MACH5
Imperial Masterpiece
Yes absolutely. I would layer about 1/4 to a 1/3 up the trunk. I think this will vastly improve your proportions. You can always use what's left to create another tree.
Japanese Maple Surprise
- Thread starter tmmason10
- Start date
Yes absolutely. I would layer about 1/4 to a 1/3 up the trunk. I think this will vastly improve your proportions. You can always use what's left to create another tree.
moyogijohn
Seedling
japanese maple suprise
You found a very nice tree to start with !! i really like the trunk and am sure the branching will work out.. i have 2 red maples and they will change colors durning the year.. from what i see you will not have to change very much..good fine !! john
You found a very nice tree to start with !! i really like the trunk and am sure the branching will work out.. i have 2 red maples and they will change colors durning the year.. from what i see you will not have to change very much..good fine !! john
tmmason10
Omono
This tree has done horribly this year. It never got healthy and on top of that, it was left at my mother in laws house for the month of July in between moves. My other maples has done so well but this one seems off, maybe the rot is worse than I thought? Anyways, I updated the rest of my trees so I thought I'd post this one too. Hopefully it recovers this fall and takes off next spring.
MACH5
Imperial Masterpiece
Sorry to hear Tom an hopefully it will bounce back. I would place this tree in bright shade and make sure not to overwater since it is clear you have root issues. I don't usually recommend babying trees with too much winter protection even up here in the North East but this one I would.
Out of curiosity, what is your soil composition?
Out of curiosity, what is your soil composition?
tmmason10
Omono
Actually, it's in NE bonsai's premium mix. I know that it probably dried out this past month but even before that it was only creeping along. It's so strange since my other maples have really taken off this year. Perhaps I didn't remove enough of the old soil while repotting this past spring.
It's worth a note that it certainly didn't look like it was growin well last year before I bought it eithe. There is a rot or fungus on the base of the trunk and I wonder if it is also affecting its health.
http://www.nebonsai.com/mm5/merchan...duct_Code=PremiumBonsaiMix&Category_Code=SOIL
MACH5
Imperial Masterpiece
What is exactly the rot that's happening at the bottom? Can you take close ups of it?
tmmason10
Omono
Sure I can try and get a photo later.
tmmason10
Omono
The first picture is of the rot/fungus that I knew was there when I bought it. The second picture is new fungus I think that came this year. The plan was to airlayer above the fungus and it clearly needs to be done now. John said that this is a typical fungus that he has see. On japanse maples in the area. The third picture is a cool one of wild grapes in different shades of color behind my bench.
0soyoung
Imperial Masterpiece
This is not caused by a fungus, but instead is caused by the tree having gotten too dry which caused areas of the vascular cambium to die a season or more ago.
The bark covering areas where the cambium did die remains in place, so the damage is not noticeable initially. The surrounding live cambium will continue to grow. As this cambial growth/repair process proceeds, the bark over this dead area is lifted up (there is no growth where there is no living vascular cambium) creating a gap or hollow under the bark. At first, the hollow will not be apparent unless you were to grip/poke the area - it will feel 'spongy'/'corky'. Regardless of whether you touch it or not, the dry bark will ultimately crack and flake away to reveal exactly what you have pictured.
This 'hollow' may harbor 'a fungus' at some point, but it is only an after effect, not the cause.
tmmason10
Omono
Interesting, thanks for your response! It makes sense to me. This would undoubtably cause the tree to be weak I assume, will layering above fix the situation or would you think the cambium is damaged up the side of he tree?
0soyoung
Imperial Masterpiece
Yes, it has been weakened from what it was before. Clearly it has recoved somewhat since.
Layering is the only way you can quickly be rid of the damage/scars - eventually (many years) they will be grown over, though.
Damage usually extends up (axially) along the bole - just feel along the trunk for 'sponginess'.
The risk in girdling a weak JM is that the roots die in the process which will kill your layer too. The girdle you make for a layer completely cuts off the tree below from the photosynthate (sugar) and auxin stimulant from the canopy above. If the roots have little stored starch they will starve unless there is a branch(es) or new shoot(s) break below the girdle to feed them (clearly this isn't an issue when one air-layers a branch). When the roots die, the supply of water and mineral nutrients through the xylem stops = dead tree (leaves quickly wither and dry over the course of days to weeks, progressing from the bottom to the top of the tree).
