Japanese Maple cracks in bark

[Kevin1968]

Started digging down around the trunk and found fine roots allover the place the trunk seams to be about an inch or more into the dirt it is going to have to be repotted and roots cleaned up to get the nebari up where it should be. Ordered an 18 x 11 x 5 inch Mica pot should be big enough to start with for training and try to get it smaller later. Still going to do some small trimming this weekend of crossover branches and pinch some buds.

 

[rodeolthr]

@rodeolthr,
I will pull some dirt this weekend. and try to get the roots cleaned up so we can see, and start trimming out the over lappers and broken. need to get it cleaned up to start with. I just noticed the crack in the bark and had some concern. I will take more pics and post during or after this weekend. I also have some branches, I know need to come off to the trunk.

I need to trim the 3 I got from you, still trying to figure them out so much on the top just coming out of the last cut they are good and solid, one has 6 inches of new growth they are quite happy so far.

I've been going through all of mine and cutting back lots of growth, especially in the tops since those branches have a tendency to get too large too fast. The good thing is that when they're pushing growth like that, they seem to respond quickly to the pruning.

 

[Kevin1968]

Here is pictures of replanting. Tree was root bound as expected from a nursery. Cleaned all of the tiny roots from the top removed all thick roots growing straight down. Found some roots growing out near the bottom of the flair which will give stability in the future. So I left them and covered it back up to allow for thickening. I removed almost 18 inches wide and 6 inches deep of roots. It took a while as they were growing in circles and tangled up. I will need a bigger pot than 18 X 11 for now I put it into a number 15 nursery pot as that is all I had. I will build a wooden pot and put it in that and trim back more then. Left many fine roots at this time due to time. Used 75 percent bonsai soil and 25 percent potting soil due to pot has huge holes in the bottom sides just to make soil stay in pot for now. Last 6 pictures are what went back into pot for now.