One Year Japanese Maple: Structure, Die-Back, Pruning, Wiring, Bleeding and Short Internodes

[@abydosianchulac2]

Count me in the group interested in knowing more about sap flow in Japanese maples. That'll be a very interesting tree when it grows up!

[@GrowingBonsai]

I will look into it then. Yes, I have good hopes for this tree!

[@liquidxskin19]

I want to learn more about sap flow in maples.

[@GrowingBonsai]

Ok, Will look into it!

[@naturgeist]

I am very amazed how you can put out so much high quality content. I wish i was as productive as you 🥲 Great video Jelle! 🙏🏼✨

[@GrowingBonsai]

You are too kind!

[@bobcatbonsai]

Great work on this video Jelle. It was very informative and helpful in understanding how to develop the branches in stages. Thank you!

[@GrowingBonsai]

Great to hear. Sometimes I am concerned whether my videos are indeed clear enough!

[@kylepurvis6231]

Nice discussion of maple. Building technique. Two things I have learned from my maples, don’t fertilize maples until first flush has hardened off to help reduce the internodes, and when you do go light. On my wiring, I have started using wire wrapped in medical tubing (much softer than aquarium tubing). Has allowed wire scaring to be significantly reduced if not eliminated! PM me if you want to try some, I have tons and will share! 😊

[@GrowingBonsai]

Great idea. In japan they sometimes wraop wire in paper to the same effect. I might have to look into tubing. You use this on all maple wirings?

[@kylepurvis6231]

@@GrowingBonsai I do now, I’m just to busy and kept forgetting wire on my deciduous trees, this gives me a buffer so I don’t have to keep cutting off branches I worked hard to get,

[@737ngJR]

Quite a beautiful specimen. Can't wait for the next update, great job as always 🙂

[@GrowingBonsai]

Thank you very much! I think the next update might take a bit, unless I include the tree in a repotting video. Hm..

[@joewatkins1667]

Ypu have hands down the best explanations on the internet - this video has so much great info on maples

[@oachkatzlsmum]

Before enjoying the video I just want you to congratulate you on that gorgeous tree 🤩🙋‍♀️

[@GrowingBonsai]

:) Thank you so much. This was a lucky grab at a growers field!

[@dreaminggreennursery]

I can't wait to see that cut fully healed over

[@GrowingBonsai]

:) Me too!

[@christopheaubertin2419]

Hi! We are here to learn more and more ! Thanks! And maybe learn about january buding...

[@GrowingBonsai]

Hi, yeah, I guess we will all need to learn a bit more about how to handle early budding! Thank you!

[@XaviersBonsaiRetreat]

Building your tree is such an important aspect of all deciduous work and I like how you emphasised this when removing branches some people might have kept. Great video and I look forward to seeing how this continues to develop. With me, the only reason I worry about sap flow is because it can be such a waste of energy which you ideally want going into directed buds before pruning. This is why I prune I Nov/Dec. Great Video Jelle, cheers Xav

[@GrowingBonsai]

Well said! I think the sapflow topic holds an interest, and I will think about a suitable video!

[@XaviersBonsaiRetreat]

@@GrowingBonsai I definitely think there can be a misunderstanding on this topic👍

[@arjensiemonsma3787]

But one question remains.. How are Xavier's cuttings coming along?!

[@XaviersBonsaiRetreat]

@@arjensiemonsma3787I have some reasonable results coming out in leaf :)

[@scheers100]

Thank you for your clear explanation. I would like to learn more about sap flow in maples!

[@GrowingBonsai]

Noted! Let me have some time to think about what to put together, and also, how to present it. Complex topic with lots of opinions!

[@thenaturecreater8906]

Great video jelle! Yes we want to learn everything! I am "bulding" about 10 maples and want to learn more.

[@GrowingBonsai]

Sounds good! I feel one of the main challenges is keeping the top in control, while growing out the lower branches!

