I Ruined My Kiyohime Maple

[Leo in N E Illinois]

@Mike Hennigan - good point, this is exactly why slip potting is bad. One more reason slip potting is bad, most assume slip potting is ''gentle'' and won't hurt the tree. Wile this is the intent, more often than not slip potting is as traumatic for the tree as a full blown repotting. You are disturbing the root ball when ''slip potting'', and this breaks the fine, delicate root hairs that do 90% of the absorption work for the tree. Often when I intend to ''slip pot'', I take the tree out of the pot and part or all of the root ball collapses, and there is dirt everywhere, and bare roots are hanging in the air. Damn, so much for slip potting. Repotting is the most traumatic thing we do to trees, don't be casual about it.

Even ''wiggling'' a trunk, or vibrating a trunk with a carving tool can beak root hairs. Once broken water uptake is compromised, and the tree could decline.

I only do carving work on trees in the dead of winter, I bring the frozen tree in, work on it and put it back outside before the root ball thaws. This way, the frozen root ball prevents damaging root hairs with vibration. If you don't have cold winters, do your mechanical carving during an ideal time period where a period of root growth will be expected a week or two after carving. Then leave the tree alone a while, as if it was just repotted.

Yes, more experienced artists don't have to take the precautions I do, but I have killed a tree or two with potential, and I think the cause was vibration from the carving tool. (die grinder size, a little dremel doesn't do as much vibrating)

 

[Clicio]

Often when I intend to ''slip pot'', I take the tree out of the pot and part or all of the root ball collapses, and there is dirt everywhere, and bare roots are hanging in the air. Damn, so much for slip potting.

This is soooo true!

 

[leatherback]

But.. Do keep in mind that root hairs only live for a day or two, and are only in the first inch of so of the root (The white tip). They are continuously replaced. So do not worry too much about them, as in damage by vibrating. It is much less of a problem then here described.

I was actually hoping for pictures of the maple in spring mode. Any buds active yet?

 

[Omar]

But.. Do keep in mind that root hairs only live for a day or two, and are only in the first inch of so of the root (The white tip). They are continuously replaced. So do not worry too much about them, as in damage by vibrating. It is much less of a problem then here described.

I was actually hoping for pictures of the maple in spring mode. Any buds active yet?

Nothing I'm afraid. Last Saturday temps on my balcony reached the 70s, the next day it was high 30s so I don't even know what to expect anymore.

 

[Omar]

So as of this morning there are still no active buds. All the trees in my neighborhood have all but fully leafed out so I'm a bit worried. I scratched a small part of the trunk and I see green but along other parts and branches it's brown :/
I guess only time will tell?

 

[LanceMac10]

Cut all the branches to stubs and hope for some budding along the trunk.

 

[MrFancyPlants]

Cut all the branches to stubs and hope for some budding along the trunk.

I have to respectfully disagree on this. I think you just have to wait it out. Chopping back would drop the turgor pressure and possibly drain any remaining energy if it is already very weak. I think you just have to be re careful not to over or under water and keep hoping.

Just to relate about the worries of maples, I have two maples that I repotted recently, and since repotting, I realized one was showing major fungal damage on the trunk and is barely limping along while the other one has popped with vigor. I was afraid I contaminated the strong one since I repotted together unhygienically. So I treated both with bayer 3-in-1(and very carefully treated my lawn with a "weed and feed" product to add another element of mystery). To my horror the healthy one was look limp yesterday when I went out to water. I was sure it was a goner due to fungal or herbicide attack, or a bad reaction to the 3-in-1, but it had perked right back up by evening after a drenching watering(to rinse off any chemicals that may have drifted). I think it was just thirsty from a bright and windy day.

 

[LanceMac10]

Tree wasting energy trying to push resources thru damaged tissue. Seen this problem before. Easier to push a bud off the trunk then trying to push resources to branch tips.

 

[LanceMac10]

Just had to do this myself, fortunately not every branch!! Ends of three or so branches as well as the apex. Dry, shriveled and wrinkly branching. I suspect some root damage over the winter. Cut off the affected areas and had good response.


How about some pictures, though......

 

[Omar]

Yeah seriously pics would help when I get home I will take a picture.

