JM Dug, Few Roots Need Advice

[j evans]

I dug this JM from a family member's yard last night. Easy digging but found that the tree was set upon irrigation lines and it had few feeder roots and the larger roots are feet long and about the size of your ring finger. I tried a maple before and it did not survive I believe because of the lack of roots compared to the amount of foliage. I dug this last night and got it into the largest container that I have. I used a soil mixture and mulch chips to create a loose easily draining soil. My questions are should I remove some of the foliage back to a minimum amount to compensate for the lack of roots or should I just do a low chop? Initally I was wanting to try a few air layers before a chop but of course the ultimate goal is to save and use the trunk. What would you suggest?

 

[aml1014]

I would definitely cut back hard to reduce the stress on the roots. It's obviously quite far along in its spring growth so your pretty late.

I hope for the best.

Aaron

 

[j evans]

Here is the trunk, any additional ideas?

Thanks

Jamie

 

[j evans]

Aaron - Cut back as remove foliage or trunk chop? Thanks for the help.

Jamie

 

[Stickroot]

Aaron - Cut back as remove foliage or trunk chop? Thanks for the help.

Jamie

Air layer some good ones off it.

 

[aml1014]

Aaron - Cut back as remove foliage or trunk chop? Thanks for the help.

Jamie

I'd remove most of the foliage, probably 2/3 in my opinion. I've always had luck digging maples and just chopping but I agree there's some nice stuff to airlayer in the future.

Aaron

 

[j evans]

Any other suggestions?

 

[Paradox]

I suggest you do something (either cut back branches or chop) soon (today) or it won't matter because the tree will be dead.

You don't have the time to screw around and get a million ideas right now.

 

[j evans]

It will happen tonight as work seems to take a priority around here and work isn't my trees.

 

[sorce]

work isn't my trees.

There's something we gotta fix!

Sorce

 

[j evans]

There's something we gotta fix!

Sorce

I wish that you would let me know how. Most of the time work is ok but there are days, then I go home and stress about trees.

 

[0soyoung]

Put in shade. Build a humidity tent around it - clear/translucent poly sheeting laid over some kind of a frame (a square with 4 legs, say, or a mini hoop house) to enclose the tree. Spray a mist inside the tent at least as soon as the tree is in it. If you mist again, use a peroxide solution diluted at the rate of 2 tablespoons 3% hydrogen peroxide per quart of water. This will kill most fungi and bacteria that might be present.

The lower the relative humidity, the greater the rate of water loss by transpiration. The idea of a humidity tent is to keep the relative humidity around the foliage as close to 100% as is practical (you want it to be closed, though it doesn't need to be an hermetic seas) - if you see condensation in the mornings, you're good.

Keeping it out of direct sunlight will prevent cooking the tree. A lot of photosynthesis can/will occur in shade and photosynthesis is required to generate roots.

In effect, you have a really big cutting that you are trying to root. This will likely take the entire season - you shouldn't be fiddling with it until after the leaves have dropped (unless you don't see condensation some morning; then water the substrate and peroxide mist before you button everything back up).