Well I did get around to putting about 6 pieces of wire on last night. I wanted to get a jump on it before it leafed out. I wired bends in the first section of the apex branches then wired them straight up to try and help the trunk grow some girth. I love the way the twigs looks and grow on this...
The wound won't heal as far as I can tell. My original plan was to try and air layer above the wound. Will the tree still count for the contest if it starts at 3+ inches, but then layer above that point?
I still might try to air layer this year we will see. I just can't tell if it is vigorous...
It's certainly different than a lot of the Maples I have seen. The top has actually done ok, it's just that the older branches on the lower/middle of the tree died back and now I have new growth coming off of stubs. Here's a closer look.
This was in a greenhouse at NE bonsai until Saturday, which means they usually leaf out early. Interestingly my Korean hornbeam doesn't leaf out in the greenhouses unlike the Japanese maples. The maple seedling I kept outside did not leaf out yet either.