KOTOHIME

[Clicio]

I have a kotohime sapling but it's done nothing since I bought it last year. It's leaves opened in spring and that was it - no shoots, no growth - it just sat there.
I could do with seeing some aggressive growth!

Well, @AndyJ , I've got the exact same problem. Got a sapling from a japanese friend, and...
Nothing. No growth.
@MACH5 is there a secret recipe to make Kotohimes grow strong?

 

[Gaitano]

I purchased one from Bill V in 2015 as well. They air layer very easily. Buds everywhere! I love this little seedling and am exicted to see it grow.

 

[0soyoung]

Hi Mach.

I have a kotohime sapling but it's done nothing since I bought it last year. It's leaves opened in spring and that was it - no shoots, no growth - it just sat there. I'm interested to see that you say in your experience, they are a very vigorous Maple and backbud well. I just assumed they are really slow growers.

I wonder if my soil is wrong - would you mind sharing what you use? I could do with seeing some aggressive growth!

Many thanks

Andy

Possibly too heavily root pruned.

 

[MACH5]

Hi Mach.

I have a kotohime sapling but it's done nothing since I bought it last year. It's leaves opened in spring and that was it - no shoots, no growth - it just sat there. I'm interested to see that you say in your experience, they are a very vigorous Maple and backbud well. I just assumed they are really slow growers.

I wonder if my soil is wrong - would you mind sharing what you use? I could do with seeing some aggressive growth!

Many thanks

Andy

Andy, in my experience kotohime has grown at a medium rate. I would not place it in the same category as say a shishigashira or mikawa that are very slow. I use a mix of akadma mixed in with about 20% kiryu sand. I have used akadama for all of my maples for over 25 years with nothing but excellent results.

 

[defra]

Im with 0soyoung It did do something opened leaves photosynthese was going on and it might needed time to repair the roots

My amur maple did the same thing only difference it grew one runner at the top at end of season but i realy gave the roots hell with repotting in spring 2017 so i expect much more growth this season!

 

[AndyJ]

Folks - this wasn't root pruned by me but maybe from the seller - I seem to remember that it had a decent rootball on it. As it was new to me and I had no knowledge of what had gone on with it previously, I decided to just plant it up last year with the intention of checking out its roots this spring.

Thanks Mach - is that 100% accadama? Or do you have something else in there too?

Apologies for hijacking your thread! Hope you don't mind?

 

[defra]

Folks - this wasn't root pruned by me but maybe from the seller - I seem to remember that it had a decent rootball on it. As it was new to me and I had no knowledge of what had gone on with it previously, I decided to just plant it up last year with the intention of checking out its roots this spring.

Thanks Mach - is that 100% accadama? Or do you have something else in there too?

Apologies for hijacking your thread! Hope you don't mind?

The tree is sold so i guess there wont come any updates

Then maybe something else
Good to figure out what might have caused the tree you talk about to not grow i mean even the slowest growing tree does grow at least some every year

maybe if you provide some more info people here are able to think with you!

How much sun does it get on the spot you have it at?
How much and what fertelizer did you give it
What kind of soil is it in ?
How much water did it get ?(to much or to less water could cause problems)
Did the leaves that opened look healthy ?
Did you check for insects/pests like aphids or perhaps used a insectcide
Must be something that caused the tree to not grow

 

[AndyJ]

Thanks Defra - answers below:

How much sun does it get on the spot you have it at? - full sun
How much and what fertelizer did you give it? - miracle grow every two weeks diluted to manufactures instructions
What kind of soil is it in ? - 40% moler clay, 40% horticulture grit, 20% pine bark (its windy where I live and the grit adds some weight to the compost
How much water did it get ?(to much or to less water could cause problems) - plenty when it's sunny, reduced when it's mild, none when it rains. I always check the soil before watering - different sized trees use water at different rates don't they
Did the leaves that opened look healthy? - yes, opened at the same time as my other trees. Looked nice and healthy
Did you check for insects/pests like aphids or perhaps used a insectcide. - I check my trees weekly for pests but nothing all summer
Must be something that caused the tree to not grow.

