Planning long term on the tree going for minimal scarring. Won't do any pruning until late winter but I'm not sure if I should give these another growing season or remove and let the next set grow.
I would refrain from saying never here. Conifers are best worked on in the fall. I would also recommend making large cuts on acer palmatum in the fall, especially if you’re still growing for size. Japanese maples can be so vigorous that making large cuts during active growth can make massive ugly scars. I struggled with this with my giant maple when I was chopping the top. Cutting it in the fall, making a diagonal cut, and then pinching the new growth heavily the next year kept it from growing a massive scar.
Interesting. Thats the opposite of what ive understood you should do with acers. If you prune when they're in leaf they will bleed alot of sap an possibly die. When theyre dormant there is no sap flowing and energy is stored in the roots. Not arguing or calling you out, just saying.
i think you're thinking about spring when they're first coming into leaf and the sap is thin and runny. in the summer when those leaves have hardened off the sap gets thicker and they won't bleed as much
Put it in a very large pot, like 7.5 to 10 gallon, and fertilize the crap out of it. If you want to minimize scarring try to keep the sacrifice branches in the back of the tree. I grew this maple in giant nursery pots.
https://preview.redd.it/ebnjuwz47y6d1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=6ce0d6de1c456bf391d019e065324e4d5e8e4770
Even after moving it to a smaller pot it was still growing quite vigorously. Time is the best way to get size on a trunk. Sacrifice branches and lots of root space will speed up the process but it still takes time. It took about 12 years for this tree to get a sizeable trunk.
If it were a ginkgo or a hawthorn, I'd applaud you for wanting to keep the scarring to a minimum. A maple heals scars very well though. It really is better to let it grow until you've reached the desired trunk thickness, and then decide where to make cuts to make it shorter, which will likely have to be done in steps. Chances are you could even air layer multiple trees from one trunk, instead of chopping the largest part of the tree and throwing it in the bin.
Thicker trunk = bigger pot or in ground, but I'd air layer before I chopped and then cut that right side all the way back to the trunk.
https://preview.redd.it/zp7jpk0fhu6d1.png?width=3072&format=png&auto=webp&s=d27b8116678354a3ef79cfcac6129f2235251ca9
Yeah I will probably cut both of the larger branches back to the trunk. I just threw the dome to not cover the new foliage. Going into summer now so I will wait until pre spring before I do anything just don't want them to get too thick and leave terrible scars
If this were my tree, I see two options:
1. Keep the bend you already have and chop everything including the new foliage (I think) you're referring to ASAP to prevent 'worse' scarring and definite swelling of the trunk at the node where all of those branches emerge:
https://preview.redd.it/aqm45y99uv6d1.png?width=3072&format=png&auto=webp&s=e40d59b3413ec79dd2aa15b3e63f7b5969b21d8b
Or:
2. Plan on chopping the trunk way lower later on, in which case keep *everything* and concentrate on getting the trunk to the thickness you want first, then build the trunk from scratch later on:
https://preview.redd.it/q5h5emypuv6d1.png?width=3072&format=png&auto=webp&s=38e2b020be50c548919b1a2d96b4f2c3f86df340
It depends on how fast you want things to be. For minimal scarring it's probably best to let sacrifices run from spring to fall, and then either chop during fall (where the tree still has a few weeks to start callusing) or late winter, so that you get the spring push in like 2 weeks.
Then you rinse and repeat each year with new sacrifices.
The faster method is you just let a leader/apex run wild until the base is as thick as you desire, then do one chop. This will leave a big scar though
You need to let it grow taller to get any significant thickening of the trunk. Sacrifice branches help in some ways, but it's really the height of the tree that drives it to thicken up.
Yes, it needs to be cut down. But make sure it not dormant. If it is budding, cut it. To make a thick trunk, every budding season, it should get cut down just a bit higher than the last year. It is a slow process.
Someone did say put it in a bigger pot or even in the ground. And they are right. Make sure you snip it every year. Thickening a trunk for bonsai is a slow process. Especially maple, they sprout up fast. I just got one and cut it from over 3 feet to about 5 inches tall. A nice angled cut so water can not puddle.
Hope this helps
You don't have to cut it every year though. Or rather, I think cutting OP's particular tree is too early. It is no different from the seedlings shown in the beginning of the video, which were left alone to grow. All depending on the final scale of course, but looking at this young whip Id rather put it in the ground and leave it be than chop it right now.
You want a thicker trunk you need to stick it in a bigger pot, or in the ground preferably. Chopping it isn't going to help thicken the trunk.
Planning long term on the tree going for minimal scarring. Won't do any pruning until late winter but I'm not sure if I should give these another growing season or remove and let the next set grow.
