Japanese Maple cuttings [From start to finish: A Guide]

[Bravura Bonsai]

Thread 'The science of air-layering' https://www.bonsainut.com/threads/the-science-of-air-layering.27034/

Here's some reading for you.

Thanks for this

 

[Bravura Bonsai]

Great way to kill them off

I don't know... i have some in the shade still but theyre not in full 100% sun theyre in a partially sunny morning sun from 8am -11am location. The rest of the day is shaded. I need the heat and things like heating pads are things id rather avoid

 

[leatherback]

theyre in a partially sunny morning sun from 8am -11am location

so pretty much exactly what I wrote before, which you claimed does not work..

 

[Clorgan]

This was a really strange read after a few beers...

 

[Enfield Snapper]

Thanks for this

No problem.

There are quite a few people here that have extensive knowledge of horticulture. If you're having trouble understanding something, chances are good that if you do some digging with a search on the site you'll find some good explanations. Many of my searches even outside of Bonsai Nut give me results that just bring me back to threads on Bonsai Nut that I hadn't seen.

Maybe someday you'll have trees that everyone wants. But along your path in that journey, pay attention to the people that have been doing this for decades. They have good reasons for doing things the way they do. Maybe not everything they do will work for you (and if it doesn't, try to figure out why rather than simply writing it off) but you'll progress faster if you take notice.

 

[Mikecheck123]

i have tried that. It did not work.

Hmm... seems to go against a certain saying. Correct me if I'm wrong, but aren't there active pregnancies that are older than your bonsai career?

 

[SeanS]

The cuttings that are drying up are just going dormant for winter. At leaf drop you can wire and style them. In spring they will resume trying to grow roots. Twigs trimmed from a JM can remain dormant for up to 6 months. before they start to grow roots. Most people do not know this and simply waste their time taking cuttings at the “correct time” in the season. There is no correct time, JM cuttings are resilient and easy to propagate

 

[Bravura Bonsai]

SUCCESS. HI. THE METHOD TO ROOT JAPANESE MAPLE SOFTWOOD CUTTUNGS IS FAIRLY SIMPLE AND STRAIGHTFORWARD AS OUTLINED BELOW:

1. YOUR CUTTINGS MUST BE THICK AND HAVE A MASS OF FOLIAGE LIKE YOU WOULD DO WITH AN AIR LAYER. I HAVE NOT EXPERIMENTED WITH SIZE BUT THE GENERAL RULE OF THUMB THAT I AM SUGGESTING IS TO USE THE THICKNESS OF YOUR THUMB LOL TO DETERMINE THE SIZE OF THE CUTTING. THIN CUTTUNGS DIE OUT FASTER.

2. DO NOT DEFOLIATE THE CUTTING AND PLANT IT AS YOU WOULD PLANT A TREE THAT YOU HAVE ROOT PRUNED SEVERELY. KEEP THE SOIL MOIST (WHATEVER MEDIUM YOU CHOSE IS UP TO YOU JUST REMEMBER THAT TREES NEED GOOD DRAINAGE SO THE ROOTS GROW FREELY AND RECIEVE AIR)

3. AFTER YOU SEE BUDDING BACK (between 2 to 4 weeks depending on your timing when collection your raw material. the trees will bud bad sometime at this point or they will dry out and die) PLACE THE CUTTINGS IN FULL SUN SO THE TREE CAN PHOTOSYNTHESIZE AND BEGIN TO GROW A STRONG ROOT SYSTEM.

4. GO ONLINE AND THANK BRAVURA BONSAI FOR EDUCATING YOU LIKE A BOSS.


● DO NOT COVER OR USE ANY TYPE OF HUMIDITY CONTROL SYSTEMS

● DO NOT DEFOLIATE YOUR BRANCH

● KEEP THE CUTTINGS OUT OF DIRECT SUNLIGHT FOR THE FIRST 2-4WEEKS UNTIL BUDBACK


●NO HORMONE POWDER OR ROOTING COMPOUND WAS USED BUT MAY BE BENEFICIAL.



