lehket

Being new to this forum and still in the novice stage where bonsai is concerned, I need an excuse to post something, so here it is.

I seem to have Japanese maples popping up all over my yard of late. I already have two that I've transplanted to a pre-bonsai bed along with a few other volunteer trees I've selected. One is about three years old, the other only one year old. Since then, I've discovered one more that I will transplant in the Spring.

I did some pruning of the older one earlier this year, but I feel it needs more by now. Two questions arise:

1. How much does one usually work on healthy young trees in the ground, as opposed to just letting them grow? (Feel free to answer either generically or with reference to Japanese maples. I have a few other species in the ground as well.) In terms of styling, do you treat them more or less like you would a tree in the pot?

2. Given that it somewhat depends on one's plans for a tree, what is the minimum thickness you'd want it to attain before potting it?

Thanks!

__________________
--Dale
----------
Co-author of Spiritual Telemetry,
Host of Planet Baha'i and the Planet Baha'i Forum

Advertisement