Timing Japanese Maple Thread Graft

[Wixem]

No there is no set timing for separation. I usually wait until I am very satisfied with an assured outcome. I also have taken the separation in stages by reducing the entry side to increase reliance on the graft before complete separation. Definitely no need to rush the process. Starting over is a much longer wait time.

Thanks. Yeah, I don't even want to think about the graft failing, lol. I'll play it safe.

 

[SeanS]

Agreed with the previous advice. Might also be worth removing the cut paste on the exit side to have a look at the graft point. You want a nice smooth little “volcano” of tissue between the main trunk/branch and the graft. Double the thickness of the graft on the exit side is also a good indicator. I always ween the graft on the entry side by cutting some of it away like @Dav4 suggested, a little more every few weeks. Eventually the donor shoot is whittled away so much it eventually just snaps on the final whittling

 

[leatherback]

Seems like we are on synchronous timings..

Just did this a few days ago:

 

[bwaynef]

Post in thread 'The 2024 Bonsainut Maple Project'

Jul 7, 2025

After tipping the rest of the growth (except for the threadgraft and a branch in the apex, this graft knit pretty well. On the right is the donor branch. It is the one with wire around it. Maybe a little bigger than #2 pencil lead on the way in. At least #2 pencil size on the way out.

It felt like a good time to remove the donor branch, which let me clean up a lot more on that side. (I’d used the Ebihara branch removal technique on the donor branch and one other. Both got removed.)

The tree isn’t great but it’s building into a decent tall feminine tree. I think it needs to mostly grow...

• bwaynef

• 

I just cut this one away in one go a few weeks ago, but the exit side was more than 2x the entry side. (The entry side as it goes into the trunk is dark and easily missed in that photo. It was only slightly larger than the green branch coming across the trunk.)


On most threadgrafts, weaning it off the branch is wise.