New Large Japanese Maples

JasonG

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Hello Everyone.

About 3 weeks ago I dig these 2 trees from a field here in Oregon. Oregon Bonsai has dug about 200+ that will be available this winter.
Anyways, I had Rich out to help me do some root work and also pot up the one I got for him. A little history.... These are grafted dwarf cultivars that have been in the ground for up to 25 yrs. For the most part you have to crawl in on your stomach and find a trunk then cut your way out so you can dig. Diggin these by hand is a nightmare!! You can imagine the size of the roots on a tree that old, rather large and tough!
So after I spotted the trunks and cut my way out I was able to dig them up. I dug 4 of them, 2 for me, 1 for Rich and 1 for my wonderful fiancee.
All of them have perfect 360 degree roots right above the big thick ones that run deep into the ground. It is this reason we can be so aggressive with root work right away. Most people wouldn't attempt to remove 100% of the foliage and 90% of the roots at the same time. Last year we did this to over 100 of these with 100% success rate. Bonsai myth busted!!!!

After powerwashing all the native soil off and working the roots with my sawzall it was decided to bust out the chainsaw and get some chips flying make much faster work on the roots. A small electric chainsaw is ideal for such a tree!

Here are some pictures of Rich and I working on maples. Rich with the sawzall
 

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JasonG

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After we found the sawzall to be just a little to much work we broke out the chainsaw. Boy are they nice! 100% of the large roots that grew down were removed leaving a nice ring of flat roots around the base. Now it will fit into a nice small plastic container. Me with the saw.... Since I only pay in food and beer I would have felt bad if Rich lost a finger with the chain saw, so I decided to run it, lol
As you can see there are still a ton of good roots left. And based off the picture you can get an idea of the size of the tree....
 

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JasonG

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Now that the roots have been taken care of Rich holds the tree in position while looking at which branches we are going to reduce. The roots were cut flat so the tree will sit on its own.
 

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JasonG

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Here is a close up of the trunk, front and back. The root spread is 19" and the trunk is sitting around 13" across. It is a fatty, and the graft isn't too bad either. Most people that are "names" in bonsai and have been over have fell inlove with these trees. No one has seen these trees, but I refer to the others at oregon bonsai.
 

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JasonG

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And here are the 2 potted in plastic containers. These are 19" across at the top of the container. Both trees had to have the feeder roots mashed in the top to fit. Both have 360 roots and are pretty good prebonsai stock.

The ones I have from last year were treated in the same manner. Both responed very well and even better this year with tons of new growth. Next year these will both go into actual bonsai pots and in about 5 yrs with proper care and a good feeding program one could have a nearly finished bonsai with very fat trunks, good taper and good branch placement.

A fun project that I thought I would share with you all. The final pictures are bad but you get the jist.

Thanks, Jason
 

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Graydon

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You had me right up to the photo of the trees in the pots with the Coors light. What's up with that? Are you not in the micro brew capital of the world? Sheesh!

Just kidding - quite a set of trees. Fantastic roots and such. Makes me wish we could grow Japanese maples like weeds in Florida but no such luck.

Thanks for sharing!
 

JasonG

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I know (hanging my head in shame) I am in the micro brew capital of the world. I had a 5 gal bucket laying close by with some old cans left over from a bbq and that was the one I grabbed. Damn, I knew I shouldn't have used that!!! While on the beer subject, try Drop Top amber Ale by Widmer brothers brewing, pure joy in a bottle!!! It even has a dog on the label so you know its good!

Thanks for the good words on the trees and I appologize for the mishap :)
 

Dale Cochoy

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Jason,
Those are some beauties!
I had 6 that size ( 4 left) I've been working on a few years. I just potted one 2 weeks ago in a pot I made. It is in full leaf now. Beautiful dark blood red!
here: http://forum.bonsaitalk.com/f17/some-fresh-stuff-15108/index23.html
I used one for a demo ( and sold way too cheap! :( ) One just would have never made a good bonsai so I planted in yard. It grows ike a weed! ( Why are they so expensive as fast as they grow??:confused: ) . I have three more to get root cut more this spring and repotted.
I do have one piece of advice about the "Bonsai myth busted" comment...that is HIGHLY dependent on who, what, when and where! MOST collected trees aren't going to have that nice ring of fine roots around the trunk at the soil level allowing you to saw off the large roots below flat. I'd hate to see a bunch of newbies with brown stumps writing you nasty letters!:D I certainly could NOT have done that with my Ohio maples grown in....clay. It's taken several years to get fine rooting up higher.
Dale
 
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JasonG

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Jason
I do have one piece of advice about the "Bonsai myth busted" comment...that is HIGHLY dependent on who, what, when and where! MOST collected trees aren't going to have that nice ring of fine roots around the trunk at the soil level allowing you to saw off the large roots below flat. I'd hate to see a bunch of newbies with brown stumps writing you nasty letters!:D I certainly could NOT have done that with my Ohio maples grown in....clay. It's taken several years to get fine rooting up higher.
Dale

Excellent point Dale! I guess in my situation it works just fine but like you point out it wouldn't in yours. Next time I will word it differently based on my area, trees and situation. Thanks for pointing that out!!
I checked out your link and yes those are some nice maples you have there!

Thanks, Jason
 

jfecme

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By "this winter" did you mean the winter of 2006-2007 or 2007-2008
 

JasonG

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If all goes well and they have a good growing season then they would be available in Nov-Dec of 2007. There is a slight chance that it maybe early 2008 when they are available.

Ofcourse anyone who comes here in person might be able to get them and some of the other several thousand trees before then :)

The problem with these big maples like the ones I posted here is I wouldn't ship those. I will have to ship smaller ones than I have posted. I could possibly ship larger ones, depends on the tree I guess.

See Ya, Jason
 

Dwight

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If The problem with these big maples like the ones I posted here is I wouldn't ship those. I will have to ship smaller ones than I have posted. I could possibly ship larger ones, depends on the tree I guess.

Sure sounds confussed for a young'un
 

JasonG

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Gee thanks Dwight, :)

I meant to say some of the larger trunked trees will ship if it has a nice tight canopy. Anything with a larger canopy won't ship since large trees are a pain in the arse to deal with! How is that??

Thanks, Jason
 

JasonG

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Imholte....

Email me or PM me so we can set up a time and I can give you directions. We are not a retail shop and by appt only. Get in touch with me and let me know when you would like to come over.

Talk to you soon....

Jason
 

Dwight

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Gee thanks Dwight, :)

I meant to say some of the larger trunked trees will ship if it has a nice tight canopy. Anything with a larger canopy won't ship since large trees are a pain in the arse to deal with! How is that??

Thanks, Jason


Excellent and quite informative
 
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