Acer Palmatum, repotted.....

   The bonsai in the collage is a Maple, recognized for 5 finger, serated leaves that turn a bright red in the fall.  I have pruned the roots the way I demonstrated in my Sunday (01/15) post.  I didn't put the maple in a bonsai pot because it's not ready.  This year I am working on the "nabari"...  the roots were pulled to the surface, then a wooden chopstick was fit under each root, keeping it elevated.  The root is damp but not exposed to the air.  In this manner, the plant will "grow" the root, enlarge it so it will mimick the roots found on the ground around very old trees... an illusion of age.  Bonsai is all about illusion of age, on a minaturized tree.
    The top picture is the completed project.  The green moss is added on the top to 1. keep the roots surface damp,   2. prevent  water from washing away the soil from under the root, exposing it to air.   
   The bottom-L picture shows the roots pulled up to the surface of the soil.     The bottom Rt picture shows teeny, tiny red bubs (a new leaf) that are about 1/16", if that big.   The little white spots on the green trunk are lenticils... where a new bud could develope, if the plant so decides to.

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