Chunky acer, what to do ?

inherited 2x 3foot acers, been grown in pots for about 7years and not styled in anyway it seems  (why do people lets things grow wild mad style)

the 1st i feel i should do something with it, maybe airlayer near bottom and grow new branches over a few years so will have a nice big trunk and see what can do with what layered off. or maybe somethinge else?





the 2nd i dunno and wife wants me to put both into the garden really (dont waste these trees, its a shame etc) so maybe just this one and work on the other



open to ideas and suggestions.  i have no experience with layers and this sort of work


thanks all


Marc

try something like this maybe or?

Hey Marc,

When you want to keep the wife satisfied by tossing one into the garden I'd toss the first one and put the second one into a pot. This is because I feel the second one has a much nicer trunk and ramification (like it like it) although the rootball appears kinda big. Could you please provide a nice shot of how the nebari and rootball look like?

I like the idea you post in your 11:13 message, but isn't the thin branch a little out of proportion?

Acer noob question: is it an option to prune the branches far back? (Don't have any experience with acers)
Perhaps we can create a new style, for those trees as shown here and for example the trees in my "some weird trees..." topic. We can name it 'wild mad style'! Just like the fairytalestyle, only madder

Yes the second has a large root ball and i felt it has too many trunks and overall chunkiness/no structure so would need some work to get looking nice.  

1st had some shape. But yes unsure about the 1st branch.

Then again i believe acer are very good responding to a complete trunk chop to grow new branches.
Threading is also an option with acer and I believe I need to decide and do soon.

I have a large growing area that can go in for now but maybe one in a large pot so that can be worked on easily.


I do go to see my bonsai expert at end of month so potting up and taking is an option I just want sure about timing etc and if any layering i think i need to get done soon.


any advise would be great


thanks

A word to the wise - from a man of experience - not talking about bonsai! Plant both trees in the garden for a year, with the proviso/compromise that one of them will be coming out and potted later. She'll be happy, you will see both trees perform in leaf for a season, and you can take your time with a final decision. Throughout the summer/autumn admire in conversation the one you like less, increasing the level of admiration as you proceed towards winter. By then, you should have a plan and, hopefully, the passport to happiness. Beware of "changes of mind", "mood swings" and "recognition of intent". Oh! and a holiday in the Bahamas would help considerably! Bon Chance. Cheers. Rick.

Rick36 wrote:A word to the wise - from a man of experience - not talking about bonsai! Plant both trees in the garden for a year, with the proviso/compromise that one of them will be coming out and potted later. She'll be happy, you will see both trees perform in leaf for a season, and you can take your time with a final decision. Throughout the summer/autumn admire in conversation the one you like less, increasing the level of admiration as you proceed towards winter. By then, you should have a plan and, hopefully, the passport to happiness. Beware of "changes of mind", "mood swings" and "recognition of intent". Oh! and a holiday in the Bahamas would help considerably! Bon Chance. Cheers. Rick.

A wise man indeed. But speaking as a woman, I'd go for the double bluff as it is very likely that she has twigged (did ya see what I did there?) and that "recognition of intent" has kicked in. But, then of course, you'd need to work out if she has twigged that one too so you'll need to go for the triple bluff. But then again ... and so on. I'd just go for a midnight uprooting of your preferred tree in a year's time at a point when you could realistically blame it on cats, badgers, drunks or whatever other form of wildlife frequents your neighbourhood. Confused? That's good - looking bewildered is a good concealer of motive.

erm ok guys i think.... lol

good advise but had already potted up whilst i was in the garden


it definitely has something to work with, i think air layer the tops off and then work on the bottom with new branches but im no expert

Ok so i will likely layer off the left and right branches next month and then chop down the rest to around the main junction from trunk, or just above

Not sure if I should keep either of the 2 branches at junction and then how to progress

Should I chop down and spend a few years aiming for a standard broom? Or maybe keep a couple of inch on left trunk as adds shape and work from there


Really need the expert input to push me in the correct direction


Thanks

ok so we have leafing, dark leafs that seem more thinner than average acer

looking at it im not even sure i should do any type of bonsai to it.

it could stay large and add more Japanese components to the garden and the rockery i just built hhhmmmm



so undecided

Why not just let it grow freely this year and see how strong it is/what kind of growth you get?

From your description of the leaves it sounds like it could be a dissectum variety of some sort (Atropurpureum perhaps). Don't see many of them used for bonsai but they're very attractive trees in my view and could work. Definitely worth giving it a go as a bonsai I'd have thought.

By the way, is it grafted? Looking at the photo it's hard to tell but most dissectum varieties you see for sale are. In the long run this could be a weak point (different growth rates creating an unsightly bulge etc). Still, I reckon you might as well try.

After all, you'll always have the option of the planting in the garden if it doesn't work out.

Cheers

Richard

im wondering if the trunk is a bit too thick for a decent bonsai else needs to be quite large

but it could fill out and be nice as a medium sized tree:

I wouldn't have said that the trunk was too thick. Needs to be reduced in height but with time that should be no problem.

Looks like it could be Acer Palmatum Bloodgood.