Jim,

Since you note that the trunk is developed, and the branches are rather
thin, I assume that you are now in the phase of developing final branches.
Hopefully the branches you want to use in the final design have some fairly
closely spaced nodes near the trunk. You should wire these branches to set
them in the desired direction now while they are small and flexible. You
should then go ahead and let them grow freely to thicken up the bases of the
branches (keeping an eye on the wire, of course).

Once the bases of the branches have thickened sufficiently you will want to
cut them back to the closely spaced nodes near the trunk. These nodes may
or may not have already sprouted tertiary branches, but you need to cut back
regardless. This will allow you to start developing some taper in the
branch. Once you have developed the base of the branches you will need to
pay more attention to trimming back during the year to develop ramification,
but a similar procedure can be followed with the tertiary branches, i.e. let
them grow freely to thicken the base appropriately, then cut back to within
a node or two of the primary branch. With this procedure you will develop
nicely ramified branches with excellent taper from the trunk out to the tip
of the branch.

Regards,
Roger Snipes Spokane, WA Zone 5, or maybe Zone 6.
Politics is the art of looking for trouble, finding it, misdiagnosing it,
and then misapplying the wrong remedies. Groucho Marx (1895-1977)

----- Original Message -----
From: "Jim Sc"


My maple has thick, a developed trunk, and all the branches this year are
new. So they are obviously rather thin. That is why I assumed I should
probably let them grow unchecked all year, to gain as much thickness as
possible this year. Against that factor would be going for shorter
internodal distance, which pruning would induce.

So since I probably need to gain some girth for the branches, I'm guessing
let them grow? Is that right, or do most do some pruning even in the
first year of branch develpment?

************************************************** ******************************
++++Sponsored, in part, by John Quinn++++
************************************************** ******************************
-- The IBC HOME PAGE & FAQ: http://www.internetbonsaiclub.org/ --
+++++ Questions? Help? e-mail +++++