Fixing nebari on a dug out maple

[Danonito]

Last year when I moved in a new house , the previous owners had this japanese maple in the yard which I dug out last winter. Im unsure of it's identity though (burgundy baby leaves, lime green mature leaves and orange fall color, acer palmatum group). Its currently in a training pot however I am unsure of how to fix this bad root flare. The flare is really nice under the soil spreading outwards but the main thick roots go up more vertically than I'd like above the soil level. What options do I have?

1) air/groundlayer above the bad roots? (last years airlayer attempt on this tree failed while it was still in the ground, not sure if it layers easily or not)
2) develop a nebari higher (so deeper pot) and try to get more thin roots at the same height?
3) same as #2 but with root grafting?(not sure where I will find the same species though)
4) Progressivelly chop the big roots while checking on growth of new roots?
5) stich a rock in that void and make it in a future root over rock?
6) Leave it and appreciate how it is?

Whatever option I choose I know already this tree will be a multi year project Thank you all for the insights.

 

[penumbra]

I have a similar one to ponder. I will probably end up planting it deeper and cutting back one or two large roots at a time to hopefully encourage smaller and better spaced roots.

 

[coltranem]

I have a similar one to ponder. I will probably end up planting it deeper and cutting back one or two large roots at a time to hopefully encourage smaller and better spaced roots.

I haven't tried this myself but there is a method shown on the Bonsai Shishi channel

This shows the results of the technique on a different tree.

 

[Dav4]

If this were mine, I'd be planning a ground layer to start rebuilding the nebari, then have J.p. seedlings around to perform root grafts as needed.

 

[AlainK]

I would follow what the videos show.

 

[Danonito]

Thank you all for your inputs. I see its still debatable what to do. I' ve seen both videos and they are interesting indeed. My only concern is that I dont want to lose the tree and Im not experienced at all with this technique. Maybe a combination of ground layer + the method shown is my course of action but I have until late winter to decide.

 

[AlainK]

I have until late winter to decide.

Do it now!

We're going to have a long, warm summer here in Europe.

6 weeks and if it's well taken of, you can severe the former roots and have a strong healthy tree.

 

[Danonito]

Do it now!

I thought the video shows this action done in February in Japan? It won't interfere with the growth for the remaining of summer? Excuse my doubts as I'm inexperienced with such techniques and I only wish the tree to survive If you think I can do it now, I have all the necessary tools to do so.

 

[leatherback]

Before you do anything, what does the tree look like. Just to make sure you need a horizontal nebari, and not a slanted one for the future position of the tree.
after that, I would aim for a regular ground layer over the tops of the current roots. (The video does not really show anything different!)

 

[Danonito]

Yes You are correct. I attach a picture of how it looks today. In the background you can see an air layer in progress. The tree is pretty out of proportion so I am considering to do a hard chop either now or in winter to reduce the size to about a third of the height. The trunk doesnt have a lot of bend but that is for the future. Would love to hear your thoughts how to combine trunk chops and nebari work without distressing the tree too much.

 

[leatherback]

I would do the trunk chop before nebari work. You need all the reserves you can get before you do major chops.
How low will you go? Instead of chopping, layering the top out?

 

[Danonito]

How low will you go? Instead of chopping, layering the top out?

At the red line if I am brave enough or at the blue if I am not. the two back branches will be chopped anyway. I would love to airlayer but last year it wasnt successful and on the current one now I see no roots after about 3 months but I guess i'll be patient. I was considering to chop it now in summer but I keep to be reluctant to lose all this nice foliage for fall

 

[leatherback]

OK, I would consider going lower. THink why you are chopping. Taper? Movement? Then look at what you have left after the considered chops. THink ahead in time, imagine (Sketch, photoshop) the image after a canopy has developed. Is that what you are after?

In the end, you need to feel confident.

If you were unsuccessfull: Have you identified the cause? If not, what have you verified? Failing to have succes in a procedure is not a problem. Failing to learn from it is, because then there is absolutely no reason to believe that the next time will be a better success!

 

[Danonito]

Thank you for the kind feedback, I will keep it in mind. Have I missed the window of an airlayer on the main trunk you think?

OK, I would consider going lower. THink why you are chopping. Taper?

 

[leatherback]

Have I missed the window of an airlayer on the main trunk you think?

Add 6-8 weeks minimum to get decent rooting
Add 6 weeks after separating until first frost

14 weeks
Frost in October

Barely possible.

I would not start one now if the tree were important. And.. If you do not know why the currect branch is not rooting, first figure that out.

 

[Nivel]

Some more material, chopped to the bare minimun

 

[leatherback]

Some more material, chopped to the bare minimun

which species & country & season though?

 

[Nivel]

which species & country & season though?

It is Japan, work done when the trees are inactive. The species: Ume, Yabai, (prunus), Yamamomiji, and Beni Chidori (acers).

 

[BobbyLane]

I haven't tried this myself but there is a method shown on the Bonsai Shishi channel

This shows the results of the technique on a different tree.

Thats pretty cool, I wonder if it would work on Beech.