Acer Japonicum ‘Taki no gawa’

[alivation]

I’m still deciding on a front for this beautiful thing, but I enjoy full moon maples the most, and it’s going to end up being a larger sided bonsai, so I’m loving it’s big full leaves and felt like sharing as it progresses. This is my second ever tree. The first picture is me deciding that having that branch pulled down a bit was a better option that having it full up and flush with everything else, as I’m going to eventually try for informal upright, and now with spring in full swing it’s easier to bend branches.

 

[Daniel son STL]

Any front will work for now. Grow the tree a few feet tall to develop a thick trunk with character. Then chop and regrow. Then you will need to start keeping your eyes peeled for a front imo

 

[alivation]

Any front will work for now. Grow the tree a few feet tall to develop a thick trunk with character. Then chop and regrow. Then you will need to start keeping your eyes peeled for a front imo

You might be right! It’s so young that I’m just having fun at this point watching it grow. I doubted myself recently because someone on a Facebook group reemed me for not wanting to start immediately training it super hard right now and just wanting to let it grow minus like branches that would cause knots and stuff. I had a small panic attack and everything I’m not gonna lie bc trunk bending isn’t really a thing I want to do for this one.

 

[ctravisc]

There will always be plenty of people with very strong opinions and the need to project those opinions upon you and your trees. Best advice, stick around this forum, do lots of reading, and you’ll start to see some names of people that always seem to give sound advice, and have opinions worth trusting.

i’ve been lurking here for a long time, and have learned more than I could ever have imagined.

 

[Daniel son STL]

You might be right! It’s so young that I’m just having fun at this point watching it grow. I doubted myself recently because someone on a Facebook group reemed me for not wanting to start immediately training it super hard right now and just wanting to let it grow minus like branches that would cause knots and stuff. I had a small panic attack and everything I’m not gonna lie bc trunk bending isn’t really a thing I want to do for this one.

Having fun is the main goal. I’ve been in the same situation, just having fun throwing young saplings into small finished bonsai pots. Eventually ended up getting more and more material to work with which helped to balance things

 

[alivation]

Latest update. This spring/summer is being kind to this tree in the greenhouse it’s growing beautifully in regards to new branches and big beautiful leaves I can’t wait to see what autumn will have to offer.

I’m about to take the wire off on the lower branch since they’ve been on for about two months now and I’ll probably replace it with a guy wire.

 

[Srt8madness]

You might be right! It’s so young that I’m just having fun at this point watching it grow. I doubted myself recently because someone on a Facebook group reemed me for not wanting to start immediately training it super hard right now and just wanting to let it grow minus like branches that would cause knots and stuff. I had a small panic attack and everything I’m not gonna lie bc trunk bending isn’t really a thing I want to do for this one.

BNut > Facebook every stinking day of the week. Not perfect here, but the proven skill is light-years ahead, and you have access to some top class bonsai artists who are more than willing to share info and answer questions. Even dumb ones.

Having an idea of what you're going for, then asking "how can I accomplish this" would be a good start, as then you can find out if the trunk can be left alone, clip and grow, chop, whatever technique is required.

 

[Srt8madness]

Latest update. This spring/summer is being kind to this tree in the greenhouse it’s growing beautifully in regards to new branches and big beautiful leaves I can’t wait to see what autumn will have to offer.

I’m about to take the wire off on the lower branch since they’ve been on for about two months now and I’ll probably replace it with a guy wire.

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Probably not a bad idea to remove the wire during the growing season, it'll bite in quickly as the trunk and branches swell.

 

[alivation]

Probably not a bad idea to remove the wire during the growing season, it'll bite in quickly as the trunk and branches swell.

Oh for sure! With how fast it’s growing I don’t want it to scar. I had that happen with my wisteria but the wisteria grows so fast that it’s just gonna happen every few weeks. So I’ve learned to wire, leave it on for a month or so then take it off when the shape is set and let it grow out. Wisterias are surprisingly forgiving and also almost punishing you can’t kill them but you can snap them easy when they’re brittle and can kill a branch easy.

this maple has a wicked graft on it so it’ll never be show quality, it’s more my learning tree, but I do wanna avoid things where I can. I deeply appreciate you’re advice!

 

[alivation]

BNut > Facebook every stinking day of the week. Not perfect here, but the proven skill is light-years ahead, and you have access to some top class bonsai artists who are more than willing to share info and answer questions. Even dumb ones.

Having an idea of what you're going for, then asking "how can I accomplish this" would be a good start, as then you can find out if the trunk can be left alone, clip and grow, chop, whatever technique is required.

Oh for sure! I actually have a rough idea! I just am kind of going “well you’re small and I need you to grow your trunk taller so I can start actually shaping you by cutting you back” and until then I’m enjoying its show I guess. I’d love to try to do a shape similar to Bill Valavanis’ Autumn Moon. It’s actually what made me fall in love with full moon Japanese maples. Obviously I’m going to go with the shape my tree will actually give me and kind of go with it’s potential? But It’s exciting.