Greeting's David - Thank you so much for the video, nice to find a video about actually training your young tree's, seems no one likes to share their info. Thank you for teaching us and sharing your knowledge. Subscribed and thumbs up, thank you
I have been learning to Bonsai over the past 2 years and I think the Japanese Maples are of the most beautiful, for their leaf shape, limb and branch structure, trunk distinction, and of course the large variety of color and changes throughout the growing season. It is sad to realize such a deep appreciation for maples and bonsai into the later years; however, the joy of the journey is of the richest gift. Thank you for show and tell and for sharing and guiding on this engaging bond with such natural beauty.
Thank you. I enjoyed your tutorial .I am a beginner to this ancient, fascinating art. It really helps me to see and hear the decision making process in when and where to prune young, future bonsai. It's hard for us beginners to make the necessary cuts. Your guidance is appreciated.
well explained video, thank you very much for sharing this with all of us. I am a beginner and i am very afraid of trimming or cutting any part of my young maples. When is it best to prun or cut back a tree and how short can i cut it back? i would like to ask also about defolitation when its best to do it? thank you!
I’ve just put up a new video a couple days ago about Japanese maples cutting them in summer and not to be afraid. I don’t cut maples in late winter to early spring as the tree will bleed and lose sap which isn’t good for the trees health. If you have a bonsai club near you then I highly recommend you join and they will teach you hands on. Don’t worry about defoliation as I only defoliate trees when I am working on ramification of branches. If you are still growing trunk sizes then no need for defoliation.
You can easily make one out of any Japanese maple i have some growing indoors and outdoors well alot outdoors. For £3 then grow from cuttings or air layers once they mature giving you unlimited supply once you know the art of growing from cuttings or air laying.
I have thrre maples grown from seed...in ordinary pots with gravel and ericaceous compost....they are now four years old roughly 35cnm high...when should these be potted using bonsai soil mix in a bonsai pot?
When you are happy with the thickness of the trunks and have all the main branching ready then you can plant into a bonsai pot. Once it’s in a bonsai pot growth slows down.
This is so helpful! Thank you! I'm in Vic too ( hope you're staying sane with the lockdown!), and I have 3 one yr old maple seedlings, similar to yours. A couple of days ago, one of them just turned super droopy and withered even though the leaves are still green. it never went dormant over winter, it only recently dropped its red leaves and has grown a cpl of inches since. Would you have any idea why it's withered? I'm worried I'll lose the other ones too... thx!
@@JB.SnwMn1 the other 2 are going strong (by which I mean my bench looks like a jungle by the end of summer 😅). They've survived strange weather the last cpl of years too, and even survived a strange fungal infection that has forced me to throw away all of my trident maples since I couldn't get rid of it (😭😭😭 it was such a tragedy, such a waste and so sad..hoping to grow more in a cpl of years when I'm surish the infection is not hanging around anymore). Still don't know what happened to the one that died, maybe it was simply natural selection. It really is a good idea to grow more than what you need.
Hi Lito, for refined trees, I am constantly pruning during spring and early summer here in Melbourne. They slow down over the hot days in summer and then start a bit more growth in Autumn. I trim to maintain the shape of refined trees. You can also trim in the winter when you can see the branch structure better.
Katy B the 1 yr seedlings are too young to do this to. At least 3 yrs as I find the trees need to grow a reasonable trunk size first. I cut back to a small internode which could usually mean the first pair.
Thanks for the video! I’m new to bonsai and love these maples. I noticed you trimmed them down short, but I’ve also heard of leaving a sacrificial limb to go a bit higher to thicken the trunk. Is that accurate?
Hi, the sacrifice branch is only if you want to grow big fat trunks. Just need to be mindful that when you eventually cut the long fat branches off they will leave large wounds that will need time to heal. I wanted to keep these small and so didn’t need to grow long sacrifice branches. Hope that helps.
@@MatthewBrigham-1 Yes its quite an in depth process based on what you are trying to achieve. You can also grow in the ground for a number of years, use a tile underneath the base to grow wider base... so on and so on.
@@alexanderrobertson5013 Not really. Just when it really starts to get very leggy and overgrown. Sometimes in the internode between each bud/leaf starts to get really long then I also cut back as well.
