TP Shantung

thumblessprimate1

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Got a maple that I hadn't known what to do. Decided on cascade and went with it for a while. Pretty challenging. Still not sure if I'll continue with this direction.

Here is how it looks today after defoliation days ago. I left the leaves on the weak low branches.

20160706_150743-1.jpg
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0soyoung

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The cascade is cool. :cool:
This little tree really tugs at me. But I like it in this orientation. TPshantung.jpg
Then pull the low-left branch forward a bit while making it a bit shorter. Then it is interesting to ponder how to finish the image. Fascinating twisting on almost exposed roots ....

... you must have gone through this already. Thanks :)
 

thumblessprimate1

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The cascade is cool. :cool:
This little tree really tugs at me. But I like it in this orientation. View attachment 110243
Then pull the low-left branch forward a bit while making it a bit shorter. Then it is interesting to ponder how to finish the image. Fascinating twisting on almost exposed roots ....

... you must have gone through this already. Thanks :)
Thanks, 0so. I originally grew this in the large pot thinking I might make an exposed root. Then one day I had a few long branches, and thought I'd try cascade. I found the sillouhette pleasing and fitting for the trunk at the time.

I'm keeping options open. I'm finding cascade challenging, but fun. We'll see with time where this goes.
 

sorce

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I think this is great use of the material.
It wouldn't really stand right any other way.

Sick trunk!

Sorce
 

ConorDash

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Got a maple that I hadn't known what to do. Decided on cascade and went with it for a while. Pretty challenging. Still not sure if I'll continue with this direction.

Here is how it looks today after defoliation days ago. I left the leaves on the weak low branches.

View attachment 110237
View attachment 110238
View attachment 110239
View attachment 110240

Really cool looking Maple, looks perfect for the style you are going for, to my eye any way.

How comes your wiring is so loose, was there a reason for that?
 

thumblessprimate1

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@ConorDash
Good catch. Wire is loose because I'm still fairly new to bonsai. I was likely lazy. Sometimes fall back on bad habits. Other times, I might wire loosely is because growth may be young and fragile.
 

ConorDash

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@ConorDash
Good catch. Wire is loose because I'm still fairly new to bonsai. I was likely lazy. Sometimes fall back on bad habits. Other times, I might wire loosely is because growth may be young and fragile.

I thought loose because of being young and fragile, but then when looking I thought, thats very loose lol.
Im just glad it was a constructive comment and not some strategy I didn't know about! Im very new to bonsai :).
 

augustine

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I like your Shantung maple. It looks like you are training a 2 line cascade, personally I would try to make the upper (apex) line taller and more prominent.

Very original and cool trunk.
 

thumblessprimate1

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I like your Shantung maple. It looks like you are training a 2 line cascade, personally I would try to make the upper (apex) line taller and more prominent.

Very original and cool trunk.
Thanks, Augustine. How much taller might you like the top to be? The top will be taller as I develop it more. During this stage, I've been focusing on balancing the growth.
 

thumblessprimate1

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After tilting it AND defoliating the leaves at the top, it's started to grow some at the low branch.
20160711_152044-1-1.jpg
 

thumblessprimate1

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Very nice progress Thumbless! Not sure if you need the bottom half?
Thanks, M5. Love your comments. I kind of don't really know what I'm doing:D. It's there for me to see possibilities, and I thought it'd help as sacrifice growth to thicken branches.
 

MACH5

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Thanks, M5. Love your comments. I kind of don't really know what I'm doing:D. It's there for me to see possibilities, and I thought it'd help as sacrifice growth to thicken branches.


Of course! Keep your options open. Always time to cut! :)
 

sorce

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That is a nice lil canopy at the top....

But I fully think the canopy should be as odd as the base....Pretty...but odd.

Sorce
 

thumblessprimate1

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Repotted late winter. Cut back a lot then that I didn't like, and it regrew branches.
20170321_200956-1.jpg

I wired a little. Mostly will get cut back again. Nodes are too far apart.
20170321_203014-1.jpg

Other side
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