[@thenaturecreater8906]

@Growing Bonsai by Jelle I feel I am cutting it back to much. Almost looks like just sticks in pots.

[@phillipwaterman5721]

Bonsai phill very good video nice shape tree acer will be a good bonsai in time thanks jelle

[@GrowingBonsai]

So nice of you, thank you!

[@TOMSAI]

Nice mappel ! Good Work Jelle! 👍👍

[@GrowingBonsai]

Thank you, happy you liked it!

[@bobbymalta73]

Thanks For Sharing.

[@GrowingBonsai]

My pleasure!

[@aldoushuxley3704]

Great upload, Friend. Think of the time that the little video clips, contained within, span. VERY entertaining to see that happen in this format, with a very fitting musical score. There is something interesting, that Acers can do with their cells in their first and sometime second year of growth. If 1or2 year-old maple seedlings are grown In "plug-like" (or even slightly larger) conditions for the duration of their existence, they will experience "stunt-stress" and double down on existing internodes. Effectively placing Maristem Cell "mother points" In betwixt said Internodes... Like in music theory... Going "cut-time" with internodes. 🤣 Note... This does NOT work on mature Acers.

[@GrowingBonsai]

That is interesting information. I am not sure I knew that. Do you have more info on this Aldous?

[@aldoushuxley3704]

@@GrowingBonsai .. I have only heard other maple breeders/growers speak of it... Remind me in spring and I will show you on some Ginnalas and Rubrums.. And also show you it happening in real time on some of my 2023 seeds.

[@GrowingBonsai]

@@aldoushuxley3704 Looking forward to it! Will you make a video?

[@Bonsaicrazy]

Good video Jelle 👍👍

[@GrowingBonsai]

Thank you so much! Do you grow maples too?

[@Bonsaicrazy]

@@GrowingBonsai I’ve just got 2 new ones there white then they go green and purple in winter. Acer palmatum ukigumo But unfortunately there grafted and there quite dad so I’ll have to take cuttings this year. Acers are nice but very challenging I find. But I am a newbie 🤣 👍👍

[@SJKurd]

So nice 👍

[@GrowingBonsai]

Thank you! Cheers!

[@FrostBiteBonsai]

I know how to tap the maple trees! Hahaha! When I was very young, still in Quebec, I often helped my father and Uncles tap the trees and boil the sap to syrup at the sugar shack. I was very young, but a still have many memories. My father once tried to tap the maple tree in out front yard. It had been left growing wild with several trunks. Normally yo don't tap a tree like this or you can kill it. Same if you do not seal the hole after you remove the tap. I'm not sure if it was only because the tree would continue to bleed, I thought there were other reasons as well. Also the first sap in spring is different than the sap that runs after the leaves grow. It would be interesting to learn more!

[@GrowingBonsai]

Niiice! I am thinking about the video, but I am having a hard time understanding the concepts. Maples bleed differently from birch and grapes it seems! Lots of literature to cover, might not get this done in time..

[@FrostBiteBonsai]

@@GrowingBonsai Oh! I did not realize Maple and Birch would be different!! You can actually tap Birch trees and make syrup with their spring sap as well! The same as Maples. I assumed they would bleed in the same or similar way... Very interesting!

[@gloriablanco7856]

Thank you 😊

[@GrowingBonsai]

Ever my pleasure

[@JadedEvan]

Question - would it be better to do this work after the first push of new growth in spring? The idea being to prune that first spring growth for a second flush with considerably less energy in the subsequent flush. The idea is that it "hits the brakes" on the tree to produce shorter internodes. Curious about your experiences with this strategy.

[@GrowingBonsai]

I work the tree in fall and after the first flush of growth.