Im so excited im uploading another update video tonight where you can see the details better i guess. So thats it. The guide is done. Japanese softwood cuttings are straightforward im going to try do this with other deciduous trees. Big cuttings THAT look like air layers, pencil thickness or more with a mass of foliage. Thank you for your time and i hope you try it out and it works. My ambient temperature was about 27°C and the humidity is around 45% on average so if that helps anyone.

 

[Bravura Bonsai]

I am new here and new to bonsai. I started bonsai by collecting a mulberry seedling in September 2020 during the lockdown. Ever since then ive had a fascination with bonsai and growing trees. Now i have a huge collection incliding trident maples (http://shorturl.at/ckH17) but japanese maple cuttings escape me.

I have tried 3 times with softwood cuttings in the summer time. It is summer here in south africa. You can see my method in the link above and i am unsure how to proceed. I have a new batch of cuttings that i have started using the method as follows:

1. Long vigorous shoot selection. I chose the extended shoots that are growing outside the shape of the canopy.

2. Making 5 -7 bud cuttings without the terminal tip. I only made the cuttings very short and left 2 healthy whole leaves at the top with a stub for die back at the top where the growing tip was. The cuttings are all this years growth no thicker than a standard pencil.

3. I placed the cuttings in a well draining moist medium for rooting. The cuttings where planted so that only 2 buds (including the pair with the leaves) were above ground and 3 or more buds were under the ground. I took this step in hopes of preserving moisture in my cuttings as i would not be coving them with a humidity dome/chamber or covering them with a plastic. Most of the cuttings are under the ground.

4. I did not use a humidity chamber. I fear too much humidity is why we all fail at rooting these cuttings. I have rooted evergreen trees using high humidity but my deciduous cuttings all seem to have their leaves turn brown and die even in the high humidity so i am opting to place the cuttings in the shade uncovered.

Tl;dr: i an trying to root japanese maple cuttings in summer and will post an update as there is no resource availlable on how to easily propagate this tree from softwood cuttings. I will post pictures if this gains interest and document the cuttings failure and success to put this matter to bed.

SUCCESS. HI. THE METHOD TO ROOT JAPANESE MAPLE SOFTWOOD CUTTUNGS IS FAIRLY SIMPLE AND STRAIGHTFORWARD AS OUTLINED BELOW:

1. YOUR CUTTINGS MUST BE THICK AND HAVE A MASS OF FOLIAGE LIKE YOU WOULD DO WITH AN AIR LAYER. I HAVE NOT EXPERIMENTED WITH SIZE BUT THE GENERAL RULE OF THUMB THAT I AM SUGGESTING IS TO USE THE THICKNESS OF YOUR THUMB LOL TO DETERMINE THE SIZE OF THE CUTTING. THIN CUTTUNGS DIE OUT FASTER.

2. DO NOT DEFOLIATE THE CUTTING AND PLANT IT AS YOU WOULD PLANT A TREE THAT YOU HAVE ROOT PRUNED SEVERELY. KEEP THE SOIL MOIST (WHATEVER MEDIUM YOU CHOSE IS UP TO YOU JUST REMEMBER THAT TREES NEED GOOD DRAINAGE SO THE ROOTS GROW FREELY AND RECIEVE AIR)

3. AFTER YOU SEE BUDDING BACK (between 2 to 4 weeks depending on your timing when collection your raw material. the trees will bud bad sometime at this point or they will dry out and die) PLACE THE CUTTINGS IN FULL SUN SO THE TREE CAN PHOTOSYNTHESIZE AND BEGIN TO GROW A STRONG ROOT SYSTEM.

4. GO ONLINE AND THANK BRAVURA BONSAI FOR EDUCATING YOU LIKE A BOSS.


● DO NOT COVER OR USE ANY TYPE OF HUMIDITY CONTROL SYSTEMS

● DO NOT DEFOLIATE YOUR BRANCH

● KEEP THE CUTTINGS OUT OF DIRECT SUNLIGHT FOR THE FIRST 2-4WEEKS UNTIL BUDBACK


●NO HORMONE POWDER OR ROOTING COMPOUND WAS USED BUT MAY BE BENEFICIAL.