So, if you can discern where the nodes are along the trunk, leave a couple below your girdle. JMs only bud and sprout from their nodes.
tmmason10
Omono
Thanks again for your response. Makes a lot of sense.
lordy
Omono
I apologize for this Off-topic side bar--
Not sure about your area, but around here, this is called Porcelaiin Berry and is considered noxious in that it spreads like kudzu. I found this on google:
Threats: The very features that make porcelain-berry attractive as a landscape plant also make it a problem in natural areas. Although relatively slow to establish, it grows quickly and, once established, is tenacious and can be difficult to remove. It is relatively insect and disease resistant, and can outcompete native species for water and nutrients. The thick mats of porcelain-berry, which are so attractive to landscapers, spatially usurp other plants.
Control: Surprisingly, this invasive plant is still popular in the horticultural trade. The most effective control is removal from commercial trade and the use of alternative plants for landscaping and gardening. Some alternative species include trumpet honeysuckle, goldflame honeysuckle and jackman clematis.
Where removal of porcelain-berry is necessitated, hand pulling the plants should be done before the plant is in fruit to avoid scattering seeds. Because the roots of porcelain-berry plants often merge with shrubs or other desirable vegetation, this type of manual removal is difficult in well established patches without damaging the desirable vegetation as well. If hand pulling is not feasible, porcelain-berry may be removed by the spot application of gryphosphate herbicides to individual plants'. As glyphosphate is a non-selective herbicide, it-should be used sparingly so as not to contact desirable plants growing with porcelain-berry. Herbicide treatment is most effective when applied toward the end of the growing season when plants are actively transporting nutrients from stems and leaves to root systems. As with manual removal of plants, follow-up treatments may be needed in subsequent years to remove plants which have sprouted from seeds remaining in the soil.
Reference:
Spangler, R. L 1977. Landscape Plants for the Central and
Northeastern United States Including Lower and Eastern Canada
BurgessPublishingCompany,U.S.A.S06pp.
tmmason10
Omono
I think you're right on this. I am in the process of removing all ivy from my back yard so it will be going. I like the berries though, maybe I'll try a cutting.
tmmason10
Omono
This tree is now on consignment at NE Bonsai for $350. I thought that I would offer it to any b-nutters for half that. I have a good amount more into it than that, believe it or not that pot itself cost $60. The tree is quite tall and heavy so it would be pick up only.
tmmason10
Omono
Well I kept the tree, and I'm glad I still have it. It still didn't grow as strong as my other maples but did better this year. I think it could use some shade cloth, it just doesn't seem to stay happy. Added a few wires but this needs layers and chops in the future. Let me know if you have any ideas.
Attachments
JudyB
Queen of the Nuts
Does the lower part of the tree look heavy in person? I like the way the tree is showing in the current photo, as a tall curvy feminine tree, but wonder if the lower part is too heavy to work with that idea. Also it may be too tall of a tree for your vision if left that way. But just looking at the thumbnail without blowing it up, the proportions and shape are nice as is.
Nybonsai12
Masterpiece
I like the current shape and size. when looking at it my only desire would be another one or two lower branches.i think filled in it would look great.
JudyB
Queen of the Nuts
PHP:
I agree, but not too much lower than the current branches. This tree is sort of a one of kind, I think I'd embrace what it is, as opposed to chopping it up. I would restart a couple branches on the left side that are pretty heavy, and at one of those branches, there is a V pair that I'd get rid of one of. Maybe just one branch added at the outside of the first curve to the left... I like this tree the more I look at it.
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tmmason10
Omono
The lower branches will be grown out a bit wider for sure. It has had dieback on most of the branches last year and the next few years will be spent building the lower branches back up.
I like the tree as is. I think the bottom is not too heavy and has a taller look to it. Its a very tall tree, and I think I like it that way. Planting a little deeper could help the base look less heavy. Still trying to figure out what to do with the rot on the lower trunk, maybe make it a feature of some sort. The only part I don't like about the tree, besides the branches Judy pointed out, is the circled part of the trunk. It's a big zig zag in an otherwise nicely flowing trunk. Possible future foliage outline in the second picture.
I like the tree as is. I think the bottom is not too heavy and has a taller look to it. Its a very tall tree, and I think I like it that way. Planting a little deeper could help the base look less heavy. Still trying to figure out what to do with the rot on the lower trunk, maybe make it a feature of some sort. The only part I don't like about the tree, besides the branches Judy pointed out, is the circled part of the trunk. It's a big zig zag in an otherwise nicely flowing trunk. Possible future foliage outline in the second picture.
