Bonsaify | Branch Cuts and Air Layering on a Japanese Maple Bonsai

Eric makes some big decisions about a large Japanese Maple he grew from a seedling - he first shared this tree in February 2021, "Root Work on Field-Grown Japanese Maple Bonsai Trees"    • Bonsaify | Root Work on Field-Grown Japane...  . In the video, Eric demonstrates air layering, which is a process of getting parts of an existing tree to root, effectively creating a new plant.

00:01:03 Eric reviews the structure of the plant, and looks to change things up a bit.

00:01:30 To give himself room to work, he needs to distinguish sacrifice branches from the "final product".

00:02:05 Branch thinning and elimination to better see the tree's current structure.

00:03:30 A tip for keeping sacrifice branch off-shoots from shading out lower, more fixed branches.

00:04:13 Why Eric decides to remove two more established branches he wired a few years earlier (hint - maples have their own style!)

00:05:30 Detailed analysis of branch to determine where to cut.

00:06:03 How do you think the front looks with that branch removed?

00:06:51 Eric looks at the lower of the two wired branches from the back of the tree to make cutting decisions.

00:07:30 Bottom big cut's done; time to move up to the crown!

00:08:10 Eric has a big issue with how a horizontal section impacts the crown.

00:09:16 Why Eric decides to try an air layer (or two).

00:10:33 Air layer work on the ugliest potential base Eric has ever worked with!

00:11:10 Bark is stripped; next step is to cover with sphagnum moss and wrap, which Eric demonstrates.

00:12:09 Eric summarizes his process and explains why heat in the greenhouse will be beneficial to the air roots.

00:13:05 Moving on to the primary branches Eric plans to keep.

00:14:20 Explanation of wiring decisions and how to improve taper on a trunk through creation of a lower sacrifice branch.

00:15:57 What Eric expects to see once he removes the air layers. And a promise to share the results with our subscribers (so be sure you're subscribed to our channel!)

Thank you for watching! Please like the video and share it with your bonsai friends. Tell us about your experiences with air layering in the comments below.