Need some pointers.

[Finnbaks7]

Didn't get much help on my beech trees so I'm going to just run with it with them. But I do have a jap maple that I dug up off the side of the road 2 or 3 year ago. I put it in the pot in the pics I will post and it has been there ever since. So my questions are...
1. What time of year do I need to do repotting, styling, pruning, and matainence?
2. How should I go about styling it? I'm new to this and am real interested in the art of bonsai. Any ideas on styling would be perfect. I need the help.
3. When to wire?
I love deciduous trees. Always have. But I need help on getting started. Thought of one more question: would it help to plant it back in the ground to help strengthen it up?
Thanks for reading and the input. I live in upstate South Carolina FYI. Here are pics....

 

[nathanbs]

No offense but does anyone read anymore? When I got into bonsai I read literally a 6' wide book case worth of material and i'm still going. Half if not 2/3 of the questions here would be answered in just about every bonsai book on the shelf. If I have time i'll try to come back and help you out. But in the meantime do some reading online or the old fashioned way.

 

[Vance Wood]

No offense but does anyone read anymore? When I got into bonsai I read literally a 6' wide book case worth of material and i'm still going. Half if not 2/3 of the questions here would be answered in just about every bonsai book on the shelf. If I have time i'll try to come back and help you out. But in the meantime do some reading online or the old fashioned way.

It seems that people have programed themselves to depend on the INTERNET for their library needs forgetting that the stuff you get on the INTERNET is not alway reliable.

 

[jk_lewis]

Look for "Bonsai with Japanese Maples" by the late Peter Adams.

 

[Finnbaks7]

Well if y'all have some free books send them my way. Everything I have read always has to sides. So I was asking y'all what works for you. Like maybe someone has a jap maple they are working on right now and would have some pointers for my area. Like I said I'm new to this. Just trying to get all the info I can. Maybe I'll get an actual book for Christmas. By the way I only read books off line. Thanks...

 

[Smoke]

It seems that people have programed themselves to depend on the INTERNET for their library needs forgetting that the stuff you get on the INTERNET is not alway reliable.

Dependence is the word of the day, and the future of our nation.

 

[Nybonsai12]

I'll try and give some advice but please note I am no expert, the masterpiece you see under my username is a reflection of post count and nothing more. As the others have said, a book or two will go a long way.

This tree is thin and has no taper. The best thing to do in my opinion would be to put it back in the ground and let it run wild for a while to bulk up. It's too young for styling or wiring so that shouldn't even be thought. It's hard to know what variety it is since you picked it off the side of the road but certain varieties make better candidates for bonsai.

With that said and if you are serious about learning bonsai the best thing you could do is get some books and join a club. A club will give you people in your area that have experience with what works and likely even give you access to good tree material.

And welcome to bnut.

 

[Finnbaks7]

Think you nybonsai12. That's what I was leaning towards. I have five or six trees I have replanted. Thanks again.

 

[M. Frary]

Japanese Maples grow along the side of the road. Wild?

 

[edprocoat]

Japanese Maples grow along the side of the road. Wild?

Sometimes, behind fences in those well manicured lawns ...

ed

 

[Finnbaks7]

This one is a green Japanese maple. I stumbled on a little grove of them. Yea, right on the side of the road not really around a yard at all.

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

Some reading while the trunk fattens up:
http://nebaribonsai.com/Nebari_Bonsai/Projects_files/Evolution of Jap Maple.pdf

 

[brewmeister83]

This one is a green Japanese maple. I stumbled on a little grove of them. Yea, right on the side of the road not really around a yard at all.

No surprise actually. Many Asian plants love growing in the US so much that they have become invasive (think bittersweet, barberry, honeysuckle, etc...) Friends of mine have a massive red Japanese maple in their back yard, and it throws off dozens of viable seeds every year. They sprout then eventually get mown over, but if the wind blew just right I can imagine a few seeds blowing out of the yard and sprouting by the side of the road...

 

[nathanbs]

No surprise actually. Many Asian plants love growing in the US so much that they have become invasive (think bittersweet, barberry, honeysuckle, etc...) Friends of mine have a massive red Japanese maple in their back yard, and it throws off dozens of viable seeds every year. They sprout then eventually get mown over, but if the wind blew just right I can imagine a few seeds blowing out of the yard and sprouting by the side of the road...