Once they drop their leaves in autumn you can trim the branches. Then once the spring growth starts to come through you can pinch the tips of the foliage. Have a search on my channel on pinching maples and it’s shows you how to do it.
Greeting's David - Thank you so much for the video, nice to find a video about actually training your young tree's, seems no one likes to share their info. Thank you for teaching us and sharing your knowledge. Subscribed and thumbs up, thank you
I just reached a point in my life where I can take up the hobby again, will be subscribing.
Thank you. We all go through that I had mine about 15 years ago.
I have been learning to Bonsai over the past 2 years and I think the Japanese Maples are of the most beautiful, for their leaf shape, limb and branch structure, trunk distinction, and of course the large variety of color and changes throughout the growing season. It is sad to realize such a deep appreciation for maples and bonsai into the later years; however, the joy of the journey is of the richest gift. Thank you for show and tell and for sharing and guiding on this engaging bond with such natural beauty.
I've bought my first maple tree (roughly 10 years old) and your videos have been very informational. I'm also in Melbourne too!
Thanks. Great video!
David my favourite Bonsai trees (especially "Deshojo" in spring) they are so versatile and forgiving.
Thanks for this video, most helpful! I'm about to go trim my bonsai with more confidence!!
Thanks for the video mate. Learning all the time 👍
Just starting off myself. This gives me more confidence with my own maple, cheers!
I enjoyed a lot watching this video, all has nice potential...good job!
Thank you. I enjoyed your tutorial .I am a beginner to this ancient, fascinating art. It really helps me to see and hear the decision making process in when and where to prune young, future bonsai. It's hard for us beginners to make the necessary cuts. Your guidance is appreciated.
Glad it helps. I try and simplify bonsai as I found it helped me the most to understanding what to do.
Great, simple video
Really enjoyed the video!
Really very helpful
Great video!
Great video mate👌🏼
Why are you growing them in small pots? Growers usually say that a tree needs a large pot to thicken. Thanks for the great video!
I wanted to keep them small and delicate. I don’t want these to grow fat trunks or speed grow them into big trees.
well explained video, thank you very much for sharing this with all of us. I am a beginner and i am very afraid of trimming or cutting any part of my young maples. When is it best to prun or cut back a tree and how short can i cut it back? i would like to ask also about defolitation when its best to do it? thank you!
I’ve just put up a new video a couple days ago about Japanese maples cutting them in summer and not to be afraid. I don’t cut maples in late winter to early spring as the tree will bleed and lose sap which isn’t good for the trees health. If you have a bonsai club near you then I highly recommend you join and they will teach you hands on. Don’t worry about defoliation as I only defoliate trees when I am working on ramification of branches. If you are still growing trunk sizes then no need for defoliation.
I wish I had a friend who gave me a JM bonsai as a gift. 😁
You can easily make one out of any Japanese maple i have some growing indoors and outdoors well alot outdoors. For £3 then grow from cuttings or air layers once they mature giving you unlimited supply once you know the art of growing from cuttings or air laying.
I have thrre maples grown from seed...in ordinary pots with gravel and ericaceous compost....they are now four years old roughly 35cnm high...when should these be potted using bonsai soil mix in a bonsai pot?
When you are happy with the thickness of the trunks and have all the main branching ready then you can plant into a bonsai pot. Once it’s in a bonsai pot growth slows down.
always wanted to have this type of bonsai. but in the tropics growth is not optimal
This is so helpful! Thank you!
I'm in Vic too ( hope you're staying sane with the lockdown!), and I have 3 one yr old maple seedlings, similar to yours. A couple of days ago, one of them just turned super droopy and withered even though the leaves are still green. it never went dormant over winter, it only recently dropped its red leaves and has grown a cpl of inches since. Would you have any idea why it's withered? I'm worried I'll lose the other ones too... thx!
How did you go??
@@JB.SnwMn1 the other 2 are going strong (by which I mean my bench looks like a jungle by the end of summer 😅). They've survived strange weather the last cpl of years too, and even survived a strange fungal infection that has forced me to throw away all of my trident maples since I couldn't get rid of it (😭😭😭 it was such a tragedy, such a waste and so sad..hoping to grow more in a cpl of years when I'm surish the infection is not hanging around anymore).
