Japanese Maple Progression

[PA_Penjing]

Another season, another progression thread. This tree was purchased on my 30th birthday, meaning I've had it for two winters and one growing season. It was originally in large anderson flat in soil that was so heavy I never actually had to water the tree once all fall or winter haha. In autumn 2019 the leaves just kind of turned brown and melted off, I blame the waterlogged soil. I snapped a photo (the first one below) of the dorky branch structure, the white areas are "paint pruned". Peter Adams was my only maple reference at that point. I removed 25% of the grown out and problem branches, but Adams suggested removing no more, without compromising hardiness so I saved the rest for summer.
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In spring I repotted it into a cedar box with much better soil after bare rooting it. The tree will never have perfect nebari but I'm hoping to achieve something okay in a few years. And I know this probably didn't speed up my timeline any but I bud pinched in spring 2020. The purpose was to stop any progression on the branches because I still had a lot of redundant stuff to remove and a lot of decisions yet to make. The tree's energy is spread very unevenly at the moment. During the summer I carved out some of the dead tissue so the trunk would hopefully heal without large lumps. I had to protect it from strong summer sun after a little scorch but was rewarded in the fall of 2020 with some decent color (second pic). Unfortunately the leaves were pretty big for a tree that was pinched, I feel like. Maybe as the twigs build the size will reduce..



I reduced another 25% of the poor and whorled branches that fall and have picked a path moving forward. I still plan on bud pinching the strong apex this spring while letting the weaker branches grow to gain girth/vigor. So far it's been a whole lot of prep, mostly eliminating straight parts of the tree and deciding what to keep. Once the primary branches reach their final sizes I will cut the back build from there. Plan to update this thread each winter. Below is a photo of the tree today, I may lightly wire a few twigs before bud break this year.



Feel free to give thoughts or opinions on my bud-pinching-during-development technique ha. I know this tree is dorky and will never be a show stopper but I like watching the seasons pass through it. Plus when it's in leaf it looks ok if you squint haha

 

[Johnnyd]

There are a lot of possibilities in this piece of material. What do you see?
I would be reducing the straight branches possibly even removing them at this time. But the 2d image may be distorting the real tree.

 

[leatherback]

I may lightly wire a few twigs before bud break this year.

For me, japanese maples are about fluid lines.. I would wire out all the branches that still allow it, so probably alle 1 and 2 year olds. And when you get new growth, wire that too. Japanese maple grow in straight segments. Key challenges to getting a flow in there is wiring when young, and removing sections where the internodes are far apart.

You will be surprised what a carefully done session of wiring can do to your tree. It will instantly improve massively.

Have you considered removing the left branch of the second big fork?
A more drastic trim also comes to mind, but that might be overkill.

 

[TN_Jim]

The two left trunks appear the same diameter, this would be an issue for me; also, the straight taperless right branch

If this were my tree, would be strongly considering making drastic cuts now to fix things that will likely never be most ideal in future....curious what the tree looks like from the opposite side

 

[PA_Penjing]

For me, japanese maples are about fluid lines.. I would wire out all the branches that still allow it, so probably alle 1 and 2 year olds. And when you get new growth, wire that too. Japanese maple grow in straight segments. Key challenges to getting a flow in there is wiring when young, and removing sections where the internodes are far apart.

You will be surprised what a carefully done session of wiring can do to your tree. It will instantly improve massively.

Have you considered removing the left branch of the second big fork?
A more drastic trim also comes to mind, but that might be overkill.

I had originally planned to remove that fork this year. The more I stared at it though, I started to feel like I would be left with a more 2 dimensional tree. I realize the pics posted dont show a whole lot. As far as wiring, that was also the original plan for this year (full wire). But I'm a little concerned that too much movement will highly how painfully straight some of the trunk sections are. Is that silly to worry about?

Suppose I should actually take a video of it on a turntable. Some of the straight branches in the photo actually move in other planes

 

[PA_Penjing]

@TN_Jim it's actually worse than the same diameter, the trunk on the left is a little thicker. I can add photos from other angles sometime soon. I can't see removing the main trunk doing much for this tree in the next 15 years. I have plenty of young project trees growing out with nice bases and dynamic trunks, they will replace this tree when they are done growing out. This one simply gives me a chance to make mistakes on a tree farther along in development so I'm ready for the real deal. I accept that it doesn't follow every aesthetic rule, it was $120 and I've already learned a lot from it. Basically I'm polishing a turd the best I can versus adding to my project pile

 

[GGB]

Wired up 1/4 or so of the most problematic branches I planned on keeping. And snipped off a few more redundant bits. Pinched a few areas that were gaining too much vigor and then a finch came by and pinched off a bunch of leaves at random . First pic is the front, second is the side and last is the back. Mostly the same but more of a 360 look at the tree

 

[sorce]

then a finch came by and pinched off a bunch of leaves at random

Did you ask him if it was random?

Sorce

 

[PA_Penjing]

Oops, posted with my iphone alter ego. 'Spose it wasn't random on the finches part it was random from a perspective of human control. About ready to sell of these diva maples and just collect some elms