---
title: "Hi Team Bonsai 😃 I’m a newbie to growing Bonsai with just a Chinese…"
description: "Hi Team Bonsai 😃 I’m a newbie to growing Bonsai with just a Chinese Elm & a Juniper to my name. Both were mature plants when I bought them. This Acer was…"
url: "https://getplanta.com/community/hB0M8pmURCqUK7zhKpIOTw/zQIHBoNmQsOMmrVG8gT2-g"
community: "Bonsai Matters"
author: "MudSkipper Jnr"
published: "2024-04-29T17:27:54.666063Z"
language: "en"
image: "https://images.getplanta.com/v1/resize/SOSlvNirR6TloPacEoi-b_jz_ANsJTTP4ZmyjfVa5rs/tycOZK5CRBKEPnqNzZ8b9Q.webp?size=large"
---

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# Hi Team Bonsai 😃 I’m a newbie to growing Bonsai with just a Chinese…

_Posted by MudSkipper Jnr on 2024-04-29_

Hi Team Bonsai 😃  
I’m a newbie to growing Bonsai with just a Chinese Elm \& a Juniper to my name. Both were mature plants when I bought them.  
This Acer was planted from a cutting I took a couple of years ago \& since then it’s lived in this raised planter on the Western edge of my garden so it’s been getting afternoon sun in a spot which is most likely too windy for it 🤦‍♀️  
Fag packet for scale…😆😆😆

My questions  
1\. If I dig it up \& place it into a bonsai pot, I’ll have to cut back the roots. How much can I cut back in one go when it’s lived in a fairly spacious border so far.

2\. Should I try to size the pot down in stages or just go for it all at once?

3\. What size pot would you recommend I go for?

4\. Is a straight switch to akadama feasible?

5\. Should I abandon the hope of transitioning to bonsai for this particular plant?

Many thanks  
H 🤗

![Attachment 1 of 1](https://images.getplanta.com/v1/resize/SOSlvNirR6TloPacEoi-b_jz_ANsJTTP4ZmyjfVa5rs/tycOZK5CRBKEPnqNzZ8b9Q.webp?size=large)

## 2 comments

### Bryan T commented on 2024-05-16

I do not have much experience , but the research I have done on the subject would incline me to put it into a bigger “nursery” pot to continue growing in similar or slightly Rockier soil to allow for drainage. And then slowly reduce pot size over time

#### MudSkipper Jnr replied on 2024-05-17

Thank you so much Bryan 🙏

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