Ebihara maples

[Adair M]

I don't think I've ever drilled a pilot hole into the tree, but it's important to do so into the board.

I have. I once did it with a zelkova a little larger than a pencil. I used a coarse sheet rock screw. Which would have split the trunk if I had not drilled a pilot hole. Even then, it split it a little. But it healed just fine, and the splitting actually gave a head start to the buttricing effect.

In fact, some of my old books illustrate splitting the bottoms of trunks and inserting wedges to start to build nebari.

 

[bilbocannon]

I have. I once did it with a zelkova a little larger than a pencil. I used a coarse sheet rock screw. Which would have split the trunk if I had not drilled a pilot hole. Even then, it split it a little. But it healed just fine, and the splitting actually gave a head start to the buttricing effect.

In fact, some of my old books illustrate splitting the bottoms of trunks and inserting wedges to start to build nebari.

That was going to be my next question, why not take advantage of the situation and split the trunk a little to increase taper. Chance of rot?

 

[0soyoung]

I have. I once did it with a zelkova a little larger than a pencil. I used a coarse sheet rock screw.

You've never had this kill the tree because of simple CODIT reaction clogging up the xylem?

I've had this happen (killed the sapling) with 3 of 6 pencil thin zelkova layers and a similar acer palmatum layer that I attempted to screw to a board.

 

[Adair M]

You've never had this kill the tree because of simple CODIT reaction clogging up the xylem?

I've had this happen (killed the sapling) with 3 of 6 pencil thin zelkova layers and a similar acer palmatum layer that I attempted to screw to a board.

Maybe it was a little larger than a pencil. Let's call it "Sharpie sized".

Nope. Didn't kill it.

 

[0soyoung]

Maybe it was a little larger than a pencil. Let's call it "Sharpie sized".

Nope. Didn't kill it.

In other words, you've only done this once and the coin came up heads.

 

[Adair M]

In other words, you've only done this once - right?

I've only done it once with one that small. Well, that was my own tree. Helped a friend do about a dozen. None of his died that I know of. I sold my tree a year later.

 

[markyscott]

I've only done it once with one that small. Well, that was my own tree. Helped a friend do about a dozen. None of his died that I know of. I sold my tree a year later.

Hard to see split on this, Adair. Is it on the other side?

 

[markyscott]

I'm sure I've seen a thread advocating the notion of splitting the base of ficus cuttings to create a basal flare. I've never done it myself, but I'll take a look to see if I can find it.

Here it is.

https://theficusguy.wordpress.com/page/8/

Not really sure I'd advocate for this approach, but perhaps someone with experience doing it can share what they know.

 

[Adair M]

Hard to see split on this, Adair. Is it on the other side?

The other side:



No split on this side. I think the split was on the other side, where its dark.

It wasn't intentional. A year later, when I repotted it, it was invisible.

 

[bilbocannon]

I'm sure I've seen a thread advocating the notion of splitting the base of ficus cuttings to create a basal flare. I've never done it myself, but I'll take a look to see if I can find it.

Here it is.

https://theficusguy.wordpress.com/page/8/

Not really sure I'd advocate for this approach, but perhaps someone with experience doing it can share what they know.

Thats what i was gettting at. Can you combine both techniques?

Could you screw a wooden cone to the base of the board with the screw coming out of the tip of the cane and into the base of the truck, promoting taper and good root flare at the same time?

 

[Adair M]

This is what it looked like a year later, after I repotted it.



And I sold it soon thereafter.

 

[markyscott]

Thats what i was gettting at. Can you combine both techniques? View attachment 105335 View attachment 105336

Could you screw a wooden cone to the base of the board with the screw coming out of the tip of the cane and into the base of the truck, promoting taper and good root flare at the same time?

Dunno bilbo. I've never tried it. And I'm not sure how well such a technique employed on ficus would translate to maples or other hardwoods. But it might work - give it a try and let us know how it works for you. But be sure to try one the regular way too. It's good to learn the technique and then experiment.

