Warning - I write like I talk - A lot or An Air Layer with some issues, and I already knew that.

[thhynesct]

Sometime around 2010, a Maple Seedling started to grow. I spent the last 12 years pruning it, shaping it while it was in the ground, growing in a place that my spouse
did not like and wanted to weed it out. I percivered and kept that tree in the ground, and it still is for the last 15 years. I kept this tree to try my hand at airlayering.
Not only was my first attempt successful, but so was the 2nd attempt. Unfortunately, the first airlayer died during an extremely cold winter due, improper potting. The 2nd
Airlayer has potential, but it also has issues, and looking for advice. Perhaps it's not fixable; however, the tree itself would be and could be used for pruning techniques and wiring.

Species is Acer saccharum - Sugar Maple
Attached are images of the first air layer and then the second air layer

Obvious issues working from the soil line up
...Inverse Taper
....to be done - Branch removal from the bottom to create a single strong leader with branching

.... You can see the dead branch from where the first air layer was removed in the center

Plan for 2025 - Leave in this pot till late september, transplant to a milk crate and bury it in the ground this fall to winter over

 

[stewarjm192]

I would ground layer it at the reverse taper and grow it as a clump style. Score the bark around the inverse taper area, apply rooting hormone and plant the tree deep enough where this new area of root formation is deep enough to stay moist. Do this at next opportunity it’s for repotting, repot into god soil, grow for a few years, then repot and start to remove roots from the original root ball, not all at once bust over a few repotting

 

[Bonsai Nut]

First thing I would do is prune down that central dead leader, nip the stub down deep with concave cutters until you create a concave depression, and completely seal the wound. In a perfect world, you would want that wound to heal over before you start dealing with secondary branch removal.

However... though I would not remove the secondary branches now, I would prune them back hard, so they stop feeding that inverse taper. Once they are pruned back, they will stop growing in girth, and you will have less of an issue when the time comes to eventually remove them. Additionally, pruning them back will transfer more strength to the primary leader, helping to close the center wound and pushing growth on that side of the trunk.

 

[River's Edge]

If you would take the time to complete your profile. Indicating location and climatic zone that would be helpful to those considering responding.
Welcome back!

 

[zita]

you can see his clima on pic 1

well, sorry of course it would be helpful and i am figuring out myself how to complete the profile.
that said, for example 8b or 6c...thouse numbers do not say much about night temperatures, altitude, dust, wind, humidity, and and and what has true influenze.
i d rather would like to see a profile that shows what drifts off from "normal" conditions.

 

[rockm]

you can see his clima on pic 1

well, sorry of course it would be helpful and i am figuring out myself how to complete the profile.
that said, for example 8b or 6c...thouse numbers do not say much about night temperatures, altitude, dust, wind, humidity, and and and what has true influenze.
i d rather would like to see a profile that shows what drifts off from "normal" conditions.

No but the five decent idea of what you’re dealing with climate wise overall

Making us guess your weather from the background in pics is hardly the best way to get sound climate-appropriate advice. We have international membership which cover every climate on the planet. What works in London won’t work I. Atlanta and vice versa. There is no “normal” here in many ways

Please fill in your country/state. It is probably the single most important piece of data you have for us to work with. It’s not that hard to fill out

 

[zita]

DONE !! you convinced me not so for myself but seems it is the general standard here.

i would describe "normal" as where the plant is able to live in nature.

background pics are in fact the real deal, i swear anybody would dedect so much if took time to look at it.

 

[rockm]

DONE !! you convinced me not so for myself but seems it is the general standard here.

i would describe "normal" as where the plant is able to live in nature.

background pics are in fact the real deal, i swear anybody would dedect so much if took time to look at it.

Uh. “Where the plant is able to live in nature”. What lives normally in Texas won’t live very long outside in a North Dakota (or Swiss) winter.

And discerning the climate from a photo is a dangerous proposition for the trees that are being asked about. Making assumptions about the most foundational factor in bonsai care is not the best approach

 

[thhynesct]

If you would take the time to complete your profile. Indicating location and climatic zone that would be helpful to those considering responding.
Welcome back!

I live at 1200 feet in zone 6A
My growing season is about 3 weeks shorter in the spring and 3 weeks shorter in the fall due to my elevation.
Winters can be a bit harsher up here .... It can be just 2 miles down the hill say 60 but here it could be 50...the temperature drop is noticiable.

 

[thhynesct]

you can see his clima on pic 1

well, sorry of course it would be helpful and i am figuring out myself how to complete the profile.
that said, for example 8b or 6c...thouse numbers do not say much about night temperatures, altitude, dust, wind, humidity, and and and what has true influenze.
i d rather would like to see a profile that shows what drifts off from "normal" conditions.

I know I am zone 6A but I am higher up in elevation and spring comes late by 3 weeks and fall comes early by about 3 weeks.
Tempature here can be say 55 but down the hill as I call it, 1100 feet and 2 miles away it could be 62-65 degrees.

All of the trees are on my property, and if I lose one its okay, I have tons to choose from, I have 7 more 6-9 year old maple trees that I keep pruned and most
likely will get ready for airlayering next year.

 

[Bonsai Nut]

(in response to your direct report) Do not worry about the interior of the trunk being dead. It is supposed to be dead. You just want to keep it from getting wet and starting to rot - hence the requirement for sealing the wound. If you seal the wound, the tree will eventually grow over the top and you will never know it was there. You do not need to hollow out the interior or anything, just nibble the deadwood back until you have a concave depression so that when the trunk heals over the top you are left with a flat healed wound - instead of an ugly bump.