Arakawa Maple Progression

eplov90

Sapling
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I finally managed to find a decent Arakawa maple the other month and am now finalizing my plan for it. From an overall design perspective, I am leaning towards growing out a second trunk and making it a mother-daughter composition, but haven't settled on the front yet.

IMG-3361.jpgIMG-3357.jpg

First things first, it has an obvious graft so I plan to ground layer in the coming weeks to get it on its own roots.

There is also a whole trunk section with no branches so I'll grow out a few whips to thread graft late next winter.

I'm particularly unsure of how to begin building the Apex -- any advice would be much appreciated.

Side note -- if I ground layer it, realistically, is there any way to salvage the plain AP stump that will remain to create a short, stout new tree? After I separate the Arakawa portion, if I thread graft an AP seedling or two through the stump, will it survive despite having been buried for a while.
 

SeanS

Omono
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Layering right below where the lowest branch originated from the trunk sounds like a great plan for a twin trunk tree

I’d probably try to graft a shoot on the root stock first before layering off the top. Timing of removing the layer and then trying to get a graft to take on the root stock would be a little tight to get it done before winter in order to keep the stump alive for the following spring
 

Lutonian

Chumono
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Hi did you get this from windy bank bonsai i was eyeing them up on my last visit a few weeks ago, I ended up buying the largest azalea i could find.

regarding the apex building this link may help http://bonsai4me.com/AdvTech/ATapexbuilding.htm

Regarding the layering, there is always a risk with an air layer, practice and technique will reduce this risk to expectable levels with a high probability it will work but there is always a chance it may not work. an alternative could be approach grafting several rooted cutting of your arakawa around the trunk and use the grafted roots to sustain the tree when cut it off. this will give you control over where the roots are on the nebari and you can thread graft the non arakawa root stock with branches at the same time if you want to keep it. the downsides to this is the added time it will take.
 

eplov90

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@SeanS Good points. I've never done a thread graft before -- can you still do one now that most maples have started leafing out? Would you wait until the leaves harden then defoliate in order to thread the whip through the hole? Would the whip survive if part of it is buried in akadama while I'm ground layering above? I'd be a little a nervous about that setup.

@Lutonian Yes I got it at Windbank back in Feb -- @SgtPilko tipped me off. They did get a new shipment very recently so they have more options now.
 

Lutonian

Chumono
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@SeanS Good points. I've never done a thread graft before -- can you still do one now that most maples have started leafing out? Would you wait until the leaves harden then defoliate in order to thread the whip through the hole? Would the whip survive if part of it is buried in akadama while I'm ground layering above? I'd be a little a nervous about that setup.

@Lutonian Yes I got it at Windbank back in Feb -- @SgtPilko tipped me off. They did get a new shipment very recently so they have more options now.

It's tempting to go back down there and pick one up, this will be a fun project for you, your mother and daughter idea sounds cool I love a good twin trunk
 
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