Japanese maple #5 progression

[JudyB]

Yeah... The top of a good bonsai looks like a small "hokidachi".

And yet it can be the hardest part to pull off on some trees. Too many times it comes off looking like antlers...

 

[AlainK]

Too many times it comes off looking like antlers...

Eggs Act Lee !!!!

(sorry for the French accent)

 

[dirk hoorelbeke]

Ready for the spring leaves... don't let us wait...

 

[Mikecheck123]

Is "danger" your middle name?

 

[MACH5]

Ready for the spring leaves... don't let us wait...

Will do Dirk. Buds are swelling now.

The main tree apex is really resolving in a stunning way.

And to no big surprise the hardest to keep in check and avoid excessive thickening. In the last few years I have been applying what the Japanese call mekiri. This is done to strong apical shoots to balance the energy of the tree. Essentially it involves cutting cleanly the strong shoots about half way before they open. It is a convenient technique as you execute leaf cutting and pinching all at once.


Just for fun

 

[crust]

Will do Dirk. Buds are swelling now.




And to no big surprise the hardest to keep in check and avoid excessive thickening. In the last few years I have been applying what the Japanese call mekiri. This is done to strong apical shoots to balance the energy of the tree. Essentially it involves cutting cleanly the strong shoots about half way before they open. It is a convenient technique as you execute leaf cutting and pinching all at once.


Just for fun

View attachment 286634

The root flare development is superb

 

[MichaelS]

Nice work M5. I notice you paint them with lime sulphur. For whiteness or protection from P&D?

 

[MACH5]

Nice work M5. I notice you paint them with lime sulphur. For whiteness or protection from P&D?

Michael, I mainly use LS for aesthetic reasons. It brightens the bark and evens out all parts of the tree; old and new

 

[SouthernMaple]

Nice work M5. I notice you paint them with lime sulphur. For whiteness or protection from P&D?

When is it too late to put lime sulphur on trees? Can I apply after a repot if no leaves have started?

 

[MACH5]

When is it too late to put lime sulphur on trees? Can I apply after a repot if no leaves have started?

Yes as long as buds are not beginning to break. Make sure to protect pot and cover the soil if you are spraying it like I do.

 

[leatherback]

Just for fun

Skill * Time =

 

[leatherback]

Make sure to protect pot and cover the soil if you are spraying it like I do.

You could have made this remark 4 months ago, you know. Would have safed me a lot of cleaning up.
Just sayin'

 

[leatherback]

Essentially it involves cutting cleanly the strong shoots about half way before they open. It is a convenient technique as you execute leaf cutting and pinching all at once.

When you do this, could you take a picture or two? I am not sure how this works, but it sounds like a good technique to have available!

 

[MACH5]

When you do this, could you take a picture or two? I am not sure how this works, but it sounds like a good technique to have available!

Absolutely! Will do.

 

[cmeg1]

Will do Dirk. Buds are swelling now.




And to no big surprise the hardest to keep in check and avoid excessive thickening. In the last few years I have been applying what the Japanese call mekiri. This is done to strong apical shoots to balance the energy of the tree. Essentially it involves cutting cleanly the strong shoots about half way before they open. It is a convenient technique as you execute leaf cutting and pinching all at once.


Just for fun

View attachment 286634

Great before and after.....phoenominal actually!

 

[Canada Bonsai]

When you do this, could you take a picture or two? I am not sure how this works, but it sounds like a good technique to have available!

the pictures are unfortunately not nearly as good as @MACH5 's will be, but check out p.193 of Meriggioli's Bonsai Maples. He nicely presents mekiri alongside metsumi (pinching, 185-9), chigohagiri (190-1) and chigohazumi (192), which really helps to see the subtle nuances in the execution and effects of each technique

In the last few years I have been applying what the Japanese call mekiri

Sergio sorry to bother! Do you find that it is stimulating back-budding? Have you tried it on vigorous branches lower on the tree, or only in the apex? Thank you!

 

[thumblessprimate1]

the pictures are unfortunately not nearly as good as @MACH5 's will be, but check out p.193 of Meriggioli's Bonsai Maples. He nicely presents mekiri alongside metsumi (pinching, 185-9), chigohagiri (190-1) and chigohazumi (192), which really helps to see the subtle nuances in the execution and effects of each technique



Sergio sorry to bother! Do you find that it is stimulating back-budding? Have you tried it on vigorous branches lower on the tree, or only in the apex? Thank you!

Please ask him everything because I'll be reading Maples maples maples!

 

[MACH5]

the pictures are unfortunately not nearly as good as @MACH5 's will be, but check out p.193 of Meriggioli's Bonsai Maples. He nicely presents mekiri alongside metsumi (pinching, 185-9), chigohagiri (190-1) and chigohazumi (192), which really helps to see the subtle nuances in the execution and effects of each technique



Sergio sorry to bother! Do you find that it is stimulating back-budding? Have you tried it on vigorous branches lower on the tree, or only in the apex? Thank you!

No bother at all! I have done mekiri on very strong apical shoots but not only limited to the apex. Yes it does promote the development of those weaker buds further back. But the main reason to apply mekiri is to weaken very strong areas very early on. Doing mekiri, gives you a very early start rather than wait a bit longer to do the traditional bud pinching or metsumi. In some cases it is slightly too late and shoots have began to thicken and elongate. Of course these are all strategies for the "end game" and not for developing trees.

 

[thumblessprimate1]

No bother at all! I have done mekiri on very strong apical shoots but not only limited to the apex. Yes it does promote the development of those weaker buds further back. But the main reason to apply mekiri is to weaken very strong areas very early on. Doing mekiri, gives you a very early start rather than wait a bit longer to do the traditional bud pinching or metsumi. In some cases it is slightly too late and shoots have began to thicken and elongate. Of course these are all strategies for the "end game" and not for developing trees.

These techniques sounds so cool in Japanese. They sound like killer moves! They really are cool techniques We need some M5 manga.

 

[MACH5]

We need some M5 manga.
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