Another Japanese Maple- what to do

[discusmike]

I see a better shot of that lower wound, probalbly won't heal.

 

[youngsai]

As soon as I saw the tree, I thought that chop should be a uro, and you made it a beautiful although I might have gone deeper. Really nice tree though.

I like playing this game! I think it's far more useful to guess what work is going to be done, and then see where the two ideas differ.

Although I would try not be swayed by someone else's ideas, but I know that is not possible. Therefore I think not saying the idea until people have seen the tree and thought about it first is much more useful.

For any poker players out there, I can equate it to watching the WSOP with the cards showing or not showing. The not showing the cards definitely sharpens up my reading skills more than showing the cards.

 

[Dav4]

Are you leaving the low branch for healing the large chop, or planning a twin trunk? Nice job getting rid of the field roots, what a diffrence in a few seasons.

Definitely a double trunk. As you said, the wound won't ever heal...time to break out the die grinder.

 

[discusmike]

Good stuff! Cant wait to see it in a few seasons, good luck.

 

[Dav4]

Yesterday, I made two thread grafts on this one and the wounds really dripped a lot of sap, so I said to my self, "time to repot!". The pictures are self explanatory, but I thought I should add that there are small roots beginning to grow in the areas that don't seem to have any,
and I placed some small stones in between some of those bigger roots to spread them apart.

 

[Dav4]

Another year gone, another time to see how the roots on this one are doing. I think they're coming along well enough, though they could always be better. Maybe being planted inakadama will help...stay tuned.

 

[petegreg]

Jaws down, sir. The plan was perfect, this tree is genuine, extraordinary, beautiful. Will follow it with interest.

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

Getting an early start, eh? I'm hoping to put off any repotting for at least another 2 weeks. I must not be fully recovered from last year!

 

[Dav4]

Getting an early start, eh? I'm hoping to put off any repotting for at least another 2 weeks. I must not be fully recovered from last year!

Well, sort of... I'd love to be able to wait until the buds are really swelling before doing the deed, but the job and the family have yet to come on board with that scenario. Anyway, the 10 day forecast looked good, I had a 2 day weekend, the wife and daughter were out of town, the son was working on a project and sleeping over a friend's house last night, I was planning to smoke two five pound chickens today and would be spending a lot of time in the backyard anyway, and the hawthorn's buds were swelling which meant re-potting season was upon me. Simply put, all things in my universe had come into alignment and I would be a fool to ignore them...it was time.

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

I understand how that goes. Hawthorns are tough and start early. I've beaten mine back about has hard as you did, and had it freeze solid a few days later. It never missed a beat.

 

[sorce]

A Dav Fav!

Looks incredibly real to me!

Progress!

Sorce

 

[Dav4]

So, I did a little carving of an old scar and a bit of hollowing, too. Since the large uro really makes the tree, it seems appropriate to add similar features further up the trunk. There will likely be more work like this in the future...I'm actually planning to eventually have an entirely hollow trunk. I'll have more pics once the leaves have dropped.

 

[Giga]

I really like hollowed gnarly maples, might be my favorite type of bonsai, @MACH5 has a nice one and this is on it way to be another goodie!

 

[parhamr]

The overall aesthetic is a bit rough and gnarly and I like that: this tree has seen some shit and it will not be deterred!

 

[Dav4]

I decided to do a bit more carving today, before it gets any further into the season. I also connected all the uros inside the trunk. The heartwood will start to rot now and I expect to enhance the uros over time.

 

[markyscott]

Cool fertilizer cups!!! How are they working out for you?

Scott

 

[Dav4]

Cool fertilizer cups!!! How are they working out for you?

Scott

So far, so good! I should have read the fine print in your thread where you discussed them...I bought 1" pipe which is a tad narrow, so they're a bit hard to fill and they tip over easily, but they contain the fert for the most part.

 

[Paradox]

So far, so good! I should have read the fine print in your thread where you discussed them...I bought 1" pipe which is a tad narrow, so they're a bit hard to fill and they tip over easily, but they contain the fert for the most part.

Where are they discussed? Link please?

 

[Dav4]

Where are they discussed? Link please?

Ahhh, really not sure where to send you other then one of Scott's (markyscott) threads...most likely the one on ebihara maples. The cups are simply pvc pipes cut into 1-2" lengths that you pour your fert into...contains it and prevents the clogging up you entire soil surface.

 

[markyscott]

Where are they discussed? Link please?

It's been discussed in a number of posts. Here's one, but there are others too.

http://www.bonsainut.com/threads/so-many-fertilizer-questions-so-little-time.23063/

So far, so good! I should have read the fine print in your thread where you discussed them...I bought 1" pipe which is a tad narrow, so they're a bit hard to fill and they tip over easily, but they contain the fert for the most part.

I hear you - the 1 1/2" is better for exactly those reasons.

S