Acer palmatum #1 [big babs]

[Don Blackmond]

Jaco, I feed a combo of cakes with chemical ferts. In my case I use a brand called MEANGREEN. I use it throughout the growing season. I alternate every week starting in early spring between fish emulsion, Peter's 20/20 and Miracle Grow. If trees are in a more refined state, I don't feed until the leaves have hardened off in June.

MeanGreen originally formulated by Marc Torppa, iirc.

 

[MACH5]

Really nice tree and I like the fact that it has deadwood as a major feature. Looking forward to seeing it in the new pot.

Yes is a little different from a more traditional Japanese maple. I am sure in Japan this may have been thrown out. Also, it's shear size specially for a J. maple is what I liked.

I will update as soon as I get it into its new pot.

 

[MACH5]

MeanGreen originally formulated by Marc Torppa, iirc.

Interesting Don. I know that Karen Proctor up in Rochester, NY makes it and sells it. I guess she must have bought the formula from Marc. I believe that Bill uses this stuff as well.

 

[Don Blackmond]

Interesting Don. I know that Karen Proctor up in Rochester, NY makes it and sells it. I guess she must have bought the formula from Marc. I believe that Bill uses this stuff as well.

She bought the rights to it about 8 or 9 years ago, iirc.

 

[Nybonsai12]

She bought the rights to it about 8 or 9 years ago, iirc.

good thing it didn't get damaged during shipping!!




Tree looks great Sergio and has looked great at all stages throughout your development of it.

 

[MACH5]

good thing it didn't get damaged during shipping!!

ROTFLMAO!!

 

[Don Blackmond]

good thing it didn't get damaged during shipping!!

Evidently, Sugar Snout didn't pack it....

 

[Dav4]

Great tree, and I absolutely love the side by side progression photos. Are you attempting to preserve the deadwood, or letting nature take it's course? I think a hollowed out trunk could be in this one's future, which wouldn't be so bad in my opinion.

 

[MACH5]

Great tree, and I absolutely love the side by side progression photos. Are you attempting to preserve the deadwood, or letting nature take it's course? I think a hollowed out trunk could be in this one's future, which wouldn't be so bad in my opinion.

Thanks Dave! Yes I am with Minwax wood hardener a couple of times a year. This is of course not a forever type of thing but trying to preserve it as much as possible because it looks really beautiful. For now, most of it is quite hard and solid. A hollowed out trunk could well be the end game here. It may eventually just all happen naturally which also could yield interesting results.

 

[nover18]

Interesting Don. I know that Karen Proctor up in Rochester, NY makes it and sells it. I guess she must have bought the formula from Marc. I believe that Bill uses this stuff as well.

What's the best way to get MeanGreen?

 

[MACH5]

What's the best way to get MeanGreen?

I used to get it directly from Karen Proctor. Her site is (was) called Reflections in Water Bonsai. It doesn't look like is up anymore? Hollow Creek Bonsai sells it. Regardless, although I had good success with this fertilizer, I am sure other brands will yield good results as well.

 

[John Romano]

I used to get it directly from Karen Proctor. Her site is (was) called Reflections in Water Bonsai. It doesn't look like is up anymore? Hollow Creek Bonsai sells it. Regardless, although I had good success with this fertilizer, I am sure other brands will yield good results as well.

I just got some from Karen. I email her directly. She is still making it and it is very good fertilizer.

 

[MACH5]

I just got some from Karen. I email her directly. She is still making it and it is very good fertilizer.

Thanks John! Thought perhaps she was out of the business but glad you can still get it directly from her. Good to see you here! I look forward to your demo at Bergen Bonsai in June.

 

[crust]

Despite suffering from a terrible cold and some fever, the show must go on and Mother Nature does not wait! Among other trees that needed attention, I had to set some time aside to wire Big Babs before she went into leaf. Took close to about 8 hours to wire most of it all the way to the tips. Every year it takes longer as the branch density increases.

The top portion still needs the most development. I am aiming for a dense, rounded top. In a week or two it will be transplanted into a new custom made Ron Lang pot as per post #29. At that time I plan on making one or two root grafts.
Freaking stunning wire work. A good example of the success of dormancy wiring--amazing.




















Here is a quick at-a-glance progression.

 

[MACH5]

Babs just got repotted into her new Ron Lang pot. I think a big difference from the previous pot. She was turned a few degrees counterclockwise to feature more of the base and tilted a few degrees to the right so that she is now slightly more upright. She is even heavier now!






Two root grafts were also made.

 

[JudyB]

Very nice container, love the little halo of color. Suits her well!

 

[Djtommy]

Very nice container, love the little halo of color. Suits her well!

Thats indeed a very nice pot

 

[MACH5]

Very nice container, love the little halo of color. Suits her well!

Thanks Judy. Yes I also really like that bit of orange-brown halo. On the other side is not as obvious so I chose this front. Ron unfortunately had to make this pot twice. By mistake, he glazed the first one in cream. I did not like it although I tried. So he made the second one in the glaze I had originally ordered.

 

[erb.75]

that is the correct pot for the tree..no question!

 

[GroveKeeper]

Gorgeous tree. It might just be my eye but something about the pot looks off to me. Maybe it's the foliage extending over both edges. Or maybe the gnarly roots clash with a smooth sided rectangular pot. That's just my opinion though.