Japanese Red Maple

Mr. Bonsai

Yamadori
Messages
65
Reaction score
57
Well my Japanese Red Maple bonsai arrived today!

I re-potted due to the fact I had already decided on another different pot with a matching tray would be better for it.
I also added a small figurine of a man fishing to it as well and really like the black rock it came with.
I already had a bag of specific bonsai mixed soil as well as a bag of peat moss blend and also added the small bag of bonsai fertilizer that came with the bonsai tree. I have a couple small bags of bonsai fertilizer as well from a previous purchase.
24779F55-27E6-42D0-8BDF-81CBD6831AC1.jpeg

image.jpg
F55E583E-5F77-4F3F-9ADF-79FE4FB289F4.jpeg
9204A756-942D-4879-A898-72AD567EA082.jpeg

This is the pot that it originally came in.
40D77C95-71A7-482A-B29D-3ECC382C2FC9.jpeg
2745F1E9-029E-4859-BE8D-40E6B329EA14.jpeg

I also added a another figurine of a woman playing a flute instrument to the other bonsai, Rock Juniper, that I had previously purchased.
F70517F6-1B09-49C1-9303-C321DE4CF429.jpeg
 
Last edited:

leatherback

The Treedeemer
Messages
13,937
Reaction score
26,872
Location
Northern Germany
USDA Zone
7
You live in the southern hemisphere and are n spring now?
 

Mr. Bonsai

Yamadori
Messages
65
Reaction score
57
Located in the Northern Hemisphere and currently it's summer time here.

No I don't have plans on planting it in the ground anytime soon....maybe never.
 

leatherback

The Treedeemer
Messages
13,937
Reaction score
26,872
Location
Northern Germany
USDA Zone
7
Why did you repot now then?

What do you mean, planting n the ground?
 

Shibui

Imperial Masterpiece
Messages
7,545
Reaction score
15,210
Location
Yackandandah, Australia
USDA Zone
9?
Not the best time of year to repot Japanese maple or most deciduous trees. Depending how many roots were damaged some or all leaves on the JM may die but they usually bud again a few weeks later after the roots recover.
 

mudvein

Yamadori
Messages
78
Reaction score
100
Location
BEND OR
USDA Zone
6B
Should slip pot it into a much bigger pot to let it gain some girth over a few years.
 

sorce

Nonsense Rascal
Messages
32,908
Reaction score
45,579
Location
Berwyn, Il
USDA Zone
6.2
Is that red thing the seat to a kick wheel?

Sorce
 

Mr. Bonsai

Yamadori
Messages
65
Reaction score
57
Is that red thing the seat to a kick wheel?

Sorce


Don't know what a "kick wheel" is....never heard of that term....but it is a seat off an old tractor made into a sitting stool. I've got four of them.
 

Mr. Bonsai

Yamadori
Messages
65
Reaction score
57
Thanks to all who have replied!

Y'all have a blessed day and enjoy!
 

Leo in N E Illinois

The Professor
Messages
11,337
Reaction score
23,254
Location
on the IL-WI border, a mile from ''da Lake''
USDA Zone
5b
Eastern Leaf sells reasonably good potting mixes. Your media choice is good.

Normally maples are only repotted in early spring. But from the photo, you were gentle enough with the roots that your summer repotting likely did not seriously harm the tree. So you did good work. If you had damaged the roots, usually within hours the maple would have begun to wilt.

The "kick wheel" is a potters wheel, for throwing clay pottery. Sorce, who asked, is a potter.
 

Mr. Bonsai

Yamadori
Messages
65
Reaction score
57
Eastern Leaf sells reasonably good potting mixes. Your media choice is good.

Normally maples are only repotted in early spring. But from the photo, you were gentle enough with the roots that your summer repotting likely did not seriously harm the tree. So you did good work. If you had damaged the roots, usually within hours the maple would have begun to wilt.

The "kick wheel" is a potters wheel, for throwing clay pottery. Sorce, who asked, is a potter.

Finally!....Finally!....Finally!....someone with good common sense has commented!

Thank you for your honest and perspective thoughts and comments. You are one of the far and few that I have yet encountered here on this forum in my very short time joining here.

I am definitely not experienced with bonsai's, etc. ( not an expert here but I do have experience planting trees and plants, etc.) and I can comprehend and totally understand the difference between forum members that post their constructive criticism and or being cynical....I get that. But in all honesty, being a new member to this forum (and I do belong to many different forums for various things, activities, etc.) I have never really experienced such cynical backlash from forum members just for posting and showing etc. especially being a new member!? It's like "beat up time on new members" or whatever you want to call it?....It's just so child like and immature manners coming from supposedly adult individuals?!...WTF! To be truthful, I am both quite surprised and disappointed in the forum about this. Oh and wait until someone reads this and they will most certainly go off again and post their "true meanings"...LOL!

The best part is, when they do post.....they just show how ignorant, immature and foolish they really are with no common sense for all to see....LOL!

Again, thank you Leo in N E Illinois
 

Clorgan

Omono
Messages
1,139
Reaction score
1,497
Location
Warwickshire, England, UK
Finally!....Finally!....Finally!....someone with good common sense has commented!

Thank you for your honest and perspective thoughts and comments. You are one of the far and few that I have yet encountered here on this forum in my very short time joining here.