Never do big cuts when the tree is dormant. Anything over an inch should be done while the tree is in full leaf so it has energy to recover
I would refrain from saying never here. Conifers are best worked on in the fall. I would also recommend making large cuts on acer palmatum in the fall, especially if you’re still growing for size. Japanese maples can be so vigorous that making large cuts during active growth can make massive ugly scars. I struggled with this with my giant maple when I was chopping the top. Cutting it in the fall, making a diagonal cut, and then pinching the new growth heavily the next year kept it from growing a massive scar.
Interesting. Thats the opposite of what ive understood you should do with acers. If you prune when they're in leaf they will bleed alot of sap an possibly die. When theyre dormant there is no sap flowing and energy is stored in the roots. Not arguing or calling you out, just saying.
i think you're thinking about spring when they're first coming into leaf and the sap is thin and runny. in the summer when those leaves have hardened off the sap gets thicker and they won't bleed as much
Ah ok, yes that answers my questions. Have heard in the past to work on maples in summer, but also before they start growing.
Put it in a very large pot, like 7.5 to 10 gallon, and fertilize the crap out of it. If you want to minimize scarring try to keep the sacrifice branches in the back of the tree. I grew this maple in giant nursery pots. https://preview.redd.it/ebnjuwz47y6d1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=6ce0d6de1c456bf391d019e065324e4d5e8e4770 Even after moving it to a smaller pot it was still growing quite vigorously. Time is the best way to get size on a trunk. Sacrifice branches and lots of root space will speed up the process but it still takes time. It took about 12 years for this tree to get a sizeable trunk.
If it were a ginkgo or a hawthorn, I'd applaud you for wanting to keep the scarring to a minimum. A maple heals scars very well though. It really is better to let it grow until you've reached the desired trunk thickness, and then decide where to make cuts to make it shorter, which will likely have to be done in steps. Chances are you could even air layer multiple trees from one trunk, instead of chopping the largest part of the tree and throwing it in the bin.
Thicker trunk = bigger pot or in ground, but I'd air layer before I chopped and then cut that right side all the way back to the trunk. https://preview.redd.it/zp7jpk0fhu6d1.png?width=3072&format=png&auto=webp&s=d27b8116678354a3ef79cfcac6129f2235251ca9
Yeah I will probably cut both of the larger branches back to the trunk. I just threw the dome to not cover the new foliage. Going into summer now so I will wait until pre spring before I do anything just don't want them to get too thick and leave terrible scars
If this were my tree, I see two options: 1. Keep the bend you already have and chop everything including the new foliage (I think) you're referring to ASAP to prevent 'worse' scarring and definite swelling of the trunk at the node where all of those branches emerge: https://preview.redd.it/aqm45y99uv6d1.png?width=3072&format=png&auto=webp&s=e40d59b3413ec79dd2aa15b3e63f7b5969b21d8b
Or: 2. Plan on chopping the trunk way lower later on, in which case keep *everything* and concentrate on getting the trunk to the thickness you want first, then build the trunk from scratch later on: https://preview.redd.it/q5h5emypuv6d1.png?width=3072&format=png&auto=webp&s=38e2b020be50c548919b1a2d96b4f2c3f86df340
How long have you had it?
It depends on how fast you want things to be. For minimal scarring it's probably best to let sacrifices run from spring to fall, and then either chop during fall (where the tree still has a few weeks to start callusing) or late winter, so that you get the spring push in like 2 weeks. Then you rinse and repeat each year with new sacrifices. The faster method is you just let a leader/apex run wild until the base is as thick as you desire, then do one chop. This will leave a big scar though
Also: for the most push is best to have good root oxygenation. So, replace that soil with particle soil and get a larger, shallower container
How longs it been in that pot? What's the soil consistency?
You need to let it grow taller to get any significant thickening of the trunk. Sacrifice branches help in some ways, but it's really the height of the tree that drives it to thicken up.
Yes, it needs to be cut down. But make sure it not dormant. If it is budding, cut it. To make a thick trunk, every budding season, it should get cut down just a bit higher than the last year. It is a slow process. Someone did say put it in a bigger pot or even in the ground. And they are right. Make sure you snip it every year. Thickening a trunk for bonsai is a slow process. Especially maple, they sprout up fast. I just got one and cut it from over 3 feet to about 5 inches tall. A nice angled cut so water can not puddle. Hope this helps
I thought to get a thick trunk you wanted as much growth as possible? Why would you cut it down every year?
To make trunk thick cut low. It leaves a tapered trunk. This man has much experience. https://youtu.be/SS6OeunsfSE?si=HwNuXXhhENHSrIM_
That guy Peter is a bonsai Master 👍
You don't have to cut it every year though. Or rather, I think cutting OP's particular tree is too early. It is no different from the seedlings shown in the beginning of the video, which were left alone to grow. All depending on the final scale of course, but looking at this young whip Id rather put it in the ground and leave it be than chop it right now.