Acer buergeranum Beginner suggestion

[remist17]

Hello all;
I just bought a Acer Buergeranum from a bonsai nursery. It is a pre bonsai material. The base is about .50" to .75" and over all height is about 24".

It currently is in a 4" pot and I will be putting it something else.

My questions:
Should this go directly in the ground or can I put it in a 24"x18" grow box I made out of 1x6.
Should I start to style it or let it grow out the trunk?
what fertilizer should I put on the tree?

Thanks

 

[garywood]

Remist, is it leafed out yet? When starting projects like this, have a clear objective in mind. You have the opportunity to grow the tree that you want. Size, shape, style your choice. By defining your goals a lot of time and growth can be put into what you want and not lost on things that don't contribut to the ultimate plan. Hope this helps
Wood
http://thingsofwood-gary.blogspot.com/

 

[Ang3lfir3]

My questions:
Should this go directly in the ground or can I put it in a 24"x18" grow box I made out of 1x6.

Depends ... if you want to leave it there for say 5 yrs and let it go wild it will have a nice size trunk .... putting it in a grow box will slow that process down .... in either case just let it grow

Should I start to style it or let it grow out the trunk?

You need to put some movement low in the trunk.... branches are still a few years off... but wire some movement into the trunk if you can ... otherwise you will need to do that via growing technique...

what fertilizer should I put on the tree?

right now nothing... especially after you transplant it..... just let it grow ..... once it's established and happy you can start feeding with just about anything... Miracle Grow works... but again right now... nothing....

 

[Ang3lfir3]

ohhh and listen to Gary ..... ...

 

[remist17]

The tree has leafs on it. I will place it in the ground and let it grow as it wants. The trunk might be a little hard to bend but I will try.

 

[mcpesq817]

Tridents grow incredibly quickly in the ground. I put a 3/4" trunk trident in the ground 3 years ago that is now pushing 15' tall and a 4" trunk (base probably close to 6"). I planted mine on a ceramic tile, and it seems to have done a nice job encouraging a spreading root base.

 

[remist17]

How do you think they would grow in a clay soil? My ground is terrible. That is why I was leaning to a grow box for it.

 

[Ang3lfir3]

How do you think they would grow in a clay soil? My ground is terrible. That is why I was leaning to a grow box for it.

Most of Oregon (where most ornamental trees are grown is clay) HOWEVER .... you should prolly go with the large grow box as this will provide you with better roots in the long run ..... clay is full of nutrients but won't give you the dense hair roots you need for proper pot culture ....

 

[jk_lewis]

The trunk might be a little hard to bend but I will try.

Don't force it!!!! There are perfectly decent trident styles that don't necessarily need "movement" in the trunk.

Can you give us a picture of your tree?

 

[Ang3lfir3]

yeah .... when I suggested you add movement I only meant if possible.... which means... don't break it

 

[mcpesq817]

How do you think they would grow in a clay soil? My ground is terrible. That is why I was leaning to a grow box for it.

I have the Virginia red clay soil. Not sure how it compares with your clay though.

 

[mrcasey]

My personal view is that trunk wiring, except for the more abstract bunjin, is overrated. My opinion parallel's Brent's. Click this link and scroll down to the section titled Trunk Movement: http://bonsainurseryman.typepad.com/

 

[akhater]

For whatever it is worth I have found that "ground" doesn't work at all for me, at least in my garden.

I have done the test with a ficus and a pomegranate 2 of each one in the ground (very heavy red clay soil) and one in a pot with fast draining and I can tell you the results of the pots are much much better. The ficus more than doubled its size in 2 years

 

[akhater]

For whatever it is worth I have found that "ground" doesn't work at all for me, at least in my garden.

I have done the test with 2 ficus one in the ground (very heavy red clay soil) and one in a pot with fast draining and I can tell you the results of the pots are much much better. The ficus more than doubled its size in 2 years

 

[Bill S]

Raised beds work for those of you with bad earth to work with, it'll give you growth, ease of recollecting, choice of soil to use. Remember if you do this, things will dry quicker than if planted directly in the ground.

 

[remist17]

thanks all. My camera is dead so I need to get a new one. i picked up another larger maple from Lowes. It got hit with Frost and the leaves dies back. I bought it for 5 bucks and it is about 24" tall and about 1/2" trunk. I am going to put this one in a grow box and the other in a raised bed.

i am also going ot put the elm I got in a larger pot.

My soil mix I am going to use is 2 parts soil conditioner to 1 part turface. IS this ok for trees? Or should I go the other way with the mix?

 

[gergwebber]

when planting out, I find it useful to plant in an irrigated and well tended bed. amend with lots of compost and mulch just like any other bed. I even tuck bonsai experiments into the veggie garden where they get the absolute richest soil possible and a bit of shade (from tomatoes and beans) in the heat of summer.

 

[remist17]

I would like to know using the below listed material, what would the soil mix for the tree be? I remember reading some place maples like a wet feet???

Turface
Soil conidtioner (pine bark)
Dry stall
Granni grit grower

I will plant the tree in a 14x12x6 grow box. I was thinking 2parts turface 1 part dry stall 1 part soil conditioner?

 

[rockm]

Maples do not like wet feet. They like evenly moist soil that drains. Mix would be 60/40 gritty stuff/organics. You can go leaner, but you'll have to make sure things don't dry out to fast.

 

[fore]

Unless you have a very large maple, 14x12 sounds a bit large. As well, make it 3" deep to promote better nebari developememt.