First styling and repot for a Japanese Maple

[R0b]

Thanks for that information, I have been trying to keep an open mind about the current design not working out.

Indeed keep een open mind and look at what the tree offers. I have tried to make plans for some of mine only to find them disagreeing with me. So now I just follow their lead (mostly).

 

[Joelshack2362]

Might have to bring this into the garage next week. Might have a cold snap coming.

 

[Eckhoffw]

She’s a real piece of work. I love it soo much.

 

[Joelshack2362]

She’s a real piece of work. I love it soo much.

Thanks for the kind words. I like the progression so far.

 

[Joelshack2362]

Still some cold nights ahead but leaves are coming in good.

 

[Joelshack2362]

First photo of the tree after my nephew broke a limb off the very front with a basketball. Wasn’t mad for long because it might have opened the front up.

 

[Joelshack2362]

Photo 1

 

[Joelshack2362]

Night photo

 

[Joelshack2362]

Rainy day

 

[Joelshack2362]

Summer photo

 

[Joelshack2362]

Leaves starting to change for fall.

 

[Joelshack2362]

Helped the leaves fall off.

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

I've seen normally upright trees styled as weeping trees, and it can work if you are persistent with wiring. To be a weeping tree, every branch needs to weep even the little ones.

My friend has a bald cypress , a normally upright tree, and once a year every branch gets wired to position, just before the August bonsai show. Looks great for a couple months, then in spring new growth starts pointing straight up. From spring until it's wired out in August, it looks goofy. Then it gets wired out and looks great.

Give wiring a try, see if that helps you create the image you want

 

[Joelshack2362]

Thanks for that breakdown. I will definitely give this a shot. Hopefully get some wiring done soon.

 

[Joelshack2362]

Think this will eventually be my front. To me this view gives the best view for the branches in the back. I wired in some smaller branches and tied down the string to get better main branches positioned. I didn't like the flat cut marks so I have begun chipping away and reducing the flat edges. Hopefully get more of a natural appearance over time.

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

I do think you have identified "the front". Probably the best front for this tree. Most trees in training have several potential "fronts", and one must pick "the front" to work with for the design. I think you got it.

 

[qwerty Bonsai]

Leaves starting to change for fall.

Looks pretty good!
However, if it’s mine, I would air layer to remove the big belly and the bellybutton in the middle, as well as the reverse taper down low.
Also the lower portion that is the original rootstock actually looks good, may be used to develop something from it.(if rootstock cultivar is generic JM)
I am new to JM, just a thought.

 

[Joelshack2362]

Thanks for the feedback, I have definitely been thinking of back up options. At the moment probably stay with it and see how it goes.

 

[LemonBonsai]

Thanks for the feedback, I have definitely been thinking of back up options. At the moment probably stay with it and see how it goes.

With age and proper root work allowing horizontal roots to grow and thicken will eventually reduce that reverse taper, will take a long time though. You could even put it in very large pot and plant it on a tile so it will encourage horizontal growth of the tree.

But if you can make it a feature of the tree somehow that would be cool. I have never been able to do this so far

 

[Joelshack2362]

With age and proper root work allowing horizontal roots to grow and thicken will eventually reduce that reverse taper, will take a long time though. You could even put it in very large pot and plant it on a tile so it will encourage horizontal growth of the tree.

But if you can make it a feature of the tree somehow that would be cool. I have never been able to do this so far

That's what I will hopefully be able to do over time is allow the reverse tapper too become a feature for the tree. I think getting it into a right size pot will help take away from the tapper. As well as good movement with the branches will "camouflage" the not perfect areas.