Japanese Maple.. what to Air Layer/Remove

[Hermes33]

I got this Japanese Maple last year and didn’t see the interior until this winter. It needs a lot of work and I could use any suggestions regarding where to airlayer (left side large branch/trunk has 2 limbs with movement I’d like to keep) or what all needs to be done. Red is air layer (or chop if necessary) and purple what to keep. There is a lot on top too that I’ve barely looked at. Any help greatly appreciated as I’ve never removed such a large volume before and am still beginning. The major moves are what I need help with then I can start deciding how to proceed regarding refinement once I see what falls out. Nice hollow though!

 

[Hermes33]

 

[Shibui]

I'm not a fan of the S bend in any bonsai. Like it even less in Japanese maple but if you want to do so go right ahead. I would just get straight to the chop so the main tree can improve and move on.
I'd be happy to take off the side branch in one hit but would think twice about chopping the main trunk so short in one go. JM often have no problem but sometimes for no real reason a part will die off after a big chop.
Taking that main trunk down to just a stump will also mean quite a few years to grow a new leader to match the size of the stump so not a short term project.

Consider taking off only 1 of the main twin trunks for now and chopping the other a couple of nodes above the fork. That should still give some taper to the trunk. Maybe even enough to work with. Hard to be sure of size and direction from a 2D pic so I can't pick whether one will be better than the other. Left side has a very well placed terminal branch that could possibly be used as the main trunk?
If it still looks awkward after a season you could chop lower. With luck the initial chop will have stimulated some new shoots you may be able to chop back to.

 

[Contact]

That beautiful base of the trunk....great tree in the future

 

[Hermes33]

I'm not a fan of the S bend in any bonsai. Like it even less in Japanese maple but if you want to do so go right ahead. I would just get straight to the chop so the main tree can improve and move on.
I'd be happy to take off the side branch in one hit but would think twice about chopping the main trunk so short in one go. JM often have no problem but sometimes for no real reason a part will die off after a big chop.
Taking that main trunk down to just a stump will also mean quite a few years to grow a new leader to match the size of the stump so not a short term project.

Consider taking off only 1 of the main twin trunks for now and chopping the other a couple of nodes above the fork. That should still give some taper to the trunk. Maybe even enough to work with. Hard to be sure of size and direction from a 2D pic so I can't pick whether one will be better than the other. Left side has a very well placed terminal branch that could possibly be used as the main trunk?
If it still looks awkward after a season you could chop lower. With luck the initial chop will have stimulated some new shoots you may be able to chop back to.

Thank you for the input. As a reference, the base of the trunk is about 7-9 inches. It’s in a very large training pot about 18”x 11” maybe? I’ll check when back home from trip. Are you thinking this for the main trunk. Appreciate all your help. I’ve not had a maple like this I’ve had to develop and make dramatic changes to.

 

[AshleyMammal]

Nice trunk base! I would airlayer exactly where you have indicated too and make it a sumo - but bear in mind I’m very much still learning and @Shibui ‘s opinion is worth 3x mine!

 

[Shibui]

The yellow line is, indeed, the line I was looking at but make sure that line is good in reality. I know photos can distort what's actually there and basing decisions on just a single shot is not good practice. If the other large trunk is actually a better line then keep it as the main trunk.
The advantage of the yellow line is there's already a good leader so you'll be a couple of years ahead if that side is good and the height is still OK.

I would take the other large trunk off right at the fork. No point leaving a stub at this stage (red line). Chop close to the fork and hollow the wound a little if possible and it can start to heal right away. Chopping higher then cutting back at some stage in the future just puts healing off into the future.

 

[Bonsai Nut]

I'd be happy to take off the side branch in one hit but would think twice about chopping the main trunk so short in one go.

I agree. Though you may ultimately end up reducing the main trunk to where you marked, I would move cautiously. Start with removing that lower left side branch, while at the same time cleaning up the upper part of the tree as "future air-layers". Now is the time to clean up those ugly chops, reduce branches to two per juncture, reduce internodes, and generally clean up the tree while moving toward the future. There is a lot of material on the upper part of the tree that you would not want to keep if you are going to air-layer those two trunk sections.