I am new here and new to bonsai. I started bonsai by collecting a mulberry seedling in September 2020 during the lockdown. Ever since then ive had a fascination with bonsai and growing trees. Now i have a huge collection incliding trident maples (http://shorturl.at/ckH17) but japanese maple cuttings escape me.

I have tried 3 times with softwood cuttings in the summer time. It is summer here in south africa. You can see my method in the link above and i am unsure how to proceed. I have a new batch of cuttings that i have started using the method as follows:

1. Long vigorous shoot selection. I chose the extended shoots that are growing outside the shape of the canopy.

2. Making 5 -7 bud cuttings without the terminal tip. I only made the cuttings very short and left 2 healthy whole leaves at the top with a stub for die back at the top where the growing tip was. The cuttings are all this years growth no thicker than a standard pencil.

3. I placed the cuttings in a well draining moist medium for rooting. The cuttings where planted so that only 2 buds (including the pair with the leaves) were above ground and 3 or more buds were under the ground. I took this step in hopes of preserving moisture in my cuttings as i would not be coving them with a humidity dome/chamber or covering them with a plastic. Most of the cuttings are under the ground.

4. I did not use a humidity chamber. I fear too much humidity is why we all fail at rooting these cuttings. I have rooted evergreen trees using high humidity but my deciduous cuttings all seem to have their leaves turn brown and die even in the high humidity so i am opting to place the cuttings in the shade uncovered.

Tl;dr: i an trying to root japanese maple cuttings in summer and will post an update as there is no resource availlable on how to easily propagate this tree from softwood cuttings. I will post pictures if this gains interest and document the cuttings failure and success to put this matter to bed.

SUCCESS. HI. THE METHOD TO ROOT JAPANESE MAPLE SOFTWOOD CUTTUNGS IS FAIRLY SIMPLE AND STRAIGHTFORWARD AS OUTLINED BELOW:

1. YOUR CUTTINGS MUST BE THICK AND HAVE A MASS OF FOLIAGE LIKE YOU WOULD DO WITH AN AIR LAYER. I HAVE NOT EXPERIMENTED WITH SIZE BUT THE GENERAL RULE OF THUMB THAT I AM SUGGESTING IS TO USE THE THICKNESS OF YOUR THUMB LOL TO DETERMINE THE SIZE OF THE CUTTING. THIN CUTTUNGS DIE OUT FASTER.

2. DO NOT DEFOLIATE THE CUTTING AND PLANT IT AS YOU WOULD PLANT A TREE THAT YOU HAVE ROOT PRUNED SEVERELY. KEEP THE SOIL MOIST (WHATEVER MEDIUM YOU CHOSE IS UP TO YOU JUST REMEMBER THAT TREES NEED GOOD DRAINAGE SO THE ROOTS GROW FREELY AND RECIEVE AIR)

3. AFTER YOU SEE BUDDING BACK (between 2 to 4 weeks depending on your timing when collection your raw material. the trees will bud bad sometime at this point or they will dry out and die) PLACE THE CUTTINGS IN FULL SUN SO THE TREE CAN PHOTOSYNTHESIZE AND BEGIN TO GROW A STRONG ROOT SYSTEM.

4. GO ONLINE AND THANK BRAVURA BONSAI FOR EDUCATING YOU LIKE A BOSS.


● DO NOT COVER OR USE ANY TYPE OF HUMIDITY CONTROL SYSTEMS

● DO NOT DEFOLIATE YOUR BRANCH

● KEEP THE CUTTINGS OUT OF DIRECT SUNLIGHT FOR THE FIRST 2-4WEEKS UNTIL BUDBACK


●NO HORMONE POWDER OR ROOTING COMPOUND WAS USED BUT MAY BE BENEFICIAL.

 

[leatherback]

4. GO ONLINE AND THANK BRAVURA BONSAI FOR EDUCATING YOU LIKE A BOSS.

Who do you think you are, and why would anybody thank you or worse, follow your directions?

