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Japanese Maple 3 years 1 month ago #65811

  • Nick Meusel
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I would like to receive your comments, criticisms or suggestions on how I can improve this maple.
Looking forward to hearing from the main guys, Clicio, Leatherback, Trop Frog and Ivan Mann!

Thank you very much

Nick

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Japanese Maple 3 years 1 month ago #65817

  • Tropfrog
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Since you mention my name:

That is a beautiful tree and more developed than any maple in my collection. So bear that in mind when reading my thoughts.

That massive bend dont speak to me. I assume that on picture 1 that bend is pointing forward? In that case it would be my prefered front.

I am not found of that pot, think it would do better in a shallower glaced oval pot.

Other than that it is just a matter of working on ramification and separate layers.

And as allways.....but it is your tree and the most important thing is that you develop it according to your own which.

I am sure leatherback have better input on this tree.
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Japanese Maple 3 years 1 month ago #65825

  • Nick Meusel
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Thank you Tropfrog, yeah I'll put it in a shallower blue oval pot.

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Japanese Maple 3 years 1 month ago #65850

  • leatherback
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This is a nice maple. Clearly someone with a set of skills has grown this. Your work? Or did you buy this from someone?

If the latter, I would recommend finding someone close by to work with you in developing this tree further.

The first question in my mind is.. What do you like about this tree. If you recently got it, why did you buy it. I could make recommendations on how to further develop it, but it is your tree and you will need to look at it!

Overall image is pleasing. A nice set of branches none of them overly heavy no clear straight sections and a good nebari and firm trunk. Great!

I notice one thing which I am not a fan off, which is the very long topsection of the trunk. You have gently moving trunk, and just below the halfwaypoint the trunk bends to the right and stays straight. In leaf, you see this section also creating a crown outside the overall tree-profile. I might want to fix that BUT this will create a big cut which may take a long time to close. On pictures some of these things look worse than in person: Someone needs to see this tree in 3D to really get a feel for it.

Considering the trunk is slender, having shorter elegant branches as you have now fit well. You might have to sort through them. I think I see many branches coming off the trunk in the same place. This causes the knuckles you have on the trunk, local swellings.

If you decide to keep the tree in its overall shape as it is now, focus on branch lines. Branches have taper and slit up in smaller branches going away from the trunk. In the best bonsai you see that all the branches take up their own place in the canopy, and grow in a similar angle from the main trunk until you reach the apex. That creates a calm image. When trimming, always look for the lightest branches with short internodes. Remove coarse growth with few nodes on them. Make sure you have concave cuts, and take a sharp knife to make the edges of the cuts smooth and cover with cut-paste.

I might take a few smaller branches out but find it tricky to advice, as you would need to see the tree in 3D to really judge what is going on.

Nice tree.
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Japanese Maple 3 years 1 month ago #65856

  • Nick Meusel
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I appreciate the in-depth feedback that you have given Leatherback, thank you.
So I received this tree from a friend a while ago and have just been maintaining it, the bulk of the styling and design is his work. Nonetheless its my task to decide the future direction of the tree.
My favourite thing about the tree is the thick trunk and the nebari.

May I send you a video of the tree so you get a 3D understanding of the ramification? Perhaps you may have more to say, which branch to remove, which direction to wire etc..

I was also thinking about cutting the top 1/3rd of the straight part to keep the tree profile, because indeed it is sticking out and takes away from the overall beauty of the tree.

Thank you very much for your time

Nick.

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Japanese Maple 3 years 1 month ago #65889

  • FrankC
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Like LB already mentioned, the ratio between lenght and hight doesn't seem right.
I would remove the top part and keep that as a small separate bonsai

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Japanese Maple 3 years 1 month ago #65894

  • lucR
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Airlayer on a part of the tree where there is swelling from branches at the same hight. That creates a nice visual starting point for the nebari
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Japanese Maple 3 years 1 month ago #65927

  • Nick Meusel
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Thank you for showing me precisely where you would airlayer it,
perhaps i'll do it 4 or 5 cm above the point you marked.
cheers

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Japanese Maple 3 years 1 month ago #65941

  • Clicio
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Sorry to get late for the party!
Beautiful Maple indeed.
My two cents:
1-) Make it shorter.
2-) Change the pot. A yellowish/creamy oval, shallow, would be perfect.
3-) Give it to me as a present.

:-)
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