I need a new lead

[geeyawn]

I got this cool maple for 10 bucks. It looks a bit on the tall side, so would a trunk chop be suggested? Basically looking for a new leader, and any opinion and/or advice is welcome. Thanks for reading!

 

[Beetleman72]

The height of the tree is far from your main issue. Before you do any chopping I would wrk on getting some roots above the graft. You can't have a nice bonsai with a fat ugly graft. Not saying your tree is ugly i just vehemently hate grafts, so if it wa me I would pot it to where the top of the soil is above your graft about an inch or a little more, what I did with mine maple that is similar to this one is made a wire tournequet just above the graft, and potted it with the soil about an inch and a half above the tourniquet. When the tree gets fatter the wire will encourage roots to grow as well as make the base swell giving you a little extra taper. This will also shorten your tree by a few inches so it may solve both problems at once

 

[Beetleman72]

Here is a thread that I posted about doing that: http://bonsainut.com/forums/showthread.php?11745-eliminating-grafts&p=148951#post148951

 

[Jaberwky17]

Thats funny

The height of the tree is far from your main issue. Before you do any chopping I would wrk on getting some roots above the graft. You can't have a nice bonsai with a fat ugly graft. Not saying your tree is ugly i just vehemently hate grafts, so if it wa me I would pot it to where the top of the soil is above your graft about an inch or a little more, what I did with mine maple that is similar to this one is made a wire tournequet just above the graft, and potted it with the soil about an inch and a half above the tourniquet. When the tree gets fatter the wire will encourage roots to grow as well as make the base swell giving you a little extra taper. This will also shorten your tree by a few inches so it may solve both problems at once

I looked at the first couple of images and though hey that's a decent little guy then BAM! graft image.... I agree. The graft's gotta go.

 

[geeyawn]

The height of the tree is far from your main issue. Before you do any chopping I would wrk on getting some roots above the graft. You can't have a nice bonsai with a fat ugly graft. Not saying your tree is ugly i just vehemently hate grafts, so if it wa me I would pot it to where the top of the soil is above your graft about an inch or a little more, what I did with mine maple that is similar to this one is made a wire tournequet just above the graft, and potted it with the soil about an inch and a half above the tourniquet. When the tree gets fatter the wire will encourage roots to grow as well as make the base swell giving you a little extra taper. This will also shorten your tree by a few inches so it may solve both problems at once

thank you thank you! as a newbie to this, can you please point out where you suggest layering it?

 

[jkd2572]

Go back to post two. Get that done first then move on to other things. You need to do the grounds layer as suggested if you want this to be good.

 

[jkd2572]

See just below the green area of the trunk. That is where it was grafted. I would layer it about an inch above that.

 

[geeyawn]

the members in this forum are amazing. thank you everyone for the suggestions. now time to research when is the best time to do this. late summers in san jose are very mild. any suggestions?

 

[iant]

I'd wait for spring for a layering. Time goes very quickly... It'll give you time to learn to keep the tree healthy. You really really want to do things in bonsai (horticulture) in the right season, especially when you're learning. I've killed a few trees by doing things in late summer that should have waited until late winter or early spring.
Ian

 

[geeyawn]

I'd wait for spring for a layering. Time goes very quickly... It'll give you time to learn to keep the tree healthy. You really really want to do things in bonsai (horticulture) in the right season, especially when you're learning. I've killed a few trees by doing things in late summer that should have waited until late winter or early spring.
Ian

thanks! hey, you're pretty close to me geographically! know of any places around our area for bonsai trees, supplies, etc.?

 

[Beetleman72]

You could get a head start by doing what I suggested without the tourniquet right now, as there is a good chance of scarring the bark especially with a maple since they have relatively loose bark and even more so during the growing season. Then in very early spring (preferably while its completely dormant as that's when the bark is tightest, Withhold water for a couple days (this will make the bark even tighter to the tree) then tourniquet and re-bury. Just to clarify I am NOT suggesting you repot at this time of year. Get a similar sized pot and cut it to add however much height you need to your current pot then tape it to its current pot, fill to a couple inches above the graft and boom all you have to do in the spring is tourniquet and do it again, hopefully by then you will have the beginnings of roots. Tomorrow ill post the one I did this with vs one that I haven't yet.

 

[geeyawn]

You could get a head start by doing what I suggested without the tourniquet right now, as there is a good chance of scarring the bark especially with a maple since they have relatively loose bark and even more so during the growing season. Then in very early spring (preferably while its completely dormant as that's when the bark is tightest, Withhold water for a couple days (this will make the bark even tighter to the tree) then tourniquet and re-bury. Just to clarify I am NOT suggesting you repot at this time of year. Get a similar sized pot and cut it to add however much height you need to your current pot then tape it to its current pot, fill to a couple inches above the graft and boom all you have to do in the spring is tourniquet and do it again, hopefully by then you will have the beginnings of roots. Tomorrow ill post the one I did this with vs one that I haven't yet.

so what i'm hearing is basically burying it deeper in soil by taping an extension pot around it. i can't wait for the pictures. thank you for your time. I'm really loving all the research that has to do with bonsai, and you guys are making this a whole lot easier

 

[Beetleman72]

Here is a pot that I extended. Put them top to top so that it will be the same circumference then tape the shit out of it, inside and out. Also here are two slightly different varieties of palmatum both grafted. The one on the left is a shisho improved. It has a tournequet and the graft has been buried, the one on the right is a shin deshojo and has not been layered yet. I didn't have to extend the pot on this one because it came in the mail with no pot of course so I just picked a deep enough pot and buried it.

 

[geeyawn]

Here is a pot that I extended. Put them top to top so that it will be the same circumference then tape the shit out of it, inside and out. Also here are two slightly different varieties of palmatum both grafted. The one on the left is a shisho improved. It has a tournequet and the graft has been buried, the one on the right is a shin deshojo and has not been layered yet. I didn't have to extend the pot on this one because it came in the mail with no pot of course so I just picked a deep enough pot and buried it.

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the pot extension has been done. thank you for the suggestion. I guess my next move with this guy is wait for spring to tourniquet. Nothing else to do for now, yeah?

 

[Beetleman72]

Just fertilize till October and keep it nice and healthy