Brand new to Bonsai

[PhilSavalle]

Hey folks, bonsai beginner here!

I am interested in all varieties of trees but I currently think Japanese Maples are the most interesting for their color changing in the autumn. My first purchase is this Butterfly Maple which I plan to put in the ground to grow the trunk. Second tree is a Hinoki Cypress which I cleaned up a bit and am still waiting for some wire I ordered before I can try shaping the branches.

The Maple is grafted so I'd like to air layer it off of the graft to get it on its own roots. As a novice though I am wondering if I should wait until next year when its a bit larger. Any advice is more than welcome!

 

[sorce]

Welcome to Crazy!

Sorce

 

[Eckhoffw]

Welcome.
Good trees to start with.
as I’m sure you’d hear this from others, I’m going to recommend in the future leaving more inner foliage when doing initial pruning.
Try not to poodle the plant. It’s very easy to remove inner growth, lots harder to regain it. Your wire will also help with creating space for light distribution.

 

[QuantumSparky]

Welcome to Crazy!

Sorce

I had been wondering how you got such a high reply number, makes sense now. Keep up the helpfulness xD

In other news, +1 for getting some wire on things before deciding what all you want to cut off. At least for me it helps visualize the final form.

 

[PhilSavalle]

Welcome.
Good trees to start with.
as I’m sure you’d hear this from others, I’m going to recommend in the future leaving more inner foliage when doing initial pruning.
Try not to poodle the plant. It’s very easy to remove inner growth, lots harder to regain it. Your wire will also help with creating space for light distribution.

I did realize after the fact that I may have "poodled" the Hinoki a bit...but it was fun and now I know for future plants =). Thank you for the feedback!

 

[sorce]

had been wondering

I been wondering if you know know what electricity is like in the future!

I was telling my kids the other day about how electricity technically doesn't power anything, it's more of a....conduit...hmm...

#Tesla4Real

Sorce

 

[Eckhoffw]

I was telling my kids the other day about how electricity technically doesn't power anything, it's more of a....conduit...hmm...

#Tesla4Real

Sorce

Correct. Humans....wait ...no, MEN power everything and create ALL under gods command. Electricity is man piss.

 

[sorce]

Electricity as we use it, is the greatest piece of wool.

I wonder how many people know how to start a fire?

I'm buying stock in Bic.

Sorce

 

[Carol 83]

MEN power everything and create ALL under gods command

Try creating a baby without a woman.

 

[Shibui]

Back to the OP.
The maple will layer better if it is a but thicker. There's not much left after removing the bark of a thin trunk and they often just snap off or die.

JM may have excellent fall color but they are not so easy to train. Pickier about conditions, more diseases, don't recover as well, often don't ramify as well, etc. Trident maple still have great color but are far more user friendly for beginners IMHO.
By all means have a go at your JM but I'll bet you will be frustrated by it. Get a couple of tridents to help you learn the skills and come back to JM in a few years.

 

[Forsoothe!]

Actually, Michigan is borderline for Tridents. They need some protection over winter where the JM tough it out, depending upon micro-climate. There are almost none in the landscape, but lots of Amur Maples which are bullet-proof here.

 

[PhilSavalle]

Thank you for the advice...I will wait until next year to see the growth in the butterfly before I try my hand at air layering!

I'd love to get my hands on any maple variety but their winter hardiness is one of the reasons I chose the JM as my starter as I'll be growing 100% outdoors for now. I wouldn't have chosen Butterfly first but I got started a bit late in the season and selection was very limited in my area when I started looking. I do see a ton of the "Blood God" red leafed maples on lawns around me so I think ill be trying to grab some cuttings of those in the future as well.

 

[PhilSavalle]

Here is the Hinoki after I applied the wire...be gentle, it's my first time