Keep it or Cut it?

[dalberti]

Really enjoyed this thread, thanks for the insight on this tree!

Also, I feel the heat here in Southern Utah....I'm lucky we have no humidity!

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

A little Crimson fall color ahead of the Iron Bowl:

ROLL TIDE ROLL!

 

[Eric Group]

A little Crimson fall color ahead of the Iron Bowl:
View attachment 87965
ROLL TIDE ROLL!

Beautiful

@"Roll Tide"- I am pulling for Bama in the playoffs.. My team is so awful this year, I have no hope or reason to care about anything else. Go get it back for the SEC!

 

[Dav4]

Go Dawgs!!...er, ummm...the Pats are on tomorrow night, yay!!

 

[Tim.E]

This tree is incredible, I love the movement in the trunk and the fall color is beautiful

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

Another before it starts fading. Really bright this year. Really getting used to the different pot.

 

[jomawa]

Another before it starts fading. Really bright this year. Really getting used to the different pot.
View attachment 88197

I realize I'm commenting 5 years after the fact to the original question, (remove or not the lower right branch), but looking at this last photo of this forum, I have the same question. Why make it an all or none regarding this branch. Especially looking at the original leafless photos. Why not just remove about 1/2 the branch (the thick lower portion). My initial gut reaction to the original with leaves is a few of the leaves out toward the end need removed. Then looking at the leafless photo is a glaring point 1/2 way out the branch to make the cut (looks that way to me anyway).

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

Night shot. Have a few long shoots growing out for grafting in the spring, but otherwise tidied up.

 

[sorce]

Lotta times.....a I space out on BVF trees and just hit new posts....cuz too much stuff flies through my head....

I came back......

I don't know if it the new camera, night shot, or the bronzish tones behind it.....
But I don't like the pot anymore...
Except the bit of grey at the bottom....
That's still real nice.

Graft Schmaft.

How bout cutting that "Rupert" branch off the back?
It seems to be robbing your design branch.

I really dig the gentle taper....
Looking forward to the future.....

Sorce

 

[MACH5]

Bri I have always loved this maple. I now think it looks perhaps too long and tall. Trying to comment on something that's not in front of you is always a tricky matter. Anyway, I did a quick virt where I shortened the design and tilted the tree a bit to the left making it a bit more upright. I started to indicate a slight upwards motion on the tips of the branches.

 

[dirk hoorelbeke]

I like the shorter version. Long or short, it is a nice tree...

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

Thanks Serg. I like the virt; it really adds your style to this tree. It hasn't gotten any taller over the last 4-5 years, but I do like the scale and profile you're suggesting. I have halfway started looking at branches to ultimately replace the current apex, but none have really jumped out yet, which may lead to more grafting.

@sorce not sure about what's flying through your head but I agree that the back happy branch needs to go at some point. It's a big branch that includes a lot of mass to the right and back side of the tree, so something needs to grow out to replace it, which is happening; just not real fast. I wanted to rework that left upright section first and then the back.
Can't help ya with the pot...I'm digging it.

 

[M. Frary]

Rupert

One picture of my puppies excitement!
He doesn't walk around like that all day.
Only when he is awake.
You'll see! Monkey pole for you for the next 20 years I hope!
We got Rupert a girlfriend. A cheetah print fluffy pillow,which he loves. Every day.

 

[sorce]

Lol.

Only when he is awake

Lolololol.

Just got mine a Monkey.....
When I should have got him.....

A toad!

Sorce

 

[M. Frary]

A toad!

No,no,no!
That poor toad was done in!
I was worried about the plastic light up Santa out in the yard,but I see he still has a happy look on his face still.

 

[sorce]

So....in order to stay with the thread.....

I'm going to "cut it" soon.....

Probly a bit less humping then!

Sorce

 

[MACH5]

I also dig the pot!

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

Routine repotting on this one. I had to check on the few root grafts that were growing. I also wanted to get this out of the mixture that included pumice and go to straight akadama. Our new garden is considerably more exposed, and I wanted a more retentive soil.
Before:

Unpotted:

Combed out, and cut back; round 1:

Once it's detangled a little, I blasted it with a hose. I call this the Full Bare Root technique.

Then I combed it out and cut it back again... sides, and anything growing out from the bottom; round 2:

Trying to get everything growing out radially.
Here is a graft up front that failed. Bummer, it was in an important spot:

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

Here were a few that took, and will be allowed to swell and expand the base. Next year, I'll shorten them, so they ramify close to the trunk.

Tie-down wires, and secured:

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

New soil (all akadama):

Water well, and sprinkle with chopped sphagnum...stay tuned.