The 2010 BonsaiNut Maple Project

Brian Van Fleet

Pretty Fly for a Bonsai Guy
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Summer update...chose a new leader that has a little movement to the right and removed the others, then shortened what will become the primary branches when the trunk is "finished".

Photos aren't great.
 

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sorce

Nonsense Rascal
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I am amazed by those trunks.
Steroids.

Sorce
 

Janson

Sapling
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I know the question was asked earlier in the thread, but I didn't see it answered - can you elaborate a bit on how such great nebari was achieved with this trunk? Was it planted on a tile/rock/some other flat surface? Or was it just the nature of the beast? Thanks!
 

Brian Van Fleet

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I know the question was asked earlier in the thread, but I didn't see it answered - can you elaborate a bit on how such great nebari was achieved with this trunk? Was it planted on a tile/rock/some other flat surface? Or was it just the nature of the beast? Thanks!
Post 6 shows what is required; every couple years you need to dig it up and cut the roots back pretty hard, then fan them out again, plant it and let it grow. I've probably dug this one up every 2-3 years to do root work; year one it recovers from root pruning, and years 2-3 it puts on more bulk.

Post 80 shows this year's root pruning, planing the bottom of the trunk. This really gets the base to spread out.
 

Janson

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I apologize for the repeat answer and thanks for the reply.

I have a batch of 9 maple seedlings I started this year that I would like to do this with (in varying degrees), so this is a great insight. So far they are between 6" and 12" tall.
 

Brian Van Fleet

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No problem. Get the roots right from the very beginning...then you can grow a big fat trunk. Have fun!
 

Brian Van Fleet

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Update from today. Photos don't show as much as I'd like, but I believe the trunk is coming along nicely; progressively smaller sections, with subtle movement along the way.
From 8' to 12" in 2 cuts...
image.jpeg image.jpeg
 

Brian Van Fleet

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After leaf fall:
IMG_7918.JPG
Chop scars closing up nicely on the back. That bottom one from is from 2013, I'm eager to get it closed:
IMG_7921.JPG
Pruned back; the trunk tapers better than it shows where the trunk is moving toward the camera. I may chop it again.
IMG_7932.JPG
 

JudyB

Queen of the Nuts
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Nice long term project, looks like it'll move along pretty quickly now if you decide on a short fat tree.
 

Brian Van Fleet

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Update from some work today. I dug it up so I could set it up on this stand to work on it. The container is a mesh-bottom Anderson Flat, so roots grow easily down through it, but I'm banking on a viable, contained root system too.
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I also planned to keep growing it out until the first trunk chop is completely healed, and it's within 1/2", so it will likely close this year. For @JudyB, here is the cut paste coming off, to clean up the wound, recut the callus, and fresh paste:
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Brian Van Fleet

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After pruning it back. Current height is now about 14" tall and the trunk is 6" just above the base.
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We still have a good 3 months of growing season, so it should get shaggy again. I'll prune it again in the winter when it's leafless, and decide if it's ready to go into a training pot. I assume it will need quite a bit of root work at the next repot.
 

LanceMac10

Imperial Masterpiece
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Bloody hell, she's amazing!!! Very good execution of techniques the rest of us read about and clumsily try to replicate.....cool beans...it's been a crackin' peep show...:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D

bennyhill4.gif


:rolleyes: Heheheeee;):D:D:D:D:D:D
 
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Thank you so much for sharing. I've learned a lot from this development, thank you!
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