I forget what state it is here in the South but there is an area where there are lots and lots of Jap. Green maples to be dug. Ill ask my buddy from Louisiana as he knows the guys personally that go and dig them up

 

[drew33998]

Didn't get much help on my beech trees so I'm going to just run with it with them. But I do have a jap maple that I dug up off the side of the road 2 or 3 year ago. I put it in the pot in the pics I will post and it has been there ever since. So my questions are...
1. What time of year do I need to do repotting, styling, pruning, and matainence?
2. How should I go about styling it? I'm new to this and am real interested in the art of bonsai. Any ideas on styling would be perfect. I need the help.
3. When to wire?
I love deciduous trees. Always have. But I need help on getting started. Thought of one more question: would it help to plant it back in the ground to help strengthen it up?
Thanks for reading and the input. I live in upstate South Carolina FYI. Here are pics....View attachment 45226View attachment 45225View attachment 45224View attachment 45223View attachment 45222View attachment 45226View attachment 45225View attachment 45224View attachment 45223View attachment 45222

Try looking on youtube for videos. Also google a man named walter pall. He has a great website. He also has videos on youtube. However some here will not agree with his methods. Watch The Bonsai art of Japan videos on youtube. Very good stuff. Graham Potter also has some nice videos. Also there is a gentleman on this site that has some good youtube videos named John Geanangel.

 

[drew33998]

Some reading while the trunk fattens up:
http://nebaribonsai.com/Nebari_Bonsai/Projects_files/Evolution of Jap Maple.pdf

Love that maple Brian. To think I have 8 years at the least with some of my material... Well it should be a fun 8 years

 

[youngsai]

Dependence is the word of the day, and the future of our nation.

I'm going to respectfully disagree with you smoke, the future of our nation has and always will belong to those with eagles vision. The internet is both a crutch and a sword, and in the hands of a wizened master, it is both

Finnbaks don't worry about the flack, just listen to what counts and dismiss the rest. Ebay sells books for dirt cheap, and a subscription to a good magazine like bonsai focus will teach you lots. Also, use your search button, swing it like a mighty broad sword and vanquish the darkness!

Grow the maple in the ground and start looking around everywhere you go for potential specimens, start recognizing species.

 

[Eric Group]

Didn't get much help on my beech trees so I'm going to just run with it with them. But I do have a jap maple that I dug up off the side of the road 2 or 3 year ago. I put it in the pot in the pics I will post and it has been there ever since. So my questions are...
1. What time of year do I need to do repotting, styling, pruning, and matainence?
2. How should I go about styling it? I'm new to this and am real interested in the art of bonsai. Any ideas on styling would be perfect. I need the help.
3. When to wire?
I love deciduous trees. Always have. But I need help on getting started. Thought of one more question: would it help to plant it back in the ground to help strengthen it up?
Thanks for reading and the input. I live in upstate South Carolina FYI. Here are pics....View attachment 45226View attachment 45225View attachment 45224View attachment 45223View attachment 45222View attachment 45226View attachment 45225View attachment 45224View attachment 45223View attachment 45222

1. Spring. You CAN repot in very late summer/ early winter depending on your zone... Edit- I see you are from SC...

2. You probably need to do a whole bunch of reading to answer such a general question- that can mean a whole lot of things to a whole lot of people. If I had your tree, I would probably stick it in the ground for a couple years and try to grow it out some before trying to turn it into a bonsai.

3. You can probably wire it right now. Most times of year are fine except soon after repotting or if the tree is stressed. If you are wiring during the growing season, you won't need to leave it on as long for the branch to set and you have to watch it to make sure the wire doesn't bite into the bark.

I think I already answered your last question...
From the upstate ehh? As in Clem's son territory? How'd you like that game this weekend? LOL. Go Cocks!

 

[Finnbaks7]

Thanks everyone love all the new info. I curious about having a tree who's trunk is thick enough and let's say it's very tall with the apical growth and no limbs at the bottom? Do you just chop it and let it sprout back out? And I've spotted a pine on the side of rd on my neighbors property. Their son has been driving over it with his utv side by side. The pine is about 4 ft and very nice. It has a little scarring from his machine but I might ask if I can get it. And Eric group thanks. I am about 5 mile from clemson. All my friends are clemson fans. But I'm the odd ball and love the gamecocks. Awesome game. Go cocks...

 

[Finnbaks7]

By the way not talking about chopping the pine.