greenclaws.... Just saw the link to your November photos. Your plants look beautiful and well on the way to getting that bonsai "look"....which is what I'm after. I want to force 4-5 main stems to grow together in the same pot, and mechanically, constrain the growth until all the individual stems fuse together, creating one, very fat trunk, with branches growing out from the top, which will subsequently be wired/trained into a specific shape....like a Baobab tree. I will try to force the trunks to fuse together by possibly taping them, or forcing them into some kind of clear, plastic column/pipe...I really haven't figured out how to do this yet. By using the same variety, and because each individual stem will have its own root system, the composite plant will have the same characteristics, flowering colors and flowering season. This might just be wishful thinking on my part, but if it works...I might be making a very nice plant. My aim is to eventually get a trunk about 13-17 cm in diameter, and about 30-40 cm high, then short branches growing out of the top. Think of a Baobab tree made from Adeniums. That's my plan...and God may laugh. Frank, from New York City

I've never used this method of grafting but I know maples can be approach grafted.It's supposed to slightly increase chances of success because the scion is still actively growing and will share the task of mating with the rootstock..However once a scion is cut from it's roots it is dying.Personally I'm not convinced keeping it in water keeps it active but it may just keep it alive longer.I think the success will still depend on your skills at grafting.Is it a special maple cultivar?or not old enough to produce any seeds?

I'd let them grow two season and keep the best, one only branch. You can cut about half off but don't trim water sprouts the same currant season. My preferred way is to graft to smaller branches about thumb size...or cut back about half to 3/4 and graft onto water spouts the following year, scion will heal over the same season, not to worry about braking off and healing in a large diameter stock. Bark grafting

You may like to read this too then: Inosculation Approach grafting is often used bonsai to fatten up a trunk quickly. In this case the top is cut-off later. Related to this is thread grafting where a thinner younger plant is threaded through the trunk (a hole is drilled first - of course) which is bigger and fatter. Eventually the bottom is cut off leaving a branch in a desired spot. This is difficult since you have to cut off the leaves and have ensure the apical meristem is undamaged when threading.