(First time) Drastic trunk bend (JM)

[hotpeon]

Hello!

Today I tried to fulfill my plan of growing my weeping Japanese maple out of the groove of the rock. I haven't done any trunk bending before and I used a lot of 5mm wire (2 wrap arounds + anchoring wires on the sides) and I wonder if I may have over done it? How long should I keep the wires on, before I remove them if I plan to do an air layer to plant the tree as pictured in the sketch?

Thank you!

 

[Deleted member 32750]

It looks like you put the raffia on the trunk dry?

 

[nuttiest]

I guess there is a reason you are doing the layer atfter the bend, I would position the whole three base so that what roots you are trying to grow are vertical downward over where you want it on the rock. That is more important than the bend onto rock right now possibly. I never thought of wiring the stem during air layering, but if you go that route it would be interesting to see. Air layer roots go angled just a little bit, but then mostly verticl, could be different with the long peat.

 

[hotpeon]

It looks like you put the raffia on the trunk dry?

I moistened it when wrapping it on. It just looks dry in the pictures I guess

 

[hotpeon]

I guess there is a reason you are doing the layer atfter the bend, I would position the whole three base so that what roots you are trying to grow are vertical downward over where you want it on the rock. That is more important than the bend onto rock right now possibly. I never thought of wiring the stem during air layering, but if you go that route it would be interesting to see. Air layer roots go angled just a little bit, but then mostly verticl, could be different with the long peat.

Hopefully it will go along that way. I wonder how soon I can remove the wires so that the tree holds its shape, so I can start the air layering.

 

[nuttiest]

Oh. Looks like the right hand where you have it staked in the ground is the secured down. If you pushed on that a little, where would it bend... in the middle somewhere by the red line or at the left wire and stake? If it bends in the middle without you helping on coiled wire, the you likely don't need all that, right?
Then you could layer where you want and wire the rock in place.

 

[nuttiest]

I would layer two areas then, one for the front and back, leaving other bark intact, given the shape. Think of where a tree would first develop strongest roots given that position, the sun, etc. If your top is going to be weeping straight down all sides then what 'happened' to make it lean against a rock during growth? Almost always sun the way you have it now.

 

[hotpeon]

Oh. Looks like the right hand where you have it staked in the ground is the secured down. If you pushed on that a little, where would it bend... in the middle somewhere by the red line or at the left wire and stake? If it bends in the middle without you helping on coiled wire, the you likely don't need all that, right?
Then you could layer where you want and wire the rock in place.

It bends in the middle but I use the stake and wire on the left to hold it in place, as the force from right wire lifts the tree from the soil. I will probably leave the wire on for the entire season and do an air layer next year.