As an A. palmatum, it's certainly a suitable species to be used as bonsai material. Ultimately, and unless this tree happens to be on its own roots, the 3 things that determine the individual plant's suitability and the likely outcome are the location of the graft, the quality of the graft, and your skills. A quality graft very near the roots is very desirable.
Al

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y'all,
I will post pictures of the trees when they arrive and appreciate any suggestion that I may try in creating a healthy bonsai. Thanks for the info Al. I do like the moss in the pic that you posted. Aloha

That is a very nice display, does your moss stay on all the time? I've been told (I'm growing a large box of it) that typically you are supposed to put the moss on a week or two before display, then remove it when it starts to turn brown.

I have a friend that owns a very large nursery/landscaping operation. Many of the cart paths (it's so large, most people use golf carts) are hard packed clay. I scrape the moss off the clay that grows in full sun & it works very well as a decoration and to help keep the soil cool in summer.

I never have trouble leaving (that particular) living moss on my plants as long as the soil drains well (and mine does) & the moss doesn't cover more than about 2/3 of the soil surface.

Al

That's similar to how I gathered my moss. Some of the parts about the yard have cool, shady areas, so I go in and scrape huge clumps and put them on a bed of horiculture sand.

The problem I think I might be facing is that it's dryer and warmer here in So Cal and while the moss isn't getting shorted on water it's not happy. So I have to do the swap out method.

Thanks Al. I believe I am getting them from a reputable grower that understands what you have stated(I certainly hope so). I am now looking forward to working with my Bonsai club and creating a beautiful Bonsai specimen. What do you think of putting two maple trees in one pot. I would be able to place a "Bloodgood" and a "Fireglow" in the same pot. Your picture above gave me the idea. Any comments or concerns. Aloha

It's not unheard of, but it is a little unusual to have two distinctly different trees in the same bonsai container. Since yours are both red Acer p's, it shouldn't be too distracting. You can always separate again later if it doesn't prove eye appealing.

Best luck!

Al

When planting more than one tree in the same pot or creating a 'group planting' or 'forest scene' as aesthetic go there should always be an odd number of trees ( having a three or five tree plantings for example).

One problem that must be watched out for when purchasing any Japanese Maple from a nursery is that it is always grafted and the graft union is usually sloppy or highly noticeable. While this can sometimes be to an extent that prevents it from being hidden there are usually ways of removing it (such as ground or air-layering) as well as ways to diminish its apparent visual affect over time. Fireglow is great for being one of the fewer species of Acer that tolerate being grown in full sun locations very well. That being said you may have quite some trouble with keeping it healthy and happy since even thought its zone preference does max out at zone 9 it is still taking this species to the limit of what it can withstand. So if thing dont end up working that well that is a possible candidate.

Professionally will always tell you to not allow moss to grow in the pot all year long. This is due the fact that it can not only prevent the soil from allowing the moisture to eveaporate from it keeping the soil wet for too long which anyone familiar with the art knows is a very bad thing. It also can prevent the soil from becoming evenly wet when watering causing dry spots which will kill all the roots in the area as well as other issues and problems. Moss is usually placed in a pot a few weeks or months prior to a show (enough time for it to establish) and is then removed after the show has ended.

Sorry if anything I said might have sounded a little negative or unsettling but I just wanted to help give you some insight and ideas to think about. Hope all goes well and good luck.

-Mike

Mike,

Thanks for the great info. As soon as I get the trees I will post pics and everyone can determine the graft quality. After seeing the quality, I will purchase another Maple to add to the pot to make an odd number. I would like to make that third one a different type of red or orange that can handle heat and humidity. Any suggestions. Aloha

There is no problem having an even number of trees in the same container ....... as long as that number is TWO. ;-) There are many thousands if not millions of wonderful twin/two trunk arrangements out there, Lehua. The 'rule of thumb' for the number of trees generally considered to look best in group plantings is: 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 9, then any number of trees is acceptable; this, because after you get more than 9 trees in a grouping, your eye cannot determine between odd/even w/o counting the number of trees.

As Mike mentioned, and if you get a little bolder, you can always layer your trees off above the graft. This practice almost always produces a root system superior to plants grafted to seedlings or plants from seedlings. Eventually, if you keep at bonsai, you'll discover that more often than not the most attractive quality a tree can have at the time you acquire it is a strong (well-formed) root base.

Al

y'all,

View my maple pics in the Maples Forum. Same thread title. They show the graft location and size. I have potted them and will let them show healthy growth before deciding how to Bonsaize them. Any suggestions? Aloha