Transplanting from ground to pot

[socobonsai]

Hello in advance! New this year to Bonsai and my first post in the Forum. All of my current bonsai are specimen that have been purchased as existing Bonsai. I have the ability to transplant a few older, in ground maples to convert to Bonsai. I have read many threads about transplanting from pot to ground in order to allow the tree to grow but am finding less or not exactly what I’m looking for when looking to convert back to pot from ground.
I have 2 trees with images attached.
My question for both trees pictured is should I transplant back to a larger pot, make my larger pruning cuts, and give it a year or 2 before going to a smaller bonsai pot (thinking this might be less of a shock to the system) or do I go straight from the ground to a bonsai pot?
Finally, regardless of going to a larger pot for a year or 2 and then to bonsai or straight to bonsai pot, would you suggest making the larger pruning cuts while in ground this winter then transplanting in spring or waiting until late spring to simultaneously do the big cuts and the transplant? Thank you!
First photo is the smaller and more straight forward maple. Second pic is the larger maple.
I appreciate any advice on timing and how you would prune either tree.

 

[BrianBay9]

1. Put your general location in your profile. It will help people give you better advice.

2. Major pruning is best done in late winter. Seal the cuts with cut paste.

3. Your cuts will heal much faster if you leave the trees in the ground for at least another growing season. I would not recommend going straight into a bonsai pot. If you must dig this year, put them into a grow box or large training pot first to heal up and start development. Keep as much of the root system as will fit in your intended container. Development will go much faster in a larger setting.

4. Welcome to the nut house!

 

[Joe Dupre']

The first question I ask is "Is the trunk the size you want?" If it's not, I wouldn't suggest you putting it in a pot at all. If it's close to the size you want, putting it in a grow pot would be called for, if you up-pot it every year for 2-3 years. Looking at the nice branching on these two trees, putting them into a grow pot this spring would be the way to go. I would not make the pruning cuts this winter. Dig the trees in spring and make all cuts then. Bonsai pots are for when the tree is has its primary and secondary branches sorted out.

 

[BrianBay9]

...5. Find someone who's trees you admire, that lives in your area, and follow their advice.

If you ask three bonsai people a question you're likely to get five answers, with the central theme being, " it depends"

 

[socobonsai]

Thank you both for the quick answers. I do have to transplant both trees this spring as we are moving and I want to bring the trees with me. Based on that, i’ll make the big cuts in late winter while still in ground then move the tree in spring to a large grow pot for a year or two.
Thank you very much.

 

[Desert O'Piñon]

While I don't have advice for you, I thought I would welcome you. You're starting off on the right track, for sure. "Shoot first, ask questions later" is exactly opposed to good bonsai method.
The above advice is certainly to be absorbed; the veterans here are wise and experienced, and they are invaluable to newbies like us.
Also: Nice forking trunks! Awesome potential there. Good luck, and keep us posted!

 

[Shibui]

Definitely into a grow pot. You will need to develop branching and that's best done while the tree has some room to grow. You could go direct to a bonsai pot but developing branching will take many years with the roots confined.
It does not seem to matter whether you do cuts before or at transplant. I do tridents and JM when I transplant because it is hard to predict where the best shape is without also seeing the roots and nebari. With the tree out of the ground I can also try different trunk angles to see if there are any better planting angles than the current one.
Down here, many maples bleed badly if pruned late winter but that does not happen if the roots are chopped at the same time. Not sure if that will be an issue at your place?

What sort of maples are these?

 

[socobonsai]

Let me build on my new-ness and ignorance to the art of bonsai. Based on the size of the trees pictured what would a recommend size range of training pot be? I currently have access to plenty of wine barrels. Would a wine barrel cut in half serve as a good “pot” to begin training these trees post heavy prune and transplant? Would there be any benefit to also planting them a few inches above a concrete tile to continue to work on nebari?

 

[Joe Dupre']

You don't need anything as big as a half wine barrel. I would think a 12" round pot 3"-3 1/2" deep would be plenty. That depth pot would allow you to work on the nebari.

 

[socobonsai]

You don't need anything as big as a half wine barrel. I would think a 12" round pot 3"-3 1/2" deep would be plenty. That depth pot would allow you to work on the nebari.

So, something along these lines? Just basing this off your general recommendation of 12” x 3.5”
This would give it enough space and volume to adjust to a pot yet still grow at a decent pace?

 

[Joe Dupre']

So, something along these lines? Just basing this off your general recommendation of 12” x 3.5”
This would give it enough space and volume to adjust to a pot yet still grow at a decent pace?

Once the tree produces some roots and branches, it's better that the tree can use up the water in the container in 1-3 days or so. Any bigger and the roots remain wet for too long, leading to problems.

 

[socobonsai]

You don't need anything as big as a half wine barrel. I would think a 12" round pot 3"-3 1/2" deep would be plenty. That depth pot would allow you to work on the nebari.

Once the tree produces some roots and branches, it's better that the tree can use up the water in the container in 1-3 days or so. Any bigger and the roots remain wet for too long, leading to problems.

Thank you for the info! Very helpful to a newbie. I’ll report back after the chop and transplant in very late winter.