Japanese Maple Shaping Decisions Part 1

How do you decide on the shape of a Maple Bonsai? In this video I show you the process of deciding the shape of the tree. I use many examples as the more options I show you the more confident you will become when making that choice yourself.
Every tree has a different styling option. It is important to decide what works, whether a broom style tree or a twin trunk or any other shape and style Bonsai. Bear in mind that usually the base of the tree will determine to a large extent what the front of the Bonsai will be.
Top Tip: When you cut the trunk leave about an inch or so as a stub and don’t cut flush to the trunk as it will die back to the next point. Once cut you can use a wound sealant.
Don’t forget making bonsai takes patience.
website: www.herons.co.uk (please note we aren't able to send outside of the EU)

[@dragospalade9460]

"Life is about choices". Love how Peter occasionally talks about life while teaching about Bonsai.

[@ritchcarcass8624]

This is the way.

[@whitney3258]

I just love watching and learning. I'm new to bonsai and I feel like I learn something from every video. Thank you.

[@keithmartland6463]

Watching you work Peter is so relaxing

[@thekingchrissyg]

I can tell you really have a special relationship with your bonsai's - very cool to see, definitely see the passion.

[@0dyss3us51]

This is what real bonsai passion looks like! What a terrific nursery!!!

[@shantinu3059]

Thank you very much for all of your videos. I have been learning about Bonsai Maple trees and other trees from these videos. Thank you for sharing your knowledge and experience.

[@bonsaibob8253]

The learning never ends. Thank you Peter

[@noumine]

I love these hands-on illustrations on how to prune and analyze for future growths. Soo very helpful and informative. Thank you for these videos!

[@grobonsai]

Interesting insight into your method for growing maples for bonsai. Also very good point about allowing for die back and compartmentalisation of cut wounds.

[@crystalm4324]

Wow, I had no idea that some bonsai were made from tall trees! Just amazing! So eager to learn more!

[@theresazeller2799]

Ich bin so begeistert. Ein grosser Meister seines Faches Immer gut gelaunt und tiefenentspannt, passend zu dieser Arbeit🤗🤗 eine grosse Bereicherung auch für Anfänger. Vielen Dank🙏

[@joannevandyke5112]

Thank you for these great informative videos... looking forward to more!

[@yoyis95]

beautiful trees, to many choices, great job Peter

[@cjack3811]

Thank you so much for this video. You've just saved the little mapel I bought. As a complete novice I was going to start chopping branches and cutting roots to fit it into a bonsai pot. I've now put it into a bigger pot to let it get strong and hopefully a nice thick trunk. Looking forward to watching your other videos.

[@csp8003]

Thank you for sharing your knowledge. I love watching your videos! Aloha.

[@brentd2059]

I am new to bonsai and making them but so far your video's have helped me a lot and in time I hope to be a good scolpsher of bonsai trees thank you so much for taking time to make video's

[@trcmustang]

Always good information. Also good examples and explanations. Thank you.

[@YesItsTom2U]

Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge. You are a constant inspiration sir.

[@janadarnold2500]

I don’t know how anyone would choose a tree...so many wonderful ones. Enjoyed the video

[@khoichokdee5841]

"...but there are no hard and fast rules to doing it"... Thank you Peter. And may God continue to bless you and your family. And of course your awesome videos on bonsai and life.

[@danedwards3015]

Wonderful video, thank you for teaching us so much.

[@martinsdontjump]

Maple bonsai are also my favourite. Very interesting to see your method from taller trees ❤🇨🇦

[@maryshoemaker7593]

Yesss.. life is a choice.. ty for giving us another great choice Peter!!!

[@robinhoodwasasocialist.1401]

Excellent video, thanks for the upload. Japanese maples are my favorite

[@lullasierra1]

Very informative and well made video. I enjoy learning when the info given is so precise. Thank you

[@duyennguyen061209]

I enjoy watching your video. I’ve learn something new today. Thank you😊

[@Madlocust1985]

Channel was suggested to me, turned out to be perfect, now i have some idea what to do with my 3 feet tall but 32 year old maple tree, Thanks !

[@TheJennpenners]

A wealth of information. Thankyou for teaching.

[@kalayne6713]

Wish I had Peter's 'eye' for what the finished tree will look like and also another life so I could come back and work with him! Excellent presentation as usual.

[@emad19790]

It was very informative, Master. May you be healthy so that we can learn more from you. Thank you very much

[@reachandler3655]

I cannot thank you enough, I've been trying to find information on how to bonsai larger trees (I have a 7ft oak and 6ft acer), but not knowing where to start, and scared of killing them. You are a wonderful tutor, concise, understandable, informative, and enjoyable. Thankyou!