 

[Omar]

Cocaine's a hell of a drug @LanceMac10

 

[Omar]

Pics; really looking worse for wear :/

 

[Lazylightningny]

Not looking good but if scratching shows green there's still hope. Seriously though, don't get your hopes too high.

 

[Omar]

Not looking good but if scratching shows green there's still hope. Seriously though, don't get your hopes too high.

Yeah I'm with you there, the trunk has gone from bright green to mud colored. I keep trying to think of where I went wrong during this winter but I did nothing different from any other. Real bummer, this is my first maple.

 

[Lazylightningny]

Yeah I'm with you there, the trunk has gone from bright green to mud colored. I keep trying to think of where I went wrong during this winter but I did nothing different from any other. Real bummer, this is my first maple.

I've killed many, many trees. It's unfortunate collateral damage on the learning curve. After 5 years in, I still kill some.

 

[Omar]

Soo does anyone have a maple for sale lol

 

[music~maker]

I've killed many, many trees. It's unfortunate collateral damage on the learning curve. After 5 years in, I still kill some.

After almost 25 years in, I still kill some. It happens. I had a handful I lost to wintering just this season. Nothing that important, but a loss is a loss ...

 

[music~maker]

@Mike Hennigan - good point, this is exactly why slip potting is bad. One more reason slip potting is bad, most assume slip potting is ''gentle'' and won't hurt the tree. Wile this is the intent, more often than not slip potting is as traumatic for the tree as a full blown repotting. You are disturbing the root ball when ''slip potting'', and this breaks the fine, delicate root hairs that do 90% of the absorption work for the tree. Often when I intend to ''slip pot'', I take the tree out of the pot and part or all of the root ball collapses, and there is dirt everywhere, and bare roots are hanging in the air. Damn, so much for slip potting. Repotting is the most traumatic thing we do to trees, don't be casual about it.

Even ''wiggling'' a trunk, or vibrating a trunk with a carving tool can beak root hairs. Once broken water uptake is compromised, and the tree could decline.

I only do carving work on trees in the dead of winter, I bring the frozen tree in, work on it and put it back outside before the root ball thaws. This way, the frozen root ball prevents damaging root hairs with vibration. If you don't have cold winters, do your mechanical carving during an ideal time period where a period of root growth will be expected a week or two after carving. Then leave the tree alone a while, as if it was just repotted.

Yes, more experienced artists don't have to take the precautions I do, but I have killed a tree or two with potential, and I think the cause was vibration from the carving tool. (die grinder size, a little dremel doesn't do as much vibrating)

Just want to throw in my 2 cents on slip potting. Slip potting, when done correctly, should absolutely not be as traumatic as regular re-potting. In fact, I've saved numerous trees over the years that were root bound and in need of a little more room to grow. If the root ball collapses when you take the tree out of the pot, it probably didn't need to be slip potted in the first place.

But if the roots are extremely dense, and water isn't percolating properly, a slip pot can definitely be the answer. When I do it, I very lightly rough up the perimeter of the root ball a bit to encourage the the roots to grow into the new soil. Even when done wildly out of season, I've had very good luck with the procedure. But again, I'm only doing this on trees with a very dense root ball.

 

[Omar]

Curious if there are particular cultivars of A. palmatum that are better suited to colder environments?

 

[TyroTinker]

Just want to throw in my 2 cents on slip potting. Slip potting, when done correctly, should absolutely not be as traumatic as regular re-potting. In fact, I've saved numerous trees over the years that were root bound and in need of a little more room to grow. If the root ball collapses when you take the tree out of the pot, it probably didn't need to be slip potted in the first place.

But if the roots are extremely dense, and water isn't percolating properly, a slip pot can definitely be the answer. When I do it, I very lightly rough up the perimeter of the root ball a bit to encourage the the roots to grow into the new soil. Even when done wildly out of season, I've had very good luck with the procedure. But again, I'm only doing this on trees with a very dense root ball.

From what I've heard and put together myself, the roughing it up part would be key to a successful slip potting. Otherwise the water could possible pass by the root ball in the new soil with a plain ol' slip pot and dry out the rootball.

However I've heard others claim that doing that defeats the purpose of a "gentle" slip potting...
I'm not sure you will get a very good consensus on this topic if I'm right about these two points of views...