Japanese maple #5 progression

[MACH5]

Updating with a couple of pics from this weekend. With the exception of a few long shoots that were cut back, this is how the tree came out of the growing season. In March it will need wire, pruning and hopefully plant it in a wider and nicer container. I will be looking for one over the winter brake.

This maple naturally develops lots of fine twigs and tiny buds. It was originally grown by Karen Proctor (Reflections in Water) from a seedling obtained from an arakawa maple in NC. However, it never developed the rough bark from the parent tree. Still, the leaves are sharply incised typical of arakawa but smaller in size and almost as resistant to sun scorch. Because of these characteristics, I have been thinking about propagating it.

Below pics from day and night.

 

[garywood]

OOOHHHH, S, that is a sweet maple! Definitely propagate or send me some scion wood. Delicate trees are few and far between that are good growers.

 

[garywood]

S, one of my selections, maybe 20yrs ago. I'll swap some wood with you.

 

[MACH5]

Thanks Gary! Sure, that's a beauty right there!! I'm in as long as we understand about "swapping wood"! I'll get to work on that next spring Just curious. Did you name it?

 

[garywood]

S, is that before or after swapping wood No, it's not named. I have a few named but this one I haven't propagated or sold. It's that one of a kind that occasionally one would like to have that "only" one I've outgrown that feeling

 

[JudyB]

Fabulous.

 

[fredtruck]

Serg, that's a wonderful tree.

 

[MACH5]

Early spring update. Recently I repotted this maple into a new Yixing ware container. It is 2" wider and slightly deeper than the current pot which the tree will appreciate. Before the repotting, it was wired and pruned back where needed. This tree continues to do very well and it's developing quickly.






The new container has subtle variations in the glaze with surface imperfections that gives it character and age.






Buds swelling. Soon it will be covered in a mass of leaves.








The grafted second trunk has by now completely fused with the parent trunk and beginning to get some of that beautiful grey bark.







Out in the garden enjoying a warm spring night.






A quick at-a-glance 3 year progression.







International Bonsai magazine had a nice article on this tree last year [issue #2]. Looking at those photos now the tree has developed quite a bit more since then. But that's bonsai, it never ends.

 

[JudyB]

Where is the love button when you need one... You must be happy with this ones progress, the secondary trunk is melding with the main trunk wonderfully.

 

[Djtommy]

Really nice, a big difference between those 3 years especially the apex, might want to keep that in check from now on.
Very nice job man

 

[j evans]

Excellent work and thanks so much for sharing. I really enjoy the photos.

Jamie

 

[leatherback]

Wow..

Was not planning on reading the whole thread, so jumped from page one to the last page. Stunning development! Will have to go back to read the whole thread.

Hapy to see there are people around developing the elegant, well-executed delicate bonsai, and not aiming for just the fattest trunk!

 

[MACH5]

Where is the love button when you need one... You must be happy with this ones progress, the secondary trunk is melding with the main trunk wonderfully.

Thanks Juds! Can't wait for that little trunk to turn grey so that it all blends in together. Won't be tomorrow but... someday. I was concerned initially with the grafted trunk's development since it is so low and feared that it would be weak in the shadows of the parent tree specially at the beginning. Thus far that has not been the case and starting to really get some steam now.

I am generally pretty conservative when it comes to development time projections. I would not have guessed how fast it has developed and yes very happy with the progress.

 

[MACH5]

Really nice, a big difference between those 3 years especially the apex, might want to keep that in check from now on.
Very nice job man

Thanks Tommy! I plan on easing up quite a bit on the fertilizer this year. Not surprisingly the apex is strong and need to keep it in check.

 

[MACH5]

Wow..

Was not planning on reading the whole thread, so jumped from page one to the last page. Stunning development! Will have to go back to read the whole thread.

Hapy to see there are people around developing the elegant, well-executed delicate bonsai, and not aiming for just the fattest trunk!

Thanks leatherback! I will give you a quick synopsis. Basically, I air layered one of the tree's lower branches which was then grafted at the base to make a second trunk. So it went from a single to a double trunk design. I did this because I felt my original material was average with a lackluster appearance.

 

[AlainK]

Another great maple, congrats!

 

[Djtommy]

Thanks Tommy! I plan on easing up quite a bit on the fertilizer this year. Not surprisingly the apex is strong and need to keep it in check.

do you pinch the new growth? i mean after the first leaves come out pinch the middle shoot soon, im sure you know what i mean.
maybe not a bad idea on this maple

 

[MACH5]

do you pinch the new growth? i mean after the first leaves come out pinch the middle shoot soon, im sure you know what i mean.
maybe not a bad idea on this maple

I do and have done it to areas of this tree depending on vigor and design objectives. Will probably do so to a greater degree this year. Will hold back on any fertilizer until about June when leaves harden. I usually try and get the center shoot even before the bud fully opens. Impossible to get all but I try as best as I can with so many maples going at the same time.

 

[Milly]

I usually try and get the center shoot even before the bud fully opens.

Please explain this.

 

[thumblessprimate1]

Please explain this.

Correct me if I'm wrong, @Mach, but I think it's what Bill describes about the European Beech below.
http://valavanisbonsaiblog.com/2016/01/18/its-seedling-time/