[@mamacat321]

Same! I came trying to find out how to train some a.j. coral bark we let grow from seedlings in our garden (from the full-grown mama) and I didn't know what to do to rein in but also kind of honor the crazy growth patterns they'd gotten themselves into. Thank you!

[@deploribusunum3894]

I always enjoy your videos. Very helpful.

[@Tore1972Wisdom]

Great teaching. I love bonsai trees.

[@carlosrocha750]

Great video, i love deciduous basicly maples, this will help me futurely. Regards

[@indica6848]

i bought a very nice blood good last month, maples are my new favorite

[@hoburga8]

Very interesting, excellent teaching.

[@walterwjr947]

Thank you.... 🙏 😔 🙏 Dr. Chan, I thoroughly enjoyed this video. It is now one of my references videos. The video has so much tequnique in it, you show how you make decisions, there is so much here that you could not tell someone. They just have to watch you, as you "Cut Boldly®". 🎄🙏 🖖 🙏 😔 🙏 🙏 🙏 🎄

[@HappyGrower]

Amazing as always.

[@barbaranewman8975]

Thank you for the inspiration.

[@sacredgroves777]

This is serious bonsai! I love it!

[@nancyfahey7518]

Yes you definitely have me some confidence. I have only one tree. I have to get it right.

[@benjithomas3967]

just bought 3 mountain maples from you, very exciting thank you !

[@sophiaangelini4368]

Master Chan recognizes and respects the Soul of each Tree.

[@dvillebenny1445]

You inspire me! Thx for sharing.

[@philiptavella1856]

Thank you for sharing very informative and I wish I lived near you or in your country. Thanks, Phil Boston, USA

[@pesoverwatch9324]

This was a very good tutorial, thank you!

[@lesliehilesgardener6959]

Enjoying 😉 this guys art and accent 😍 👌 ❤ 😊 thanks 😊

[@daneskarsgard5659]

Thousands of maples? Wow! My wildest dreams. I can't even get maples to grow from cuttings. Another amazing video, sir.

[@chrisjewel1071]

I absolutely love watching you teach! Especially about Japanese Maples! Your such an inspiration and give the courage for me to achieve things I don’t think I would otherwise have achieved! Thank you

[@HeronsBonsaiUK]

Thanks Chris, look out for Part 2, many more maples.

[@chrisjewel1071]

Oh I will. I’ve been following for a while now. I love all the videos as they are very informative

[@dinkopetrov5154]

those videos are the best thing ive seen for a long time

[@chrisrowley4625]

Fascinating, such a pleasure to watch.

[@luisdanielmeraz]

I always enjoy the videos.

[@eliev7844]

Utterly fascinating!

[@perfectperson214]

Look at his trees, that's how you know it's solid advice!

[@nancybennett9265]

Thank you for sharing.

[@steveanacorteswa3979]

I just did my first Acer "Kiyohime" it was $45 so a little scary but I did remove a lot of stuff, it was just a bush, had many broken branches, looks beautiful now as an informal upright. I may buy one of the expensive 6' tall trees and air layer it to get a thicker trunk, it would be nice to hear how old each tree might be when you are talking about them, gives an idea how many years of training it has had. Great video as they all are.

[@soldier87xxx]

[@bastiv7806]

You really can be patient, when you have so much trees to work on. Good video!

[@qttr]

I really enjoyd this one

[@pechinluna]

Fantástico! Maravilloso! Genial!

[@kurts9596]

Thank you... Very interesting!

[@dennisbeers]

Thank you for another fine video.

[@HeronsBonsaiUK]

Thank you, watch out for Part 2!

[@tommyd7502]

This is so amazing to watch! Thank you sensei

[@beanerschnitzel794]

This is very interesting, can you start telling us how old each tree is in the future? One of my guys is about the same trunk size and it’s about 9 years old, they grow very very slow but I like that about them. Thank you so much Sir. I wish I could visit your 7 acres someday I will get there from California ❤️

[@elmarmeurer4362]

Excelent video!

