maple – My-Bonsai-Passion

My second post today which is also another before and after. Just a small Maple that I have owned for almost thirty years. It was one of those wee saplings around a few centimetres in height and about as thick as a strand of spaghetti or two.

Repotted back in March, into this new to me oval Tony Remington pot, which I was fortunate enough to secure for myself at the 2013 Swindon Winter Image show. It is 32cm end to end and around 4cm deep.

The tree grew rather too well, and was difficult to keep up with. Anyway prior to a minor strip down.

Some of it I just pull away, the old leaves and other parts I work away with scissors until my fingers get too painful to use. Unfortunately due to the ridiculous amount of cold wind we had during March April and May, this one along with all my other Maples burnt badly. The only solution is grow some new ones, hence the shape is not yet how I would really like as I wanted to concentrate of removing virtually all the severely wind-burnt leaves.

Immediately after a couple of hours pruning.

Yes it would easily stand much more stripping down, I will see how new growth develops first.

Off on a skive when I was supposed to be helping; like I can help. A bonsai buddy turned up, must have smelt the tea and hot-cross buns.

Anyway, I stood and supervised (I am sadly disabled ) and one Maple was up before the kettle boiled.

I under-dug last year, and back filled with a very gritty/sandy soil. hence it flew out of the hole. It had grown to about one and a half metres in height in four years. It was a small insignificant tree so fancied fattening it up some. As I had little to loose I kept belting the trunk base each month, which seemed to work well as a super taper has been generated.

A quick prune, into an old basket that happened to be kicking around and voila. Once it has established as it will (says he with fingers crossed), I will remove the branches that have been left on and develop from scratch. My intention is to go small with this one and end up with a bonsai no taller that 30cm maximum.

As you can see I have left some random new growth on that will feed from what little roots I left on the tree. I removed everything at the bottom that had grown which was not much as I had planted the tree with an old Frisbee under it. This has the effect of creating lateral growth as opposed to downwards which is not desirable.

Again, if anyone has any questions please just email me. Again I must mention PLEASE use English language when emailing me.

Here I have secured the tree into a plastic basket. The twine is to keep it still (stops it running away) while the roots re-establish.

I have removed about 75% of the newly formed root system. This has been removed by going all the way back to the trunk. The main reason for taking so much away was … to get it to fit the basket!

My buddy went to get the hot X buns and tea while I slaved away. We decided two chairs on the patio would be good whilst having tea and buns. Missed a photo opportunity I did!

I always spray roots and cover when I leave the tree for ANY period of time. This one shows teh trunk spread quite nicely.

All secure and tucked up. Now off to the green house. Mine is actually green-framed.

Final shot is the tree as is. Once established I will leave for the rest of this year and then next year remove all the stubs and start from just a trunk. Clearly it looks rather unattractive right now but within five years it will be more that respectable.