Acer Palmatum 'Shindeshojo' Advice Wanted

Bonsai Noob

Hello all

I have just be given a 1 year old graft of Acer Palmatum 'Shindishojo'. The root stock is about the diameter of a pencil but the rest of the tree seems to have grown very very thin. It is about 20/25 inches tall and the gaps between the leaves range between 3 and 4 inches There a couple of side branches that are no thicker than the trunk (about 1/8" if that) and growing straight up along side the main trunk. Its that frail that it wont support its own weight (I have it staked ATM) It is only in a small 3 inche square pot ATM and come spring I was going to put it into a much bigger pot (8/10 inche?) From what I have read on this forum that should help increase its trunk but I get the feeling that this little grafting is going to require more than that! Any advice or recomendations would be most appreciated. Please bear in mind I am a Bonsai Noob and by the way I cant plant it in the ground either.

Cheers

Adrian

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I think a patio container would be good if you have room for one. It could be ceramic, wood or plastic, but I think with a tree this small I wouldn't use wood because there may be some tannins that leach out of the wood.

You want to overpot it, but it shouldn't be swimming too much. Maybe a 12-15" pot that is deep enough to buffer the heat from the deck or patio. Keep it in partial sun. It can take full sun through probably 2 o'clock, but that depends to a large degree on where you live and how hot it gets. Don't expose too much of the surface rootage. You can leave that for later.

It's shindeshojo by the way (New Deshojo). Mailman has a nice one here.

http://forum.bonsaitalk.com/showthr...29341#post29341

By the way, has anyone noticed bonsaiTALK posts coming up a lin Google results on specific bonsai questions? I was surprised the first time it happened. Sometimes, it's helpful, but it's really funny when the post you are trying to respond to comes up in the search results!

Regards,

Matt

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