Still don't know what happened to the one that died, maybe it was simply natural selection. It really is a good idea to grow more than what you need.
I enjoy your beginner bonsai videos. Thanks for the education. I like all the videos I watch of yours. I live in FL. Where are you?
Thanks for the comments. I’m in Melbourne Australia.
Just watched this again. I love these starter bonsai. Are you considering an update? (unless they are all sold !)
They have all been sold or given away. Very popular and I’ll try and make more later this year.
Hi David, thanks for your work! Just a question, to get the trunks to fuse quicker, should it be planted in a large pot or grow box?
Ground is best if you have the space. If not, grow box large pot work the same.
Quick question on all these cuttings, do you try to root them even in summer?
Late spring would be the latest however if I have to cut branches off in Summer I will give them a go as cuttings.
Hi David,
When is the right time to prune Japanese Maple tree......thanks Lito
Hi Lito, for refined trees, I am constantly pruning during spring and early summer here in Melbourne. They slow down over the hot days in summer and then start a bit more growth in Autumn. I trim to maintain the shape of refined trees. You can also trim in the winter when you can see the branch structure better.
great video. thanks for sharing. what time of the year are you doing the pruning? im in northern hemisphere so i know it will be a bit different
Around mid to late spring once all the new shoot have hardened off.
hey David, Great content. Not much like this on youtube. How often would you cut back maples during spring and summer ? thanks mate
Andrew T probably twice or even three times depending on how much they grow. I only cut back in spring though. Not much to do in summer.
@@Bonsaiworx would you do this on a 1 year old seedling too? and are you basically trimming back to the first leaf of the branch?
Katy B the 1 yr seedlings are too young to do this to. At least 3 yrs as I find the trees need to grow a reasonable trunk size first. I cut back to a small internode which could usually mean the first pair.
@@Bonsaiworx awesome, I've got 2 more years to keep learning before i need to know what I'm doing! thanks so much!
Hi , what's a approx age of all these maple.
Thanks for the video! I’m new to bonsai and love these maples. I noticed you trimmed them down short, but I’ve also heard of leaving a sacrificial limb to go a bit higher to thicken the trunk. Is that accurate?
Hi, the sacrifice branch is only if you want to grow big fat trunks. Just need to be mindful that when you eventually cut the long fat branches off they will leave large wounds that will need time to heal. I wanted to keep these small and so didn’t need to grow long sacrifice branches. Hope that helps.
@@Bonsaiworx yes, very helpful! That is a very good point about a big scar. So much strategy with these. Thank you.
@@MatthewBrigham-1 Yes its quite an in depth process based on what you are trying to achieve. You can also grow in the ground for a number of years, use a tile underneath the base to grow wider base... so on and so on.
Hi David, what are the negatives of trimming before the cuticle has formed and has hardened off on the new shoots?
I would only think it would impact root growth slightly. Otherwise I’ve had backbudding already happening on these trees.
@@Bonsaiworx great thanks, also do you wait for a certain amount of internodes to form before you decide to cut it?
@@alexanderrobertson5013 Not really. Just when it really starts to get very leggy and overgrown. Sometimes in the internode between each bud/leaf starts to get really long then I also cut back as well.
I'm curious about the lifted roots on some of the maples. Is there any way to get rid of them if you don't do a rock underneath?
Sometimes these can be corrected over time once the tree develops more roots lower down. You can then remove the ugly or unsightly ones.
@@Bonsaiworx Thanks for your reply. Do maples form the lifted roots because the pot is too small? What causes the roots to lift? Thanks.
Very difficult to know why. Could just be what’s under the soil pushing back against the roots.
Thank you for all of your responses.
Hi David,
How old are they from seeding please ?
huyrau aus I think these are between 4-6 years old.
I’m in the UK what time of the year can I do this trimming .
Mid to late spring.
Hi, when is the best month to trim the bonsai please?
It all depends on the species you have. Let me know what species you have and I can give you more information.
@@Bonsaiworx Hi, I havecthe red leaf acer 'palm' and the 'butterfly' acer. Many thanks 😊
Once they drop their leaves in autumn you can trim the branches. Then once the spring growth starts to come through you can pinch the tips of the foliage. Have a search on my channel on pinching maples and it’s shows you how to do it.