I am new to bonsai and recently received some Japanese red maples. They are
about 18" high and have not began to branch and the trunks are about 1/4"
thick. I would like to know the best way to reduce the height, I know I have
to cut but what else.

On Jul 3, 2005, at 4:38 PM, Kim Klopping wrote:

I am new to bonsai and recently received some Japanese red maples.
They are
about 18" high and have not began to branch and the trunks are about
1/4"
thick. I would like to know the best way to reduce the height, I know
I have
to cut but what else.



If it were me I'd put them in the ground for a few years to let them
thicken. Don't cut them back at all. You're not going to be able to do
much with them now. Japanese maples grow quickly and you should have
some good material in a few years.

Craig Cowing
NY
Zone 5b/6a Sunset 37

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On the other hand, growing them in a pot from day one allows you get a
really great root spread and build a nice graceful bonsai without the heavy
trunk chops necessary when you grow them in the ground. I suggest a mix -
some in the ground (or large boxes if you don't have ground) and others in
shallow pots with root arrangement (in the spring) and wiring to develop
some nice graceful curves in the trunk. An 18" tall seedling will reduce to
about 12" with some curves - keep the top pinched back after the first year
and allow the lower branches to thicken a little (they can be cut off and
replaced with the new sprouts after a couple of years) and in few years you
will have a nice small to medium bonsai that you have watched develop and
enjoyed. In the same time the ones in the ground will be well over an inch
in diameter and may have been cut back once to develop some taper - then you
put in a pot and start to develop a bonsai from the stock. Both routes work
and result in different types of trees.

Marty

On Jul 3, 2005, at 4:38 PM, Kim Klopping wrote:

I am new to bonsai and recently received some Japanese red maples.
They are
about 18" high and have not began to branch and the trunks are about
1/4"
thick. I would like to know the best way to reduce the height, I know
I have
to cut but what else.


If it were me I'd put them in the ground for a few years to let them
thicken. Don't cut them back at all. You're not going to be able to do
much with them now. Japanese maples grow quickly and you should have
some good material in a few years.

Craig Cowing

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

Marty

After a long time, I found your opinion similar to that of mine.

Regards

Anil Kaushik
Bonsai Club (India)
Chandigarh "The City Beautiful"


-----Original Message-----
From: Internet Bonsai Club ] On Behalf Of
MartyWeiser

On the other hand, growing them in a pot from day one allows you get a
really great root spread and build a nice graceful bonsai without the heavy
trunk chops necessary when you grow them in the ground. I suggest a mix -
some in the ground (or large boxes if you don't have ground) and others in
shallow pots with root arrangement (in the spring) and wiring to develop
some nice graceful curves in the trunk. An 18" tall seedling will reduce to
about 12" with some curves - keep the top pinched back after the first year
and allow the lower branches to thicken a little (they can be cut off and
replaced with the new sprouts after a couple of years) and in few years you
will have a nice small to medium bonsai that you have watched develop and
enjoyed. In the same time the ones in the ground will be well over an inch
in diameter and may have been cut back once to develop some taper - then you
put in a pot and start to develop a bonsai from the stock. Both routes work
and result in different types of trees.

Marty

On Jul 3, 2005, at 4:38 PM, Kim Klopping wrote:

I am new to bonsai and recently received some Japanese red maples.
They are
about 18" high and have not began to branch and the trunks are about
1/4"
thick. I would like to know the best way to reduce the height, I know
I have
to cut but what else.


If it were me I'd put them in the ground for a few years to let them
thicken. Don't cut them back at all. You're not going to be able to do
much with them now. Japanese maples grow quickly and you should have
some good material in a few years.

Craig Cowing

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