I have been working on my red maple bonsai. First, a few observations.
I collected it in 1991. Up until this year it spent most of the time in the
ground, not looking very promising. I pruned it occasionally. This year I
suddenly discovered that i has an interesting trunk, crooked and tapering, so I
potted it up. Although one of the articles I read, I think by Jim Lewis,
recommends against cutting off branches, I cut off all the branches because
they were too thick. The tree did oblige me by growing a new set.
I notice that if you make a major pruning cut on this species, you need to
gouge it out as deep as possible with your knob cutter. A flat cut will produce
a big ugly bump.
Some of the articles recommend against wiring. Jim Lewis says that the species
in Florida has upright branches. However, in Central New York, red maples tend
to grow in a more classic style, with the lower branches horizontal & the upper
ones more upward. The lower branches have a sort of S curve. This may be due to
snow or other climatic effects. I decided to wire it this way. I wired the
branches green, because once they lignify they are as rigid as steel. So far it
has very few branches. It doesn't sprout exploding shoots like a Japanese
maple.
My biggest question right now is where can I find pictures of good red maple
bonsai. Do any exist? I would also like to know how successful people have been
in reducing the leaf size.
Iris,
Central NY, Zone 5a, Sunset Zone 40
"If we see light at the end of the tunnel, It's the light of the oncoming
train."
Robert Lowell (1917-1977)