Self grown Field Maple

[Paulpash]

Could you give more detail on what you mean by wedge? I have a hunch, but would rather hear from you.

Where roots needed to be separated from each other I've used all manner of things to act as wedges from small stones, cut down dowels to notched straws - anything that kept them in as radial a fashion as possible. Nowadays, I'd use a board & nails to do it similar to the ebihara technique as posted by @markyscott but this was before the advent of Internet bonsai forums - you just had to wing it.The root is moved into place and then a nail or screw is driven into the board to stop it springing back.

 

[Paulpash]

Growing tips:

My plan was to grow out really strong basal sacrifices - you can chop really low on the trunk and use the resulting shoots to put on a lot of trunk girth. I think this tree had 15ft sacrifices on it at least 3 times in it's development. It was then chopped & regrown in at the same time as I chopped the main trunk

 

[Paulpash]

Update on this tree it's changed a bit but still needs a lot more work.

 

[Drew]

What are these white ties on the branches for Paul?

 

[Paulpash]

What are these white ties on the branches for Paul?

They are reminder tags. The tagged branches will be used as internode soaks leaving finer growth behind that I can cut back to later. Taking off these during winter cut back would result in coarse growth on these finer branches. Leaving on many more branches & buds on field maples than is needed is important during development.

 

[BackyardBonsai]

I feel the top is getting too many twist and turn. The powerful trunk base but the top is a bit wimpy. Not sure if anyone else see that.

 

[Paulpash]

I feel the top is getting too many twist and turn. The powerful trunk base but the top is a bit wimpy. Not sure if anyone else see that.

The top will be reduced and some of the movement will be hidden when smaller branches pop in good places in the upper third and are trained forward. Thanks for the feedback.

 

[Viridian Bonsai]

Updates on this one? Thinking of starting a few of these! They are supposedly hardy in my zone 4 climate!

I’m sure this tree looks even better with 2 more years under its belt!

 

[Paulpash]

Took it back and compacted it. 2 new lower branches (one lowest left the other at the back).