Randy Knight Japanese Maple

[BobbyLane]

It thinks its a veteran Oak tree
Like it a lot, really nice!
Here's an ancient Oak i photographed recently in a park in London.
Its estimated 750 years old

Looks a bit like yours

 

[MACH5]

Bobby thanks for sharing, fantastic tree and photo! Great piece of inspiration for anyone that likes uros and deadwood on deciduous bonsai.

 

[sorce]

Sick.

Hey....I just saw a dude that looks like you wearing Sawgrass' hat!

Sorce

 

[MACH5]

Strong growth out the gate this spring. No pinching whatsoever, I just let it run.






Cut back, defoliated with a bit of wire on it. Now wait for the second crop of twigs.

 

[Eric Group]

Strong growth out the gate this spring. No pinching whatsoever, I just let it run.






Cut back, defoliated with a bit of wire on it. Now wait for the second crop of twigs.

I don't think I realized how big this one was until I saw these pics! Really changed the feel of the tree for me...

 

[Andrew Robson]

Strong growth out the gate this spring. No pinching whatsoever, I just let it run.






Cut back, defoliated with a bit of wire on it. Now wait for the second crop of twigs.

Looking great!

Just curious, do you defoliate all your Japanese Maples?

 

[MACH5]

Looking great!

Just curious, do you defoliate all your Japanese Maples?

Thanks Andrew! No, definitely not. Just those that are very healthy and in high development. Also I would never do it on any red leaved Japanese maple variety.

 

[sorce]

If you think about it.....
I'd love to see this one in winter with snow ground cover.

This one is very scary.

Sorce

 

[M. Frary]

This one is very scary.

Like a gallows tree.
Very ,very cool looking tree.

 

[JudyB]

What a great photo, the B&W really make it stand out. In some respect it reminds me of some ume for some reason,(must be the deadwood) and it also reminds me of a certain shohin maple...
Hard to believe how far this has come in 2 years. I just went back and looked at the opening photos, SHOCKING- in a great way. Kudos.

 

[AboveBeyond]

What a great photo, the B&W really make it stand out. In some respect it reminds me of some ume for some reason,(must be the deadwood) and it also reminds me of a certain shohin maple...
Hard to believe how far this has come in 2 years. I just went back and looked at the opening photos, SHOCKING- in a great way. Kudos.

I agree Judy. Comparing them 1st pic and now side by side is amazing!

 

[MACH5]

What a great photo, the B&W really make it stand out. In some respect it reminds me of some ume for some reason,(must be the deadwood) and it also reminds me of a certain shohin maple...
Hard to believe how far this has come in 2 years. I just went back and looked at the opening photos, SHOCKING- in a great way. Kudos.

Thanks Juds! So far I am happy with how far it has come. I may do some root grafts next year and I'd like to start looking for the right pot as well. Still a ways to go I think.

Yes, now that you mention it, it does remind me quite a bit of your shohin deshojo!

 

[Whotony]

Tree is amazing, I'm just wondering what the little upside down baskets do.

 

[dirk hoorelbeke]

Protecting fertilizers i suppose. Might be that it is a new game though.

 

[MACH5]

Protecting fertilizers i suppose. Might be that it is a new game though.

Yes the baskets keeps large fertilizer cakes in place. Of course these are not absolutely necessary and there are other more economical ways of doing the same job.

 

[Giga]

I have a red maple that i'm modeling after this tree - I love this maple a lot

 

[MACH5]

I have a red maple that i'm modeling after this tree - I love this maple a lot

Thanks gigs! I assume you're working with a rubrum and not a palmatum right? Please share when you can.

 

[LanceMac10]

Strong growth out the gate this spring. No pinching whatsoever, I just let it run.






Cut back, defoliated with a bit of wire on it. Now wait for the second crop of twigs.

I keep seeing this image when I see this tree...


I don't know if it should be completely tragic or comic......as I look at it. Kind of like meeting a very interesting person....and.....their friend.....whom just happens to be decidedly "un-interesting....

As always, thanks for sharing your excellent work!

 

[Giga]

Thanks gigs! I assume you're working with a rubrum and not a palmatum right? Please share when you can.

Yes that is correct - It's a very old one and it's in the ground - next year It'll go in a traning pot and I'll start a thread on it.

 

[MACH5]

Last tree to be worked on in 2016. This maple was wired once again and growth cut back to smaller finer shoots wherever possible. Many of the branch forks needed to be cleaned up and taken back down to two shoots.
















Three growing seasons separate the two photos below. I think it has come a long way!






Looking to repot it in the spring into this or similar.


Photo courtesy of Mirai