You have NOT shown a SINGLE successful rooting of maple, yet you think people should follow your directions?

I would say:

This method does not work. It has not worked for Bravura and many other people. Disregard this

THE METHOD TO ROOT JAPANESE MAPLE SOFTWOOD CUTTUNGS IS FAIRLY SIMPLE AND STRAIGHTFORWARD

ROOTING SOFTWOOD JM CUTTINGS IN SUMMER/SPRING IS NOT A PROCESS THAT IS AS STRAIGHYFORWARD AS IY HAS BEEN MADE TO SEEM.

 

[leatherback]

Big cuttings

are not

SOFTWOOD CUTTUNGS

The sticks you show in the pictures are all without roots at this point.

 

[Clorgan]

SUCCESS. HI. THE METHOD TO ROOT JAPANESE MAPLE SOFTWOOD CUTTUNGS IS FAIRLY SIMPLE AND STRAIGHTFORWARD AS OUTLINED BELOW:

1. YOUR CUTTINGS MUST BE THICK AND HAVE A MASS OF FOLIAGE LIKE YOU WOULD DO WITH AN AIR LAYER. I HAVE NOT EXPERIMENTED WITH SIZE BUT THE GENERAL RULE OF THUMB THAT I AM SUGGESTING IS TO USE THE THICKNESS OF YOUR THUMB LOL TO DETERMINE THE SIZE OF THE CUTTING. THIN CUTTUNGS DIE OUT FASTER.

2. DO NOT DEFOLIATE THE CUTTING AND PLANT IT AS YOU WOULD PLANT A TREE THAT YOU HAVE ROOT PRUNED SEVERELY. KEEP THE SOIL MOIST (WHATEVER MEDIUM YOU CHOSE IS UP TO YOU JUST REMEMBER THAT TREES NEED GOOD DRAINAGE SO THE ROOTS GROW FREELY AND RECIEVE AIR)

3. AFTER YOU SEE BUDDING BACK (between 2 to 4 weeks depending on your timing when collection your raw material. the trees will bud bad sometime at this point or they will dry out and die) PLACE THE CUTTINGS IN FULL SUN SO THE TREE CAN PHOTOSYNTHESIZE AND BEGIN TO GROW A STRONG ROOT SYSTEM.

4. GO ONLINE AND THANK BRAVURA BONSAI FOR EDUCATING YOU LIKE A BOSS.


● DO NOT COVER OR USE ANY TYPE OF HUMIDITY CONTROL SYSTEMS

● DO NOT DEFOLIATE YOUR BRANCH

● KEEP THE CUTTINGS OUT OF DIRECT SUNLIGHT FOR THE FIRST 2-4WEEKS UNTIL BUDBACK


●NO HORMONE POWDER OR ROOTING COMPOUND WAS USED BUT MAY BE BENEFICIAL.


SUCCESS. HI. THE METHOD TO ROOT JAPANESE MAPLE SOFTWOOD CUTTUNGS IS FAIRLY SIMPLE AND STRAIGHTFORWARD AS OUTLINED BELOW:

1. YOUR CUTTINGS MUST BE THICK AND HAVE A MASS OF FOLIAGE LIKE YOU WOULD DO WITH AN AIR LAYER. I HAVE NOT EXPERIMENTED WITH SIZE BUT THE GENERAL RULE OF THUMB THAT I AM SUGGESTING IS TO USE THE THICKNESS OF YOUR THUMB LOL TO DETERMINE THE SIZE OF THE CUTTING. THIN CUTTUNGS DIE OUT FASTER.

2. DO NOT DEFOLIATE THE CUTTING AND PLANT IT AS YOU WOULD PLANT A TREE THAT YOU HAVE ROOT PRUNED SEVERELY. KEEP THE SOIL MOIST (WHATEVER MEDIUM YOU CHOSE IS UP TO YOU JUST REMEMBER THAT TREES NEED GOOD DRAINAGE SO THE ROOTS GROW FREELY AND RECIEVE AIR)

3. AFTER YOU SEE BUDDING BACK (between 2 to 4 weeks depending on your timing when collection your raw material. the trees will bud bad sometime at this point or they will dry out and die) PLACE THE CUTTINGS IN FULL SUN SO THE TREE CAN PHOTOSYNTHESIZE AND BEGIN TO GROW A STRONG ROOT SYSTEM.

