Next steps for maple bonsai

[dinchigren]

Hello,

I have collected this maple in Maine wilderness last October. I believe it is red maple but I am not sure. It has survived the winter well and several days ago I repotted it into bonsai pot with good bonsai soil. I watered it little bit and left it in part sun location. It is doing well it seems. I need to cut trunk back and that is something I do not have much experience with. I am thinking of choping it to blue arrow, with hope that it will star leafing and brunching from there. Does that make sense? Once chopped trunk will have no leaves left.
Should I do it right away or should I wait several weeks until tree comes out of repotting shock? Thank you.

 

[coltranem]

It could be a red or sugar maple. Hard to say without seeing the leaves.

The trunk has nice movement at the very base but they gets straight before you want to chop it. If you just collected it I'd let it grow this year to build up strength. That will make it more likely to produce lots of buds when chopped. It might even make so without a chop.

Brent Watson has some articles on his website Evergreen Gardenworks on when to chop and talks about pros and cons of before an after the buds push. Check it out

Growing Large Trunks for Bonsai

 

[dinchigren]

It could be a red or sugar maple. Hard to say without seeing the leaves.

The trunk has nice movement at the very base but they gets straight before you want to chop it. If you just collected it I'd let it grow this year to build up strength. That will make it more likely to produce lots of buds when chopped. It might even make so without a chop.

Brent Watson has some articles on his website Evergreen Gardenworks on when to chop and talks about pros and cons of before an after the buds push. Check it out

Growing Large Trunks for Bonsai

Thanks so much, that article is really helpful. I actually put it in the ground and will let it grow until next Spring at least. Best, Edin