As far as the cascading branch I would lower it further down to avoid being parallel to the soil line. One way to do this easily is by changing your planting angle towards the cascading side which will also give the trunk a more dynamic appearance and make it less static as is now. A simple technique that can sometimes make a world of difference. Do this of course at the time of repotting in the spring.

 

[Milly]

Great idea Mach5

 

[Paulkellum]

Very nice material Paul with good potential! Your current trunk line leading up to the apex with your main cascading branch form a 90 angle making your current design too static. I have suggested in the pic below what I would do for the apex and overall trunk line direction. As far as the cascading branch I would lower it further down to avoid being parallel to the soil line. One way to do this easily is by changing your planting angle towards the cascading side which will also give the trunk a more dynamic appearance and make it less static as is now. A simple technique that can sometimes make a world of difference. Do this of course at the time of repotting in the spring.

View attachment 46001

I wish I could bend that branch up it's locked in place with very little fex. Only think I could think in notch a wedge out back side of that brach and pull it back and let it heal together if it's perfect.

 

[sikadelic]

I think I may chop my maple tomorrow as well. Thanks for the reminder!

When I saw your raw stock I actually said "wow" out loud. Where did you find that beaut?

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

Before you try the notch trick, try a guy wire. You should be able to get quite a bit of bend, especially over several months.

The challenge is to get an anchor point on a nursery can. If you don't plan to repot in the spring, you might try to run a piece of rebar through the drain holes, front to back, and run a #8 copper wire around the outside of the pot to create a "handle" tying off to each exposed side of the rebar. Then loop the guy wire from that handle, run it up and attach it to your double strand of wire.

This is an example tying off to a screw, which may not give you the angle you need...but the idea is there.

 

[Paulkellum]

Before you try the notch trick, try a guy wire. You should be able to get quite a bit of bend, especially over several months.

The challenge is to get an anchor point on a nursery can. If you don't plan to repot in the spring, you might try to run a piece of rebar through the drain holes, front to back, and run a #8 copper wire around the outside of the pot to create a "handle" tying off to each exposed side of the rebar. Then loop the guy wire from that handle, run it up and attach it to your double strand of wire.

This is an example tying off to a screw, which may not give you the angle you need...but the idea is there.

It's been in this pot a very long time and I need to get some root work started in spring. I guess I could start a guy wire after I get it in a wooden training box. That might give me few more options for anchor point.

 

[Paulkellum]

I think I may chop my maple tomorrow as well. Thanks for the reminder!

When I saw your raw stock I actually said "wow" out loud. Where did you find that beaut?

Plant city bonsai in GA