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2005
Imported from Takamatsu, Japan, the summer 2005
I bought this small
maple at Takamatsu island in the south of Japan on a trip there
in the summer 2005. The interesting thing about this Shohin was
the fat trunk, and actually nothing else. When buying a nursery
stock I look for a good trunk, and do not care about the
branches at all (on deciduous trees). The branches can be
developed later on, in a relative short time frame; bonsai time
at least :-)
A branch placed very low was removed. This branch has had
the purpose to tchicken the trunk, and
has to be removed when the purpose is served. Cut paste was
added to heal the wound better, avoiding the scar to rot,
and get infected with fungus i.e.
Initial styling in summer. Only few branches at the time
The first initial styling was performed in late summer,
removing some branches and shortening the rest, to start new
growth. A few branches were wired to direct them in a rough
position, but the rest was left to grow in order to thicken.
The tree was repotted early autumn, because it was growing in a
very poor soil. The roots was not cut severely, but only
trimmed lightly and part of the soil was replaced with fresh
and better draining soil. Normally decidious trees are not
repotted in autumn, but the health of the tree suggested me to
do so.
Branch structyre early winter clearly seen without leaves.
The sacrifice branch
will be removed after it has thickened the top part of the
branch.
A sacrifice branch was selected to grow unattended until it has
thickened the top part of the branch. The branch will thicken
the part below the branch if let to grow freely for some time.
How long time is only determined by how much I want the part
below the branch to thicken.
When purpose is forefilled the branch is cut off completely, or
if appropriate, a part is left back used for future growth.
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2006
 Repotted, and continued wiring and pruning during 2006.
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2007
 Winter 2007 Two years after purchasing the
maple has now developed a basic branch structure to build on.
The initial shape is clear, and the future task is to develop a
good ramification. What is important is to develop
short internodes (distance between leafs), and this is done by
pruning and controlling the growth of twigs by removing the
leaf sheeds when new leafs develops in spring. By removing the
leaf shheds the new soft branch hardens off quicker, and the
length grow stops earlier.
 Removing leaf sheeds is a very
important technique when developing and maintaining
shohin-bonsai.
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2008
Summer image
Grwoth
balance is also a key point to achive succes with especially
shohin-bonsai, but also with bonsai in general. If a branch
grows very strongly it might take energy from other areas of
the tree, weakening these. Controlled this can be a part of the
plan, but in the case of the maple it is important to equal
strenght between strong and weak areas.
A simple
way to balance strenght is leaf cutting. Simply cut large
leaves so they fit with smaller leaves. Thereby energy is not
taken from weaker areas, and a healthy branch is secured.
Two
leafes, on is too strong growing weakening the other.
(The leafes are cut off the tree to
clarify the point - dont do this of course when perfoing this
operation).
Cut
the size of the leaf, so it fits the size of the smaller leaf.
Now
the strenght of the two leafs are equaliced, and growth is
better balanced.
The
leaf cutted will stay on the tree and serve its purpose of
growth.
This
operation is only done on trees not prepared for exhibition,
because the leafs will
get
brown edges, and not look good for exhibition purposes. This
technique is for daily care.
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2009
Autumn image
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