Japanese maple #5 progression

[AlainK]

Hi Sergio,

What exactly do you call "mekiri" for a maple ? So far I thought it was a technique only used for pines.

Removing the terminal buds before/shrtly after they've developped ? Or removing the tiny shoot just after the first two leaves haves begun to develop ? Can you give us more precisions ?...

As a maplemaniac, I'd love to know more

 

[MACH5]

Hi Sergio,

What exactly do you call "mekiri" for a maple ? So far I thought it was a technique only used for pines.

Removing the terminal buds before/shrtly after they've developped ? Or removing the tiny shoot just after the first two leaves haves begun to develop ? Can you give us more precisions ?...

As a maplemaniac, I'd love to know more

Hi Alain,

Yes you are correct. Mekiri is a technique known primarily to be used on black and red pines. But also applied to Japanese maples. As the bud swells and elongates, even before it opens, you cut right across the entire bud with sharp scissors about half way through. The result is that you cut across the new leaves as well as taking out the center of the shoot with one action. Leaf surface reduction along with pinching. So two for the price of one.

I will provide pics when it's time

 

[PiñonJ]

you cut right across the entire bud with sharp scissors about half way through

I look forward to seeing the photos. This explanation is a little confusing to me. I think you’re saying that you cut off half the length of a new bud, or are you saying that you incise it through half of its diameter?

 

[MACH5]

I look forward to seeing the photos. This explanation is a little confusing to me. I think you’re saying that you cut off half the length of a new bud, or are you saying that you incise it through half of its diameter?

Cut off the bud about half its length. The result looks a bit like a tiny shaving brush.

I will post photos. A picture is worth a thousand words.

 

[PiñonJ]

Cut off the bud about half its length. The result looks a bit like a tiny shaving brush.

I will post photos. A picture is worth a thousand words.

That’s what I thought. Thanks!

 

[Carol 83]

View attachment 286982

Lol, when I was a little kid, we used to go over to the neighbors house to watch Speedracer, because they had a color TV.

 

[AlainK]

As the bud swells and elongates, even before it opens, you cut right across the entire bud with sharp scissors about half way through. The result is that you cut across the new leaves as well as taking out the center of the shoot with one action. Leaf surface reduction along with pinching. So two for the price of one.

Thanks a lot : I have an 'Orange Dream' that I wanted to try this kind of thing.

 

[MACH5]

Lol, when I was a little kid, we used to go over to the neighbors house to watch Speedracer, because they had a color TV.

Hahaha! Growing up in Spain, I only had two channels in black and white. There were no color TVs anywhere at the time. Speed Racer was my favorite cartoon but sadly I was only able to enjoy it colorless.
The MACH5 was the first thing as a kid I could draw really well and almost with my eyes closed. I was fascinated with it and drew it hundreds of times.

 

[0soyoung]

Cut off the bud about half its length. The result looks a bit like a tiny shaving brush.

I will post photos. A picture is worth a thousand words.

I do that to my fingers occasionally and they haven't gotten any longer --> clearly it works!

 

[Hartinez]

Hahaha! Growing up in Spain, I only had two channels in black and white. There were no color TVs anywhere at the time. Speed Racer was my favorite cartoon but sadly I was only able to enjoy it colorless.
The MACH5 was the first thing I could draw really well and almost with my eyes closed. I was fascinated with it and drew it hundreds of times.

So that’s the origin story of Mach 5!

 

[MACH5]

So that’s the origin story of Mach 5!

LOL I’m afraid it is Danny

 

[JudyB]

Just thought I'd place the pics I took of the bud cutting technique that is being discussed here, it is in a thread of mine, but thought it might be good to put the photos here too. Looks like I need to clean my scissors...

 

[Paulpash]

Hahaha! Growing up in Spain, I only had two channels in black and white. There were no color TVs anywhere at the time. Speed Racer was my favorite cartoon but sadly I was only able to enjoy it colorless.
The MACH5 was the first thing as a kid I could draw really well and almost with my eyes closed. I was fascinated with it and drew it hundreds of times.

Great little back story. It's amazing how our formative years mould and shape us as adults @MACH5 ..and thank you @JudyB for posting such clear pictures.

 

[MACH5]

Beginning to show its spring foliage. Posing here with a zelkova while still practicing social distancing.

 

[ConorDash]

Beginning to show its spring foliage. Posing here with a zelkova while still practicing social distancing.

View attachment 291428

View attachment 291429

Incredible looking. I can't really describe what I want to describe, I can't find the right words. Its beautiful looking.

The bottom most, right side cluster of branches, they are so much more odd than the rest, then the gap between them and the rest of the foliage on the right, as it reaches the inside of the curve.. that makes it so much more abnormal and wild, to my eye.

The "meriki"/bud cutting technique mentioned, first I've ever heard of it. Im surprised cutting leaves in this way doesnt cause them to simply die from the damage. This isn't the right place to ask how they don't die but Im very surprised and nice to know a new technique. Maybe one day . I have 4 Acer P now, all different cultivars so one day I may get to use this.
Thanks for posting,

 

[MACH5]

Incredible looking. I can't really describe what I want to describe, I can't find the right words. Its beautiful looking.

The bottom most, right side cluster of branches, they are so much more odd than the rest, then the gap between them and the rest of the foliage on the right, as it reaches the inside of the curve.. that makes it so much more abnormal and wild, to my eye.

The "meriki"/bud cutting technique mentioned, first I've ever heard of it. Im surprised cutting leaves in this way doesnt cause them to simply die from the damage. This isn't the right place to ask how they don't die but Im very surprised and nice to know a new technique. Maybe one day . I have 4 Acer P now, all different cultivars so one day I may get to use this.
Thanks for posting,

Thanks Conor!

The bottom right side, in other other words the grafted trunk area, is still being developed and sorted out. I have been careful to refine this tree and all of its parts but not too overly structured. Tough to see in photos but I have a few branches that naturally began to grow downwards. Normally these would be cut off. They brake the mold. I left them as this is something that you see often in wild trees.

I have attached an old maple from Luis Vallejo's collection where we see those gently downward flowing branches. Adds a great feeling of "naturalness".

 

[JudyB]

Lovely tall thing she is. I wish there were a bit more interruptions of the trunk line though. I think it's almost too trench coat... Probably a trick of the photo with the leaves not yet open.

 

[MACH5]

Lovely tall thing she is. I wish there were a bit more interruptions of the trunk line though. I think it's almost too trench coat... Probably a trick of the photo with the leaves not yet open.

Ahh yes... but there are. Just very difficult to capture on photos. There are branches that soften the trunk line. Once leaves are fully opened it will be more obvious. The branches also almost appear in photos line up up down. Not the case. The photo does a beautiful job flattening out the design.

 

[JudyB]

Ahh yes... but there are. Just very difficult to capture on photos. There are branches that soften the trunk line. Once leaves are fully opened it will be more obvious. The branches also almost appear in photos line up up down. Not the case. The photo does a beautiful job flattening out the design.

I guessed as much, and it's a small quibble anyway, as the silhouette is just soooo nice.

 

[Canada Bonsai]

Gorgeous @MACH5 ! It just keeps getting better!

Would love to see a full-body shot from the right(?), the side with the crawling branches/trunks!