[@t.wosylukconstruction4892]

We live in north Georgia and have a Japanese maple and want to cut the trunk back and Bonsai it, what time of the year would be the best time

[@jozefmoors1474]

Jelle when can I repot my trident and japanese maples? I live in the Netherlands. A Beni Maiko on my balcony already shows a couple of small leaves

[@GrowingBonsai]

Hi Josef, I am a bit different in this. Official advice: Repot once you have the buds starting to open. So once you have a bit of fluff around the branches (Check my potentilla "spring work" video. As I have MANY trees to repot, I start early, in winter. They do start a little slower then. (And in general, I do repots around the year, when I see a need). But yeah, optimal, "hazeoor stadium" when the first leaf-fluff comes from the bud.

[@jozefmoors1474]

Thanks Jelle. I repotted my miyasama tridents yesterday so we'll see what happens. I read somewhere that you need to repot before they leaf out. Or else you are too late and than you'll have to wait till june

[@GrowingBonsai]

@@jozefmoors1474 I would say repotting when the buds are just opening is better than when all is still dormant, and even frosty. I do not know your weather but we had 1-3 degrees of frost last night. Looots of repotting window left. March is normal time for repotting in this part of Europe.

[@yaroslavpronin5111]

I prune some very thin branches on Oriental Hornbeam and it started to bleed, before that I hadn't dealt with Hornbeam, is bleeding dangerous?

[@GrowingBonsai]

Nope. Bleeding is really just water with a few sugars in it. The water is replenished as long as you water, and the plant has loads of stored sugars

[@japanesemaplesbonsai7133]

Love your videos. Can you tell me the best time to trunk chop please on a Japanese maple. I live in 🇬🇧 uk. Thanks

[@GrowingBonsai]

i prefer mid sprin, the tree is active, lots of time to start healing and little risk for excessive waterloss (bleed)

[@japanesemaplesbonsai7133]

@@GrowingBonsai thank you so much I will wait for the first flush of leaves to harden then cut, thanks again!

[@mike1968442]

I have a Japanese maples that I’m going to cut up tomorrow and hopefully it will root in my propagating box.

[@GrowingBonsai]

how did it go?

[@dap8362]

Hi is there any update on this tree after its year of growth ? Thanks

[@GrowingBonsai]

Keep your eyes peeled for my "Spring Bleeding Bonsai" video, set for release end of this month!.

[@jorritwillems4044]

Jelle, wanneer maak je de keuze om grote bomen terug te snoeien naar de bonsai maat die je wilt? Heb hier nog een grote acer staan voor een project

[@GrowingBonsai]

Als de stam rond 2/3 van de gewenste einddikte zit is vaak een goed moment als je een grote snoeiwond acceptabel vindt. En anders.. Elke 1-3 jaar.

[@davidstokes925]

Might be a dummy but this one was a little above my head. After you were through, I could see why you did what you did.

[@GrowingBonsai]

Hey David, which part was unclear to you? In general, I opt for taper in my branches and try to avoid new big cuts, so my path is somewhat longer than the route others might take. I know I could have wired all branches and trimmed to profile and every year adjust.

[@Bonsai_media]

❤❤❤

[@GrowingBonsai]

:)

[@bobcatbonsai]

I am interested in sap flow in maples.

[@GrowingBonsai]

Thank you. I will look into it!

[@aaronasissoard1098]

I have a huge Japanese maple in my backyard I want to air layer and one day put in a pot

[@GrowingBonsai]

Go for it!

[@brucedeacon28]

👍👌👌🙂

[@GrowingBonsai]

:D

[@AndrewTysingerVideo]

Thanks for the video. But when you prune your trees like this, they will never grow naturally. When you cut branches halfway through, the trees have a trauma response- that's why you can see all the branches on your trees look like noodles. Even the trunks are the trees are lopped off arbitrarily, it's horrible. Everyone else, when you make a bonsai pruning cut, remember, always prune at a node, just outside the node. It mimics the way trees prune themselves, and will keep the natural structure.

[@GrowingBonsai]

Thanks for the tips! You may not have developed bonsai from scratch before. IF you have, maybe watch the video again and really pay attention to what I do. Not much arbitrarily going I can assure you.