The 2010 BonsaiNut Maple Project

[Brian Van Fleet]

Chris, don't know, maybe it was away from the sun, a big root died, or the other side got too strong. Did you do a post-Mortem?

painter: Zone 7B or 8 maybe on the new map. Average first frost date is 11/9, and it looked like we had a bit on the rooftops yesterday morning for the first time. Nothing froze.

 

[fore]

No I didn't Brian. For one, it was super healthy, and two, I wouldn't know what to look for lol It was planted in my growing bed. My 'only' suspicion is that maybe I damaged the trunk when I wired up the seedling this spring?

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

Things are starting to move around here, and the temps are forecast to stay above freezing for the foreseeable, so here is the next episode of the trident maple project; from 16' to 7"...

 

[Smoke]

Crikey, thats one hell of a trim job. Walter says to just hedge the top stuff.....

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

Crikey, thats one hell of a trim job. Walter says to just hedge the top stuff.....

Couldn't reach that high...

 

[NewWorldBonsai]

Awesome progression series. I appreciate all the time and work you've put into documenting this tree. It's impossible to beat to experience of growing things yourself and monitoring the changes day by day. However, a photo series is the next best thing for education.

Two thumbs up, your patience will be well rewarded with what is becoming a fantastic trident!

 

[small trees]

Beautiful nebari in those last couple pics.

 

[MACH5]

Great work Brian... as usual! I'd like to see how you'll treat the large cut... carve it out?? I have a few Japanese maple stumps that I am figuring out what/how to deal with the large cuts.

 

[Nybonsai12]

Thanks for this thread. The progression with pics and details of exactly what you are doing is an excellent way to learn. Aside from learning it's very inspirational to see what can be done over a few years. I have several Jap. maples that I have to remove/rescue this year and I will certainly refer to this thread for both knowledge and inspiration.

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

Great work Brian... as usual! I'd like to see how you'll treat the large cut... carve it out?? I have a few Japanese maple stumps that I am figuring out what/how to deal with the large cuts.

Yes, eventually when it dies back as much as it's going to, I will hollow it out a little.

 

[tmmason10]

Wow, that's some serious growth in a matter of a few years. Quite the trim job.

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

Here's a little side show while the main attraction pops back...this is actually the parent tree to the one chronicled in this thread. In '01, in the ground:

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

Here are shots from approximately '03 in the flat, '04 and '05 in the wooden box:

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

In '08 in the ground (back and to the right).
It died back as a result of the chop, so I cut it back lower '10, and worked the roots.

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

Here it is earlier this spring, still buried. It's the one back and to the left from the tree in this thread...

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

Then, digging around a little and realized its fattening up...

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

So I cleaned up the cuts, re-exposed the cambiums under the calluses around the chops. Then, applied cut paste to keep the calluses rolling. After that, I scraped the rough bark and smoothed everything out.

Currently, it is 6" wide across the base at the soil level, and 5" high at the top chop. Might become a fat sumo shohin one day.

If the cuts close enough, I might pot it next year...

 

[MACH5]

Awesome thread Brian! That last one is gonna be one heck of a shohin one day!

 

[milehigh_7]

Brian, I am sure you have said before but what do you use for the cuts?

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

Usually a saw.