30 yo ground grown acer saccharum first cut

[Waltron]

heres a photo of a different one from last spring. I've got a few notes on these, but too many variables for me to offer them up at this time. I will say though, if yours leafs out, dont try to defoliate at all, let the big leaves grow all year. worry about that later. I know you can defoliate, and it will be a big part of cultivating these, but dont mess around even after the second growing season, just cut the branches back later sometime after the leaves drop.

http://i.imgur.com/K1HMdLm.jpg

 

[Saddler]

I don't plan on touching the top this year. Just letting it grow. I probably won't touch it next year either. I am going to focus on getting the roots sorted and ready to be dug out.

Some of the leaves on it were almost a foot across last year lol. The owner said she had never seen maple leaves that big, I told her it is just the trees way of getting back to normal. I am planning on defoliating one to two of the other trees as an experiment, among other things.

 

[Waltron]

right, the tree will try to achieve optimal leaf surface area for the system, whether it has 2 leaves, or 600, this is how we reduce leaf size. works the other way. seriously though, I wouldn't defoliate it, until you have fine branch structure on a well developed root system. just gonna set you back.

 

[Giga]

I just like saying sugar maple - thats a nice nebari if it's the same tree.

 

[Saddler]

That isn't the same tree, I think this stump might be better in the nebari department, from what I have dug up. It is deeper and more even on the first six inches of radius. I didn't dig to much further then that. The tree you are seeing the nebari is a good start but will need root grafts to fill in the empty spots. I hope to try a couple in the ground using the roots of the neighbouring trees seeing as some are twenty plus feet long.

Has anyone root grafted on a 1 or 2 inch thick root before?

 

[Saddler]

I went and dug up around the base of this monster. It has a base of about 18" I am guessing. I cut the roots, leaving about 4" sticking out, halfway around the tree. I'll cut the other half and the tap root next year. Seeing what is under the dirt all the way around makes me think I am going to have an omono sumo or a broken back. A dirty trunk makes it hard to easily see the flare and girth, but my goodness! The side I dug previously was the most boring side and I was impressed enough with it to do this. I am a happy camper. Until I have to actually move it into a vehicle lol.

 

[0soyoung]

I am going to have an omono sumo or a broken back.

Seems to me that there are good prospects for both

 

[Waltron]

Here's this guy with some leaves

 

[Saddler]

Nice! I love the red and yellow when the leaves are new. I see yours still has tings of red.

 

[ArtistWolf]

Nice pictures! They're helpful for me. I am working on my own Japanese Maple that had been in the ground at least 7 years. I dug a trench around it to get more roots to grow closer to the base. I don't think it even has a tap root- I was able to wiggle the whole tree in its place.

 

[A. Gorilla]

This belongs in a fairy garden where figurines could collect the sap.

 

[Saddler]

If I manage to get it in a pot and established there, I want to tap it. Just 5-10 years to go.

 

[B.uneasy]

whats it lookin like now?

 

[Saddler]

Not sure. Haven’t looked at it in a year or so. I probably should next time I’m out that way.

 

[nboisvert]

I just bought one today (a really younger one, about 1 or 2 years). I'm curious to see how it ended up?

 

[Saddler]

I just bought one today (a really younger one, about 1 or 2 years). I'm curious to see how it ended up?

I pruned it this spring. It’s growing well. I have two more in pots. Some advice, do not be cheap with the sunlight. You can’t give it too much sun from what I have seen, but branches will die back with even dappled shade on them. I was struggling to keep mine healthy but I think I have somewhat figured it out.