 

[nuttiest]

I agree. Though you may ultimately end up reducing the main trunk to where you marked, I would move cautiously. Start with removing that lower left side branch, while at the same time cleaning up the upper part of the tree as "future air-layers". Now is the time to clean up those ugly chops, reduce branches to two per juncture, reduce internodes, and generally clean up the tree while moving toward the future. There is a lot of material on the upper part of the tree that you would not want to keep if you are going to air-layer those two trunk sections.

Since less foliage on top, or if there was a reason to work top first, could the top be layered now and the lower safely done also in the late summer on something like this?

 

[Hermes33]

I agree. Though you may ultimately end up reducing the main trunk to where you marked, I would move cautiously. Start with removing that lower left side branch, while at the same time cleaning up the upper part of the tree as "future air-layers". Now is the time to clean up those ugly chops, reduce branches to two per juncture, reduce internodes, and generally clean up the tree while moving toward the future. There is a lot of material on the upper part of the tree that you would not want to keep if you are going to air-layer those two trunk sections.

Thank you. Seems like a good plan. It was a beautiful tree (with leaves) and a steal at $250 despite the ugly chops. Moving slowly will also allow me to enjoy the foliage a bit longer. This one is long term obviously.

 

[Hermes33]

The yellow line is, indeed, the line I was looking at but make sure that line is good in reality. I know photos can distort what's actually there and basing decisions on just a single shot is not good practice. If the other large trunk is actually a better line then keep it as the main trunk.
The advantage of the yellow line is there's already a good leader so you'll be a couple of years ahead if that side is good and the height is still OK.

I would take the other large trunk off right at the fork. No point leaving a stub at this stage (red line). Chop close to the fork and hollow the wound a little if possible and it can start to heal right away. Chopping higher then cutting back at some stage in the future just puts healing off into the future.

The height may be a tad much with the yellow line but I’ll take it slow as suggested and see what evolves. Thank you for the advice! I’ll post updates over the years. My first major maple project.

I’m looking forward to eventually highlighting the beautiful hollow some day.

 

[Hermes33]

I agree. Though you may ultimately end up reducing the main trunk to where you marked, I would move cautiously. Start with removing that lower left side branch, while at the same time cleaning up the upper part of the tree as "future air-layers". Now is the time to clean up those ugly chops, reduce branches to two per juncture, reduce internodes, and generally clean up the tree while moving toward the future. There is a lot of material on the upper part of the tree that you would not want to keep if you are going to air-layer those two trunk sections.

My only concern is with how straight the left trunk is. Just thinking like an engineer, if I let some temporary branches grow long at the blue spots, could I induce some more desirable taper along that straight line? Granted that requires some budding there.

 

[Shibui]

In an ideal world I would also like to see a slightly shorter section with more taper there too. In the real world you don't currently have the option. There are ways to change the current situation but all long term. Depends whether you're willing to spend years to get a better bonsai or want the quicker but less ideal one.

JBP will only produce buds at nodes. There's always a node at a branch junction (that's obviously a spot where a bud grew into a branch)
Looks like there's a node close above the fork there so getting that middle left blue is possible but, without grafting I think it's almost impossible to get the upper or lower left blue line.
The right blue line is middle of the internode so also not likely to grow naturally.
The next node is a bit higher - around the top of the yellow line.

 

[Hermes33]

Well air layer 1 done… and after, it looks like I could possibly not have to do a complete eventual cut back.

 

[Shibui]

Good roots on the layer but you've created roots for a vertical trunk. Then the trunk splits into 2 with the main part almost parallel with the ground. Any ideas what this layered tree will eventually look like?

 

[Hermes33]

Initially I was going to air layer off another tree at some point but now I think I’m going to make a 3-4 tree semi-raft. (I don’t know if a raft has to go back into the ground or just be more lateral with upward extending trees) I’ve wanted to make a raft and haven’t seen any Japanese Maple rafts. It already has 3 potential starter trunks. It’s a fun long term project. Trying to get creative.

 

[Hermes33]