Trident maple and japanese maple mikawa yatsubusa

[eli_]

What type of soil do I need for the trident maple? I planned on putting some of the seedlings in the ground and potting some.
Also, has anybody tried to grow the jm mikawa yatsubusa in the Houston area with success? What variants of the jm would fair better in Houston weather?Any tips would be appreciated.

 

[Srt8madness]

Best advice is don't spend any more money on maples, for the time being at least. I started with a couple of dozen and only have a yatsubusa variety remaining and a few regular JMs in ground, which dont exactly thrive. Idk if they will survive this summer. Unless you have a greenhouse its incredibly difficult to grow JMs in Houston. I know that doesn't answer your question but it is what it is. Sans greenhouse, in ground is really the only way IMHO, and in that case regular dirt/soil is fine.

Trident should grow well here. I wouldn't go all non organic for a developing tree.

 

[eli_]

I have not bought the yatsubusa, but have not had much luck with JM in pots. So, I thought I would ask for the experiences of others regarding jms before buying it.

 

[eli_]

Best advice is don't spend any more money on maples, for the time being at least. I started with a couple of dozen and only have a yatsubusa variety remaining and a few regular JMs in ground, which dont exactly thrive. Idk if they will survive this summer. Unless you have a greenhouse its incredibly difficult to grow JMs in Houston. I know that doesn't answer your question but it is what it is. Sans greenhouse, in ground is really the only way IMHO, and in that case regular dirt/soil is fine.

Trident should grow well here. I wouldn't go all non organic for a developing tree.

Is the yatsubusa you have planted in the ground or is in a pot?

 

[Srt8madness]

It's in a plastic pot, I got it in March or April of last year from FB auctions, soil seems to be a mix of organic and pumice/lava/bark. It lost its leaves from sun scorch, halfway releafed, then went dormant. It's fully leafed out right now but idk if it will survive the summer, I wouldn't dare touch the roots.

Candidly I don't think Mikawa Yasubusa make very good bonsai. I bought it bc of super tight internode spacing, but I don't think it will ever grow vigorous enough to do those kind of styling cutbacks. It's a slow grower in optimum conditions.

Want to buy it?

 

[eli_]

lol I think I should probably stick to jbp and Chinese elms

 

[Srt8madness]

That's the decision I made after spending over a grand on fancy maple cultivars and watching them all die. Some from inexperience, most from searing heat.

I've started collecting the wild elm seedlings around town, and picked up a 5 gallon Chinese elm from lowes for $28. I'll layer 3 or 4 branches up top then chop the main trunk.

 

[eli_]

The chinese elm that I have had are pretty robust. I planted all of them except one in the ground. They are easy to maintain.
I had 12 jms die on me and did not know if it was from the heat or something else, so now I hesitate to buy them. Maybe if I had more shade they would fair better.