Japanese maple bonsai – the first steps
This weekend gave me the opportunity to initiate the training of the sorely neglected Japanese maple mentioned in this very recent bonsai post.
It needed some drastic action, and several years of work, but we have to start somewhere. The picture on the left shows the initial pruning and wiring of the Japanese maple (Acer Palmatum) bonsai as a result of this first effort. Despite being a little pot-bound, the tree itself is in surprisingly healthy shape, so I felt that taking the plunge by some dramatic pruning and wiring would be possible at this time. The wiring is not pretty! At this time it needs to be purely functional and with the tree in its current state I feel it is hardly going to make much difference by giving it aesthetic wiring.
The two main top branches, one of which was the original upper main trunk (now dead) were removed in order to encourage growth in other, younger branches a little further down. The wounds from both these cuts – which were made with some concave branch cutters (concave to aid healing) – were treated with a traditional sealant to promote healing.
What will become the large main lower branch on the left, was wired to bend down and slightly twist it’s angle to bring the existing growth into play as structural elements. The wiring here is not entirely a conventional style of winding wire right around the branch and bending into shape. I am concerned that the tree may react to the severe pruning by rapid growth and so by merely pulling the branch downwards, anchored around the pot itself, I can avoid any issues with wire constriction. This technique tends to take longer to set the branch to shape, but is a safer option on this plant at this time of year. Likely in the autumn, I will wire completely in order to set the branch shapes over the winter.
The tree has currently been left with much more leaf and branch matter than fits the ongoing plan, but too much stress through pruning and wiring could threaten its health, particularly at a time when it needs its strength to grow. About 36 hours after this initial work, some of the previously inactive buds are showing signs of activity, which is excellent news.
Information on Japanese Maple at Wikipedia
They’ve probably all done what you’ve done – got a day job!
I’m still learning, ask me again in a year and I’ll no doubt still be learning
I’m with you bro… not only have all the freelancers disappeared, the kids coming out of school have no concept of how to grind it out to get through the crunch period of a project. They’re all clock-watchers and prima donas that need to be spoon fed assignments and expect to be making six figures by the time they’re 25.
I’m actually considering leaving my job to start a company that offshores all development just to get back to working with people with smarts and a blue collar work ethic.
I find the bonsai posts very interesting, and I’m eager to see the larch.
Plans are to work on the larch this weekend, so watch out for a post. Only really decided where to take its development this week, so it’s not been touched yet.
Everybody wants $5,000 worth of work for $99.95,
or better yet, free. Take a look at http://www.php-freelancers.com/.
Get on the list and see if you want to compete to get a truckload
of work for thimble full of money. Ratios of professionals to amateurs,
to guess, must be 1000-1. Myself, I will not do it anymore.
Until the market learns the difference, let them build cr*p for peanuts.
=)
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