March 8th 2021 I purchased 7 Amur maple seedlings off of .99 bonsai auction group on Facebook. They came in the mail and I was prepared on what I was going to do with them. I love Forest groupings and twin trunks. I had a ceramic pot that I purchased back in 07 off of eBay. Nothing of importance had it been used for. That was my main focus was making a forest. I haven't had much practice in potting bonsai. I haven't had much practice in building forest groups. I have a dozen or so of bonsai books, from bonsai beginner to advance bonsai enthusiasts. All of them give detail instructions on repotting a bonsai. I felt 100% prepared with knowledge and supplies. These seedlings were going into a oval ceramic Chinese production pot, about 9" x 5" x 2.5" with 2 drainage holes. I had a plastic round pot that came from a rice cooker for steaming vegetables, that one was gonna be used for the twin trunk. I do not remember which one I did first, most likely the forest.
I took the seedlings out of the plastic wrapping. I use to freak on having roots exposed. My brain tends to rush the process, no pictures because I don't have time to fool around. Now I do breath and slow down, still rush more than I should. I notice very little roots!
All my books show pictures and talk about using wire to tie the tree down by the roots. I don't have any roots, no root ball, no root pad, these are 1 season old! No advice from books, I do not belong to a club, I felt lost and panicked! Every repot or potting I have ever done, I feel rushed. I generally am prepared to the best of my knowledge from the research I have done. If I was to talk to a club member or a professional, they might say don't put it in a bonsai pot. Easy for them to say. They have trees that cost thousands of dollars and are sitting looking amazing. That's why I got into this hobby, because of the awesome tree living in a spectacular ceramic pot. We all inspire to have that! So when I spend what I can on a tree and supplies, I still want that! After spending some time with Bjorn in Tennessee during my intensive class, I really do understand why it's better to put that seedling in a nursery pot and not a bonsai pot. But a newbie, beginner, given as a gift, that human wants it in a pot. You are starting to find a few videos on YouTube talking about potting a tree with very little roots. Information is becoming easier to come by on that subject. Ways to attach a tree with little to none roots.
use wire to wrap up the trunk with a tail to stick in soil or out the bottom of pot.
For a forest, use wire to wrap up 1 trunk and a longer tail to wrap up that trunk.
If the trunk is thick enough. You can use a board to put a screw thru and into the bottom of the trunk. ( predrill )
If you want this look? Tie the thin roots around a rock and bury the rock.
I am sure there are more ways but these are a few I have done.
So I have the seedlings in hand or laying on the bench. Very little roots but that's ok because I watched a video on placing the tree on a rock and using wire, string, or something else to tie down the tree and bury the rock. I did this to all 5 trees I was going to use for the group. Placed then in the pot. Secured the rocks in the pot, filled with soil. Boom! I have a forest planted. I know it's not that easy but the trees are still living in the same pot to this day.
Yeah I know, it looks like crap! I rushed, didn't know how to handle bumps in the road.
What did I learn from this one? Now during a repot I know I can take my time, the roots will be fine. I have gained some bad experience but will remember for the next bump. It's ok to make mistakes, we all do and that's how we grow as humans. Nobody is perfect.
I do not have many pictures of this forest. I am not fond of it. I left the wire on a little to long and it bit in. Wire scars on broadleaf is not good, good chance you will notice the scars for the life you own it. So remember when purchasing a deciduous tree with smooth bark. If that tree has a scar, you will notice that scar almost for ever, the tree lost a bit of value. If you purchase a tree with scaring, it's ok because that tree can become the mother tree for cuttings and air layers. Make more trees from it. Especially if it has good qualities like small leafs, short internode's or amazing bark. That's how awesome trees get past down from generations. A amazing Japanese maple with the best qualities like great bark, short internodes, and small leafs come from cuttings or air layering that tree. Seeds are never a sure fire to give you the same benefits that the mother tree has. Learn how to air layer or do cuttings, it's super fun!
The twin trunk I made is something I just smile at every time I am near it. I took 2 seedlings and twisted thicker aluminum wire around them. You wait for them to melt together and then you remove the wire so it doesn't bite to deep. I did not remove the wire and it bit in. Did a repot last season to remove the wire. I am hoping for the best. With or without the trunks having a scar from it, I love this tree.
The potting of this tree as far as I can remember went relatively well. I used a bigger akadama and pumice than some would say to use. But the next season during a quick repot to remove the wire. The roots were amazing. So I'd say the bigger size soil did not endure it at all. This tree responded very well to the planting. Amur maples can take a lot of work to them. A strong hardy tree.
I absolutely love watching the new growth come in. This is the time being in Michigan you might do the bonsai shuffle. A quick over night frost can kill the new growth with maybe some die back. So protect the new growth during that spring wake up, they call it the bonsai shuffle.
This picture is from June 2021. Wire is still on. I did accidentally leave the wire on a smidge to long, the tree has some scars. I am perfectly fine with it. Love where the tree is headed.
August 2021, wire is removed from branches with little scarring. The 2 trunks are fused but I haven't removed that wire yet.
November 2021, leafs have dropped and fall wire is applied to give shape again. Love this tree! When growing a tree in a pot, it slows it down. It's not bad it just makes the process longer, but slightly more controlled. A lot of people put Amur in the ground and do big trunk chops. Growing 2 trees at the same time, other factors do play a role. 1 tree in the ground, 1 tree in a bonsai pot. That tree in the ground most likely would be much fatter in trunk size. The tree in the pot will have a much slimmer look but the roots will mostly be amazing. Trees in the ground get some fat roots that need special care after they come out of the ground. Depends on what you want and how much time you have. I like the slower method with less fat chops. I just need to make sure I don't let wire bite in, haha!
March 19, 2022
This tree sat outside on the ground surrounded by leafs. I can see the wire around the base just ruining it. I panicked for sure!
Some close up of the unwanted!
So I decided to repot and remove the wire. It bit in just a little to far for my liking. 1 option you have is to let it bite in and possibly new roots will start above the wire, choking it off. It's a valid way to get the nebari we all want on a deciduous. I wasn't wanting to take the risk of killing the tree if it didn't take, most likely it would have been fine. I love this tree! That winter I had bought a few pots from the Facebook group .99 bonsai auction. I was ready for it. It really was a smidge to early for repotting, most of my stuff was still frozen. This one was not, I think I pulled it early from the winter area to wake it up.
March 23 2022
Before a small cut and maybe a little extra bending.
March 23 2022
April 23 2022, one month later. Looking real nice.
May 4th 2022
The top layer is starting to fill in nice.
October 15, 2022
The leafs dropped, I rewired and trimmed a bit. Next spring I might repot just to see how the roots are doing. They fill up fast. Goal is to have a beautiful nebari for this tree. Well that's all I have on this one purchase back in 2021. The forest with trees tied to rocks I will be dismantling this spring to see what's up.
Have a happy holiday and let's hope for more awesome trees to grow with!
Thanks
Ted
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