How should I fix the nebari?

[parvae_arbores]

Purchased this maple from another club member knowing I need to fix the nebari. If this were you tree would you 1) tourniquet ground layer, 2) ring ground layer, or 3) thread graft roots. I am leaning heavily towards the ring method want to see what others think. I read about how tourniquet will swell the trunk but could also lead to one sided roots, and thread grafting seems like it won't completely solve the issue.

 

[Deleted member 32750]

Honestly it’s got a nice buttress in the nebari already. If it were mine, I would just perform root grafts with seedlings to fill in the gaps.

 

[Shibui]

Each grower is likely to have a preference based on previous experiences which may not always reflect the real potential of other options. There will also be different opinions based on each person's preferred nebari looks like - some prefer larger, horizontal (pancake) nebari while others consider less, individual roots desirable.

I've used all 3 of these options and several others and offer the following:
Root grafts are never 100% successful. Takes time (years) for new smaller roots to catch up to original larger roots if they ever do catch up. Some successful root grafts also leave scars. IMHO root grafts are better where just a few roots are needed and this one needs quite a lot of new roots.
Both ring and tourniquet will swell the trunk and a good spread of radial roots will spread the bare even more. No difference in my experience.
Ring layer requires the new roots to be higher up the trunk to allow for the ring above existing roots = shorter trunk which may be desirable or not.
Tourniquet needs to be above the roots to allow the wire to be embedded into the groove. Hard to follow uneven contours closer to large roots.

Only having photos to go on I'd probably opt for tourniquet ground layer for the tree shown.

 

[parvae_arbores]

Each grower is likely to have a preference based on previous experiences which may not always reflect the real potential of other options. There will also be different opinions based on each person's preferred nebari looks like - some prefer larger, horizontal (pancake) nebari while others consider less, individual roots desirable.

I've used all 3 of these options and several others and offer the following:
Root grafts are never 100% successful. Takes time (years) for new smaller roots to catch up to original larger roots if they ever do catch up. Some successful root grafts also leave scars. IMHO root grafts are better where just a few roots are needed and this one needs quite a lot of new roots.
Both ring and tourniquet will swell the trunk and a good spread of radial roots will spread the bare even more. No difference in my experience.
Ring layer requires the new roots to be higher up the trunk to allow for the ring above existing roots = shorter trunk which may be desirable or not.
Tourniquet needs to be above the roots to allow the wire to be embedded into the groove. Hard to follow uneven contours closer to large roots.

Only having photos to go on I'd probably opt for tourniquet ground layer for the tree shown.

What guage wire would you use? The trunk is about 2.5 inches at the base

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

I would opt for grafting some seedlings instead of layering. Far less risk, and you can put roots pretty much where you want them.

 

[leatherback]

I would at next repot take the roots back strongly, and burry the nebari. Do this for a few years in a row and you will have loads of new roots on the trunk, in the current swelled nebari area.

 

[erich_raudebaugh]

I vote for root grafts. Approach grafts with 1 year seedlings might work best. Layers sometimes produce roots unevenly, so it's a bit of a gamble.

 

[Shibui]

What guage wire would you use? The trunk is about 2.5 inches at the base

There's no set thickness but the thicker the better unless the trunk is fluted in which case the wire needs to be forced right down into the groove all round so slightly thinner is more manageable.

 

[Potawatomi13]

Thread graft.

 

[sorce]

I'd try to strike a bunch of cuttings, if they don't take, nature said no root grafts.

Being that the important rule of "base first" is rather hard to break, I question what of the top we must forego in order to "restart" from the base. I reckon enough to do a test airlayer up higher. If it doesn't take, nature said no layer.

Through this time you keep it buried beyond where it is now like Leatherback said and when you uncover it, nature may have said, "the fuck you been doing?", Cuz it has a bunch of new roots.

Sorce

 

[Dav4]

I'm with @Brian Van Fleet on this one. Next spring, I'd have a bunch of palmatum seedlings ready to go and some long drill bits to do the deed. You could easily place upwards of 10 thread and approach grafts on this one and have an entirely new and improved nebari in just a few years.

 

[parvae_arbores]

I'm with @Brian Van Fleet on this one. Next spring, I'd have a bunch of palmatum seedlings ready to go and some long drill bits to do the deed. You could easily place upwards of 10 thread and approach grafts on this one and have an entirely new and improved nebari in just a few years.

I am becoming more convinced that this is the way to go due to lack of risk.