You can cut it back now if you wish. After you cut off the top, there will be a branch opposite your new leader choice. Cut that branch back to a stub. You're going to get a lot of back-budding, so plan on learning how to manage the energy - I'll help with that. Basically, it includes pruning progressively harder toward the top of the tree. If the plant is very root bound now, you should at least pot up. Then, next spring you can repot it and go back down (considerably) in container size. Here are some plants I chopped back. They are all prebonsai, so you can see the scar and how it's healing. Some of these cuts were very significant, given the trunk caliper and how far they were cut back. mulberry: Aeonium: Ficus: The following pics were taken a few minutes ago. Virtually all my trees, except those grown in literati style, go through several taper-building chops, so 95% of my trees have been or are waiting to be chopped. It's an every day occurrence, so you can see how I can be so nonchalant about it. ;-) little leaf linden: Cotoneaster: Acer P (Jap maple) chopped twice so far: Acer buergerianum (trident maple) - the next chop is already planned - just above the really thin branch: another Acer b - this one will eventually have the center of the 3 trunks carved out of it (I think ...... it may well have other ideas about what it wants to be when it grows up. It will let me know & I'll act according to what it says. ;-) . For you guys that like Japanese maples, and don't mind green foliage, I highly recommend trident maples, as well as A. ginnala (amur maple). The later is extremely hardy, and both are nearly care free, other than regular root work if it's in a container - not as fussy as most A palmatums. Al

If the containerized trees are exposed to the elements and you receive a reasonable amount of rainfall in winter, then no additional watering is required. If the containers are stored somewhere under cover, the soil should remain just barely moist to the touch so that might require a small amount of watering from time to time, depending on the quality and consistency of the potting mix. IMO, pruning during the dormant season should be done in early winter (Nov/Dec.) rather than late winter (Feb/March) to avoid excessive bleeding. Sap in JM's typically starts moving early, often as early as January but for sure by February in milder climates. Summer pruning - June and July - is always an option. The adage is structural pruning in winter; thinning/shaping in summer. I personally prefer a light hand when it comes to pruning these trees - this is not a one time shot so small, selective shaping and branch removal can (and should) be extended over several seasons. You can always take more off later but you can't put it back on!! And I would have to say that if at any time one was thinking of removing as much as 20% of the tree, it is far too small to prune!! Or step back and reconsider your plan. These trees seldom need that much attention.

midorit, did you look at those threads I linked to in your other posts? They will answer ALL your questions that have not been answered previously. Just read them carefully and all the above will be answered in detail without repeating it all again for yet a third time!! The more you research yourself and understand what you are reading the better you will learn and remember rather than us hand-feeding you that same information. I don't mean to be critical or harsh, but this has all been explained to you several times already!!

I concur with Gardengal, I would not use anyting that contains more than 10-15% peat based potting mix. I have my JMs in Gritty Mix, which contains no potting mix at all and only 1/3 un-composted Pine Bark, and they are doing exceptionally well. Just cut back your watering over the winter, and repot early next season.