Silver maple tanuki

[King Yodeler]

I started this tanuki silver Maple project. It's as tall as I want it but I'd like to thicken up the branches. Would you all recommend let a sacrifice branch go on each pad grow for a couple seasons or just start ramifications next year? Thoughts?

 

[ponderingsage]

To get it to appear to be fused, l would let it run for a few years personally.
I put a juniper tanuki l am growing in the ground this spring to grow out to make it more convincing.

 

[Dabbler]

Maples are normally used for this, as dead wood for them tends to be a hollow or the like rather then exposed deadwood like a high mountain juniper or pine. Saying that I do like it and to get it to fuse to need to just let it grow