I am definitely not experienced with bonsai's, etc. ( not an expert here but I do have experience planting trees and plants, etc.) and I can comprehend and totally understand the difference between forum members that post their constructive criticism and or being cynical....I get that. But in all honesty, being a new member to this forum (and I do belong to many different forums for various things, activities, etc.) I have never really experienced such cynical backlash from forum members just for posting and showing etc. especially being a new member!? It's like "beat up time on new members" or whatever you want to call it?....It's just so child like and immature manners coming from supposedly adult individuals?!...WTF! To be truthful, I am both quite surprised and disappointed in the forum about this. Oh and wait until someone reads this and they will most certainly go off again and post their "true meanings"...LOL!

The best part is, when they do post.....they just show how ignorant, immature and foolish they really are with no common sense for all to see....LOL!

Again, thank you Leo in N E Illinois

I do get that it can feel like people are being a bit cynical when you first join here, but I really don't think they are in this case, and most others. The absolute vast majority of people I've encountered and had help from on here really do just want to help! Sometimes a comment may be a little blunt, but they're useful nonetheless. I think it's just difficult to understand the different humours and personalities on a forum. Give it a chance, stick around - you'll learn that all of the people who have commented so far are really great and helpful (albeit some a little quirky - yes I'm looking at you @sorce ;) )
 

sorce

Nonsense Rascal
Messages
32,908
Reaction score
45,579
Location
Berwyn, Il
USDA Zone
6.2
It's an odd dynamic.

Pretty solid "put it in the ground" advice seemed preconceived, and dismissed.

That can put off true bonsai enthusiasts in the "ground" camp, and the Bill V. led "Pot" camp alike.

It sure is important to know that this isn't Facebook, or anywhere else as a matter of fact.

We garauntee your comfort here, but the hard way, not the "mean people's" comments get deleted way!

No harm!

Cheers!

Sorce
 

leatherback

The Treedeemer
Messages
13,937
Reaction score
26,872
Location
Northern Germany
USDA Zone
7
I do not get it.
You repot a tree in mid-summer. Give no reason other than you want a different pot. When asked why you repotted you do not respond. Yet you compain that people are not cheering you? Really?
 

Mr. Bonsai

Yamadori
Messages
65
Reaction score
57
WTF!....Complaining!...LOL!......Hell no just telling it like it is.
 

Deep Sea Diver

Masterpiece
Messages
4,412
Reaction score
9,123
Location
Bothell, WA
USDA Zone
8b
Welcome aboard! Sorry you felt tossed about.

We are getting a lot of folks lately who have done not so ‘normal’ things with their brand spanking new tree purchases and asking if it’s good afterwards, when nothing much can be done except aftercare. Like repotting at a not very good time of the year for the health of the tree, as you did, to put the tree in a nicer pot. It happens...

Sometimes I’m not sure what to say either, even though I’m pretty new. I think some of us are just a bit too flexed from all that, but you can be assured that these folks are darn good at what they do.

Not to worry though, I’ve done much worse and am living the results a year later. I even wrote a couple threads about these and only got taken to the wood shed once when I massacred a Mugo Pune. (Still alive, but not so happy as it could’ve been if I’d asked more and listened better.)

As Leo mentioned, it looks like your maple is going to be ok. Only things I’d add are: Keep it in dappled sun if possible for a couple weeks, then slowly ease it into a part sun mode and water only when it needs it.

Finally, please edit your profile with your approximate location and USDA zone. It will really help when you ask for advice and later on will help new folks when they ask.

Cheers
DSD sends
 

Nybonsai12

Masterpiece
Messages
3,809
Reaction score
7,586
Location
NY
USDA Zone
7a
Deciduous are best repotted in spring, which is why that Advice was given. experienced folks would slip pot in more emergency type situations Only, not just because they don’t like the pot. This tree also doesn’t look particularly healthy which would be more reason to wait on the repot.

This tree is very young. It needs to grow to put on trunk size. The suggestion of putting it in the ground will help achieve that result quicker. to make a better bonsai it will also require chops to add trunk movement and taper as it is essentially a stick in a pot as it sits.

it is unwise to dismiss advice given just because it isn’t in line with the actions you took, especially when new and just starting out.
this forum and its members are a wealth of knowledge Who are eager to help if you know how to listen. Welcome and good luck.
 

Leo in N E Illinois

The Professor
Messages
11,337
Reaction score
23,254
Location
on the IL-WI border, a mile from ''da Lake''
USDA Zone
5b
Hey, fellow BNuts who posted in this thread about putting the tree in the ground. If the OP, @Mr. Bonsai says putting it in the ground is out of the question, obviously there is a reason. You could politely ask why, or you could just say okay. No need to beat the dead horse. I never put trees in the ground, because I have reasons. It is perfectly possible to bulk up trees in containers. 3 gallon, 5 gallon and larger nursery pots are excellent, and it is perfectly possible to bring a maple to 2 inches diameter trunk in a 5 gallon nursery container, in a reasonable amount of time. Renters, those that are changing residences in the near future, or myself, those that have crappy, hard clay soils that make removing a tree from the ground near impossible. If I put a tree in the ground, and it lives, it will never come out of the ground. I'm too fat and old to be swinging a pick ax to bust clay to dig a tree. I refuse to do that.

Yes, we all know in good soil, ground growing is the most rapid way to develop trunk caliper. But if it is not an option, for what ever reason, there is no need to belabor the point.
 
Top Bottom