Overall, I'd say the tree looked pretty healthy; the buds burst in spring and it leafed out all over, it's just that it didn't put out any shoots! It stayed in leaf all year and looked ok, but again, just no shoots! I'd assumed that Kotohime grew at a snails pace so wasn't overly concerned - it's not until this thread where Mach says his is growing vigorously, that I thought mine might have a problem!

Andy

 

[defra]

Thanks Defra - answers below:

How much sun does it get on the spot you have it at? - full sun
How much and what fertelizer did you give it? - miracle grow every two weeks diluted to manufactures instructions
What kind of soil is it in ? - 40% moler clay, 40% horticulture grit, 20% pine bark (its windy where I live and the grit adds some weight to the compost
How much water did it get ?(to much or to less water could cause problems) - plenty when it's sunny, reduced when it's mild, none when it rains. I always check the soil before watering - different sized trees use water at different rates don't they
Did the leaves that opened look healthy? - yes, opened at the same time as my other trees. Looked nice and healthy
Did you check for insects/pests like aphids or perhaps used a insectcide. - I check my trees weekly for pests but nothing all summer
Must be something that caused the tree to not grow.

Overall, I'd say the tree looked pretty healthy; the buds burst in spring and it leafed out all over, it's just that it didn't put out any shoots! It stayed in leaf all year and looked ok, but again, just no shoots! I'd assumed that Kotohime grew at a snails pace so wasn't overly concerned - it's not until this thread where Mach says his is growing vigorously, that I thought mine might have a problem!

Andy

All sounds great doesnt it
Perhaps it will grow vigorously next year then

I cant keep maples in full sun tough the leaves will get fried lol
Its never bad to sum up things like this sometimes
Keep us posted next season curious how your tree looks like tough do you have created a thread on it?

 

[AndyJ]

It's just a young sapling, Defra, and as such is still pretty small - not worthy of its own thread yet.

I'll see how it grows this year - it might gets its on thread then if it performs better!!

Thanks go read your help.

 

[MACH5]

Thanks Mach - is that 100% accadama? Or do you have something else in there too?

Andy sometimes I use straight up akadama. And sometimes, specially for larger trees, I use akadama mixed in with kiryu coarse sand in order to prevent the soil from braking up too much and keep it open. I can go a bit longer with this mix between repottings.

 

[RobertB]

Chris yes that was fast. It rooted very aggressively and even surprised me. Last year I did do an arakawa layer in three weeks! But generally they average between 6 and 8 weeks.

Kotohime have a quirky growth habit so a bit different approach than your average Japanese maple. Still feeling my way around this one and getting familiar with it.

The small third trunk at the back gives the tree some depth and the reason I like it. But I can also see it working without it perhaps. I don't have other views photographed but will have them as I get deeper into making decisions on its design.

Are you saying that most of your air layerings have taken on Japanese maples in general over a 6 to 8 week period? BTW, I like the way you do your layerings. Do you have to water that any? I haven't seen a lot where the top is open unless bonsai soil is being used.

 

[MACH5]

Are you saying that most of your air layerings have taken on Japanese maples in general over a 6 to 8 week period? BTW, I like the way you do your layerings. Do you have to water that any? I haven't seen a lot where the top is open unless bonsai soil is being used.

Yes typically 8 weeks is average timing for an air layer. At that point many can be already separated. I leave the top a bit open for watering. I only water when necessary but normally it stays fairly damp for long periods of time. I do make sure the sphagnum moss is held tight against the air layer.

Be mindful that not all maples air layer easily. Some are very difficult in my experience. But I believe all the better known cultivars for bonsai all layer quite readily.

 

[Gary McCarthy]

I'm headed over to Bill V's Friday morning to pick up 2 or 3 of the Koto Hime maples he has this year as part of his Spring 2018 sale. One of the perks of being only an hours drive from Bill is being able to see the trees in person and CHERRY PICK the REALLY nice ones. Can't wait

Hoping he has some nice Trident maples as well.