 

[bilbocannon]

Dunno bilbo. I've never tried it. And I'm not sure how well such a technique employed on ficus would translate to maples or other hardwoods. But it might work - give it a try and let us know how it works for you. But be sure to try one the regular way too. It's good to learn the technique and then experiment.

Good idea, i have i will try it on my smallest trident and the normal method on my 2 new tridents

 

[GroveKeeper]

Adair, did your zelkova come from a wire girdle or CD?

 

[Adair M]

Adair, did your zelkova come from a wire girdle or CD?

No. Neither.

It was just a regular old seedling. I barerooted it, and when I inspected the roots, there was a place where there were roots coming from 4 sides. You can see them splayed out on the board. Big gaps in between. I just did a chop, straight across.

I'm sorry, but I don't have a picture of the "during" process when I repotted. But when I barerooted it after it had been on the board for a year, there were roots all around except for one tiny place. So, I cut it open with a grafting knife, and tucked a bit of spaghnum moss there. Then potted it in the little blue pot.

I did this as a demonstration workshop at Plant City. One of the participants absolutely "had to have it", so I sold it to him.

If I find some more decent zelkova seedlings, I'll do it with several.

 

[sorce]

I'll do it with several.

Gigolo!

Sorce

 

[markyscott]

I get asked a lot about when it's safe to separate the grafts.

As you recall in a previous post, we took steps to wean the grafted shoot from the donor branch in order to strengthen the connection between the shoot and the graft union.

http://www.bonsainut.com/threads/ebihara-maples.18215/page-8#post-355005

Although that was only two weeks ago, growth is strong and things happen fast. We're not in the summer doldrums yet. Here's what the thread graft looks like today.



The new shoot is well calloused. The shoot exiting the graft is noticeably thicker the donor branch. The wire girdling the branch where it enters the trunk is strongly cutting in. These are all signs that the graft has taken. In fact, I'm sure that if I removed it now it would not even notice. So I'll wait a couple of more months and remove it.

 

[Adair M]

I went back and took a look at th diagram I posted a year ago of an alternate method of securing the roots on a board.

Actually, I think this is illustrating using a tile, rather than a board:




Upon closer inspection, I noticed that the tree was not attached with a screw. But rather, held in place by wires run thru the inner square. It appears that holes were drilled thru the tile to allow the wire to pass thru. Then, when potted, since the roots were tiny, they resorted to tying the trunk in place with string run around and under the pot. See Fig 14.

Then, later, when the roots began to grow, they needed protection from the wire so that they would not cut in. See Fig 16.

So, which way would I prefer? I think the original way with a board works just great. The tile requires drilling, you cannot direct the roots with nails (or screws) you have to provide string to secure the trunk, and you have to make sure the wire doesn't cut in. The advantage is the tile wouldn't rot, and when the tree is "done" you can use the tile on another one. Wood boards need replacing from time to time.

 

[thumblessprimate1]

You could try the plastic cutting boards. The kind that's not brittle.

 

[garywood]

I went back and took a look at th diagram I posted a year ago of an alternate method of securing the roots on a board.

Actually, I think this is illustrating using a tile, rather than a board:


View attachment 106613

Upon closer inspection, I noticed that the tree was not attached with a screw. But rather, held in place by wires run thru the inner square. It appears that holes were drilled thru the tile to allow the wire to pass thru. Then, when potted, since the roots were tiny, they resorted to tying the trunk in place with string run around and under the pot. See Fig 14.

Then, later, when the roots began to grow, they needed protection from the wire so that they would not cut in. See Fig 16.

So, which way would I prefer? I think the original way with a board works just great. The tile requires drilling, you cannot direct the roots with nails (or screws) you have to provide string to secure the trunk, and you have to make sure the wire doesn't cut in. The advantage is the tile wouldn't rot, and when the tree is "done" you can use the tile on another one. Wood boards need replacing from time to time.

Adair, is this. Ebihara's technique? The reason I ask, there is a different root growth response between wide, shallow containers and deep containers.