[@nancyfahey7518]

I loved that last multi trunk. I think I'm being drawn back into working on my trees. I've had my tools and books packed away in boxes about 3 years now. I planted my trees and what survived are looking good. Even wired a Japanese black pine for movement. Ya, I think it's in my blood. Thank you

[@dancingdogs3785]

Thanks for this video. I got a maple seedling from my neighbors about 35 cm height. It has a bare trunk for the bottom 30 cm. I am not sure what to do ... I think that it is too tall so I might just have to chop it shorter and see if some side branches will grow. So easy to watch you doing all the cuttings ... :)

[@JackKerouac1922]

Thanks a lot for the video

[@carlosn01100]

Preciosos arces. un saludo desde España

[@biplabbiswasbiswasbiplab8829]

Very nice teaching

[@TheVelvetraven]

I think I'm going to give it a go ..... so inspiring .... and you can be so brutal .... I would have expected the poor thing to die with such severe cutting ... gives me hope that I can do this too.

[@mitchblackmore5230]

The amount of inventory that you have is staggering!!!

[@thorstenschubert1644]

thank you and many greetings from Germany.

[@LoneWolfandCub]

Your videos are the best

[@onerone2681]

every video you make is very nice to see !!! we are learning a lot with you !!! I will have a question on the soil, what substrate do you use to grow maples in containers, and what proportion please ???

[@elliottlobo1689]

verry informative!! thank you!

[@judylauner5513]

I’ve been trying to be a bonsai grower for years now and I sometimes get good and sometimes I don’t...I just love bonsais and I have seven that I’ve dug up in the forest.. I have a couple still in the forest that I’ve been training now for 8 years and I’ll dig them up this fall and bring them home,,,

[@dirkdeluxe]

Very nice Videos... helping a lot. I wished i had more space than my balkony....

[@carlos027]

I think im falling in love with maple's

[@victorjamen542]

Grande maestro Sensei del Bonsái.

[@tinkmarshino]

my goodness I just stumbled on to this site.. FANTASTIC! I have always been interested in bonsai trees but was always busy with life.. But the kids are grow now the working is over and I have all the time in the world until I end.. you set the spark back a light in me my friend.. and I have a japanese maple in my front yard!... one question though.. don't the trees freeze in the pots over the winter? We do not have a bad winter here in vancouver washington very often.. But once and awhile it can be.. I guess my wife gets her green house this year!

[@HeronsBonsaiUK]

Hello tinkmarshino, it's a good questions please check out our video on Overwintering Bonsai kzbin.info/www/bejne/rmmtqIJno55gnsk - if you haven't already please do subscribe to our channel.

[@paul-ne1bh]

i have grow osakazuki from seed they are 2 feet tall, can i cut the growing point so my tree grows new side shoots many thanks you have lots of lovely mapels you are a master of the mapel tree

[@markolsen5056]

As usual, most nicely done, thank you. If you would please explain what you are using to seal the cuts ?

[@WhidbeyIsguy]

Good evening sir. I just subscribed to your channel. So much for me to watch here. This year I would like to start a couple of outdoor bonsai. I am thinking of a Japanese red maple and a pyracanthia. Do you have any videos of the Japanese red maple? I am going to have many educational and enjoyable hours watching your videos.

[@dibiodepaint]

Very nice

[@m3ikot]

Very helpful

[@dirkdegraaf567]

The Felco will do it works for me!

[@paolomh113]

Could you make a video about bonsai pots, please? particularly large sizes.

[@jennifergilder-farooq9540]

Very interesting

[@najamulhassan1962]

In our area I found Cranberry Hibiscus, which was sold there with the name tag of Maple.

[@alexg5513]

Wow, wee, this is a fantastic tutorial, so informative. I absolutely love my Japanese Maples but am often scared to make cuts in fear of them dying or something. Would love to know if there are specific Maples or Acers that suit being a bonsai better than others? Are there some that you could not do this too at all? Thank you so much for going to such effort of making this video 🧡🧡. Greetings from Ireland

[@ronaldfousek1079]

Thank You.

[@obi-wan8680]

Thank you

[@darksun4523]

If you get the opportunity, Definitely worth a visit, I've always wanted to collect a natural seedling from under the beautiful deshojo he's got.

[@mikoajbielawny1661]

Poland says big Thanks for lerning us!

[@yolandayuko1501]

少有能讲得这么好英语的日本人…谢谢分享！我想养一棵樱花盆景，可惜深圳太热了，应该不适合樱花生长…

[@lucasmajoe]

YOU CUT THAT TREE STEVE!!!

[@RahulYadav-qi1qk]

Hello...i really like your way of bonsai making...i love maples .... i would like to grow maples here in India.... please explain the right way to grow maples in New Delhi in India.... thanks

[@rodenvertambalque470]

Great video Mr. Chan. I have learned a lot from this video. Just a question what is the the type of paste are you using to seal the cutting? What brand? Cheers

[@neurodivergejyn4140]

I have 2 vigorous Oregon vine maples in my front yard.... Maybe Ill do something with them like this.