Hello everyone!

I've been doing a lot of reading, and am excited to get started! I have two baby Japanese Maples that I found near its momma. I'd like to dig these up and pot them and start growing as Bonsai. I've read a lot about timing, but I'm not sure when I should dig up and pot? I live on the east coast, in Annapolis, MD. Any suggestions?

Thanks,
Tim

Hi there, it would be best to dig up in spring when the buds begin to extend. But as they are smll seedlings you would have to plant them in the ground for like five years or more so buying a nursery plant would be a lot more fun for the time being. But go for it, in five or so years, you may have some awesome material.

Thanks Bob! It's actually a decent size right now. It may be a few years old already. I'll take a pictura and post to see what you all think.

Cool

If it is already a few years old i think you are still going to have to wait about three years but that saves you two i guess, pics would be brilliant.

Hmm...smaller than I remembered. Anyway, here are two different one. I'm thinking there is another around, but now I can't seem to spot it.

The attatchment looks like its a year old or so but the inserted image i do not think that is a japanese maple but still a nice plant. If it is that small then i advise to keep it in the ground for a few years but keep a good eye on it, i am sure you will keep two eyes on it. Maybe dig it up next year in early sring and take a fair fifty percent of soil from the roots an place better more free draining soil where it has been dug up. Maybe a close up of the first pic would be good but it may just be japanese maple as you say but i have a little hunch is all.

Okay, I'll try to get a better picture tomorrow, it's dark now. I am debating on buying a tree from a nursery nearby, but still not sure what to get. With the timing, could anything be potted right now?

pretty much everything is shutting down for winter. I would not repot trees anymore.

As for what to get.. get yourself a 1-4 gallon potted juniperus or something. Think this size to start with:

www.bonsaiempire.com/forum/general/7166-...a-to-be-bonsai#13276

(That tree cost me 20 euros in sale, so roughly 30 U$D. It is really about the minimum trunksize you should be looking at (The smaller, the more dificult to care for, and hardeer to get a realistic image). Do NOT get a cedrus (Which is in the thread I linked). They are VERY funicky, and not good beginners trees.

You could even get a chinese elm they are extremy resilient. Or if you a willing, maybe an azalea. Yesterday at homebase in the uk i saw azaleas for five pounds and they wee about shohin sive and had very good branches but only a few had decent trunk, but good starter trees anyway. What ever you get, good luck;)

bob wrote:

You could even get a chinese elm they are extremy resilient. Or if you a willing, maybe an azalea. Yesterday at homebase in the uk i saw azaleas for five pounds and they wee about shohin sive and had very good branches but only a few had decent trunk, but good starter trees anyway. What ever you get, good luck;)

I'm going to call you the 'topic bomber'