What to do with my new Maple?

cMan5 · Jul 23, 2015

Hello fellow bonsai'ers! I am new to the forum and somewhat new to bonsai's! This is my first year and I have a little collection going! Anywho, I recently obtained a beautiful Japanese maple "crimson queen." I am not quite sure how long it has been in a pot. I have a couple decisions to make and I need your help!
Do I...?
-Plant the tree in the ground, I have a nice location for the tree.
- Wack the tree down to bonsai size and give it a root trim? Given the appropriate time of the year.
-OR, make an air layer from the top portion, bonsai that, and plant the tree in my yard?
When would be the best time to wack the tree down to bonsai material?
When would be the best time to air layer after being planted in the ground?

THANK YOU for reading this lengthy and question filled topic. And taking the time to give any feedback and answers. I appreciate you all and look forward to growing in this beautiful hobby!

quietobserver · Jul 23, 2015

Nice pick. While by no means an expert,I'd live with it until spring when I'd start working it towards a smaller pot.

JudyB · Jul 24, 2015

If you go to your profile and fill out your location and zone, someone will be able to give you good advice for your area. Otherwise, it's just a shot in the dark! Welcome.

Alain · Jul 24, 2015

I agree with JudyB, your location will be a must to help.

In any case I'm not expert in Japanese Maple but my neighbor has one and all the branches that he trimmed seem to have approx. 1/2" that die back.
So the whacking part of the plan doesn't seem a really good idea to me.

An air layering of a nice part of the tree is certainly what i would do, but once again without your location hard to tell if you could do it now (well normally, unless you live in the southern hemisphere, it should be too late for this year already).

j evans · Jul 24, 2015

Welcome, give all of the information that you can about your location etc. and you will get loads of help, opinions and maybe even some information that you don't want. I have never reduced a JM, I have always been working on growing them so I am going to follow and see what members suggest. Nice tree, around here you can't find them as they are all sold out by this time of the year. Good Luck!

Jamie

cMan5 · Jul 24, 2015

Thanks for replys guys, I am located in Iowa, zone 5 and have updated my profile settings accordingly!

It would be safe to plant in a more permanent home for now wouldn't it? If I went that route. Which I am leaning more towards.. Then come spring time make an air layer.. From what I've seen its too late to air layer now...

Thanks again!

Brian Van Fleet · Jul 24, 2015

Welcome. I was born and raised in Waterloo, graduated from ISU. Not many J. maples do well in the ground up there, so plan to keep it in a pot. Layering should be delayed until next spring. PM me if you want some bonsai contacts up there.

cMan5 · Jul 24, 2015

Awesome! Good ol cyclone huh?

So planning on keeping it in a pot, what would my winter steps be? I understand I am opening another can of worms here, but I need my newbie questions out.. From what I have understood, I have a detached garage I was planning on placing it in elevated off the ground. Other than that I should be good to go?

Brian Van Fleet said:
Welcome. I was born and raised in Waterloo, graduated from ISU. Not many J. maples do well in the ground up there, so plan to keep it in a pot. Layering should be delayed until next spring. PM me if you want some bonsai contacts up there.

Brian Van Fleet · Jul 24, 2015

After the first or second good frost I'd place it in the garage, on the floor and mulch it in. Check it for water every couple weeks. It will probably come out of dormancy slightly earlier than it is safe to leave it outside next spring, but we can get to that later.

Alain · Jul 24, 2015

Brian Van Fleet said:
Welcome. I was born and raised in Waterloo, graduated from ISU. Not many J. maples do well in the ground up there, so plan to keep it in a pot. Layering should be delayed until next spring. PM me if you want some bonsai contacts up there.

That's funny, here in Il there are a lot of Japanese maples in the gardens. Is Iowa weather much different than Il's one?

cMan5 · Jul 25, 2015

Alain said:
That's funny, here in Il there are a lot of Japanese maples in the gardens. Is Iowa weather much different than Il's one?

Not sure, wouldn't think so. Guess I'm just going to keep it in this pot until next spring! Thanks guys!

drew33998 · Jul 28, 2015

I would be hesitant to try to air layer it. Even in my climate, long growing season I was unable to get this variety to layer. Eventually it even ended up killing the parent tree. I have no problem with Green JM's, Shishigashira, Glowing Embers JM layering. Never had a red variety take for me. But that is my own relative experience. Others may state otherwise.

cMan5 · Jul 28, 2015

drew33998 said:
I would be hesitant to try to air layer it. Even in my climate, long growing season I was unable to get this variety to layer. Eventually it even ended up killing the parent tree. I have no problem with Green JM's, Shishigashira, Glowing Embers JM layering. Never had a red variety take for me. But that is my own relative experience. Others may state otherwise.

How do you feel about trimming down next year to bonsai size? Or trimming down half? Would you be hesitant to do that?

Eric Group · Jul 28, 2015

This is a lace leaf variety- it will be grafted on a stronger root stock and probably not as easy to root as many other varieties of JM. Not us re if these make great Bonsai or not, but they are fantastic landscape trees!

For Bonsai, a layered tree would be a better option! Might be worth a try, I have never had a layer kill the parent tree.

cMan5 · Jul 28, 2015

Eric Group said:
This is a lace leaf variety- it will be grafted on a stronger root stock and probably not as easy to root as many other varieties of JM. Not us re if these make great Bonsai or not, but they are fantastic landscape trees!

For Bonsai, a layered tree would be a better option! Might be worth a try, I have never had a layer kill the parent tree.

Good to know a second opinion about a layer killing the parent, I thought that was interesting..

I search for a location of graft, but cannot seem to find one.. Atleast not noticeable to my eye.. I will post a picture tomorrow of the trunk closer..

I love the tree.. I just keep leaning towards a nice pot for it, and an attempted air layer next year..

Cmanz · Jul 28, 2015

Welcome to the forum cman5. I would air layer that tree in a few spots that way you improve your odds of victory. The most important thing to success with air layers is not to mess with them once you have them wrapped up. Forget about them completely and don't poke at them for at least a few months. Graham Potter has a great video on YouTube showing the technique.
I have not layered Crimson Queen but have had success with Red Dragon, which is another red weeping lace leaf.

Cheers.

cMan5 · Jul 30, 2015

Cmanz said:
Welcome to the forum cman5. I would air layer that tree in a few spots that way you improve your odds of victory. The most important thing to success with air layers is not to mess with them once you have them wrapped up. Forget about them completely and don't poke at them for at least a few months. Graham Potter has a great video on YouTube showing the technique.
I have not layered Crimson Queen but have had success with Red Dragon, which is another red weeping lace leaf.

Cheers.

Thanks Cmanz!

What to do with my new Maple?

cMan5

Seedling

Attachments

quietobserver

Omono

JudyB

Queen of the Nuts

Alain

Omono

j evans

Omono

cMan5

Seedling

Brian Van Fleet

Pretty Fly for a Bonsai Guy

cMan5

Seedling

Brian Van Fleet

Pretty Fly for a Bonsai Guy

Alain

Omono

cMan5

Seedling

drew33998

Masterpiece

cMan5

Seedling

Eric Group

Masterpiece

cMan5

Seedling

Cmanz

Yamadori

cMan5

Seedling

Similar threads