Thoughts on how to proceed

[Stormwater]

So I picked up this Japanese maple cheap. Possible to reduce? How low would
You cut?

 

[Shibui]

No problem reducing that Japanese maple. You have several low shoots and it's almost always safe to cut back to a live shoot. JM can also be cut back to bare wood but there's a small risk they won't activate new buds or may die back. Very little risk where you have a healthy side branch.

How low would
You cut?

Depends entirely on what aims I had for the tree.
Chop to the 3rd branch for a moderate sized, taller bonsai. Still leaves a bit of straight trunk with no taper but also safest option.
Chop to 2nd branch for better taper and lower bends in the new trunk. That branch appears strong enough to maintain sap flow in the entire trunks and all roots but a slight chance (as always) of some dieback on the opposite side of the trunk.
Chop back to the lowest branch is more risky but has greatest potential to produce a shohin sized bonsai.

I would probably investigate the roots to find out what potential nebari is there before making a final decision. It's pointless developing a good trunk and branches if the roots don't look right under it.

 

[AmellLeo]

So I picked up this Japanese maple cheap. Possible to reduce? How low would
You cut?

Chopping it down to the second or third branch seems like the safest move. Might be worth checking the roots first and best to prune in early spring or late fall to keep it Healthy.

 

[rockm]

You have to decide what you're after. Chop now and the trunk remains mostly its current diameter for a long while. You have to ask yourself if that's the size trunk you want to work with. IF you want larger diameter, don't chop. If it's OK, chop away to strong branch,

Before you do that you also have to determine what the best view of the nebari (trunk base) looks like. RIght now all the surface roots are below the soil. You want roots to spread gradually away from the trunk so it appears the tree rises seamlessly from the ground (look around at the surface roots on full size trees for examples). You don't want clumsy roots that grow in weird ways or directions. That is one of the most important decisions in making a tree--because once you choose what the nebari will look like it sets the foundation for the rest of the tree's growth and character. It can't easily be changed once youve started. There might be several angles that look good, which is great, but design decisions are focused on maximizing the primary viewing angle.

 

[Stormwater]

No problem reducing that Japanese maple. You have several low shoots and it's almost always safe to cut back to a live shoot. JM can also be cut back to bare wood but there's a small risk they won't activate new buds or may die back. Very little risk where you have a healthy side branch.


Depends entirely on what aims I had for the tree.
Chop to the 3rd branch for a moderate sized, taller bonsai. Still leaves a bit of straight trunk with no taper but also safest option.
Chop to 2nd branch for better taper and lower bends in the new trunk. That branch appears strong enough to maintain sap flow in the entire trunks and all roots but a slight chance (as always) of some dieback on the opposite side of the trunk.
Chop back to the lowest branch is more risky but has greatest potential to produce a shohin sized bonsai.

I would probably investigate the roots to find out what potential nebari is there before making a final decision. It's pointless developing a good trunk and branches if the roots don't look right under it.

Thank for your thoughts.