4. GO ONLINE AND THANK BRAVURA BONSAI FOR EDUCATING YOU LIKE A BOSS.


● DO NOT COVER OR USE ANY TYPE OF HUMIDITY CONTROL SYSTEMS

● DO NOT DEFOLIATE YOUR BRANCH

● KEEP THE CUTTINGS OUT OF DIRECT SUNLIGHT FOR THE FIRST 2-4WEEKS UNTIL BUDBACK


●NO HORMONE POWDER OR ROOTING COMPOUND WAS USED BUT MAY BE BENEFICIAL.

Is it opposite day? From my limited knowledge I'd think the opposite of several of these statements would be true?

I think your best plan of action is to re-read this thread in its entirety. Look up posts by the people you have been quite rude to - you will see that they know their stuff, are super helpful and their advice should be at the very least listened to and considered.

I'd then suggest reflecting on your comments - hopefully your attitude really needs to change if you want to be part of this community, and take up people's valued time asking for help. (They are always happy to do so - but only when it is appreciated by the OP).

I'd also consider therapy... You sound generally angry, extremely defensive and self-sabotaging.

I'd then come back and apologise to the members here (if you mean it). Or, if you want to forget the whole thing at that point... Create a new account, start again and think more carefully about the way you speak to people here.

 

[SeanS]

The sticks you show in the pictures are all without roots at this point.

The photos are at night, Bravulu Brainfart’s rooted maple trunk cuttings are just asleep so they withdraw fluids from the foliage to save energy

 

[Dartfrog]

Wow, reading this entire thread was like when you go to a car race and there's a crash but you just can't look away. I'm really just a beginner with 1 year into the bonsai journey, so I don't have much to add to the cuttings discussion (actually I have followed regular guides on propagation without any problem), just wanted to say that the nerve of some people is astounding. I don't see anyone following this "Guide" in the future lol.

 

[Dav4]

TL:dR and skipping to this last page confirmed it for me. Every day is precious, so stop feeding this troll and move on. They all eventually fall off and go away. I need to finish thinning out and pruning this one, a Japanese maple I started as a cutting over 25 years ago.

 

[Hartinez]

TL:dR and skipping to this last page confirmed it for me. Every day is precious, so stop feeding this troll and move on. They all eventually fall off and go away. I need to finish thinning out and pruning this one, a Japanese maple I started as a cutting over 25 years ago.
View attachment 370342

I love this raft Dave. Hoping to get a deciduous of similar style at some point. I’ll prob need to use an elm or something similar as JMaps hate it here. Plans on getting it back in a pot at some point? Or are you still thickening developing a good amount of branching?

 

[Dav4]

I love this raft Dave. Hoping to get a deciduous of similar style at some point. I’ll prob need to use an elm or something similar as JMaps hate it here. Plans on getting it back in a pot at some point? Or are you still thickening developing a good amount of branching?

It’s still in the grow pot because I am working on the roots mainly along with improving the trunks... I think I put three root graphs on this year, along with several thread graphs to hopefully get some smaller trunks started. I imagine it will stay in the grow box another 2-3 years before being moved back into a shallow ceramic container again.

 

[Bravura Bonsai]

Short update with some good looks. I put the cuttings out in full sun as the summer has turned to fall and i don't think the heat will be too harsh. The shade is too cold at this point i feel like we need more heat. Link to the video update is the text so be aware if you click the text it'll take you to the Japanese Maples update

 

[Bravura Bonsai]

Who do you think you are, and why would anybody thank you or worse, follow your directions?

You have NOT shown a SINGLE successful rooting of maple, yet you think people should follow your directions?

I would say:

Anyone who has failed at using the conventional method now has a solution to implement. That is all i care about

 

[Bravura Bonsai]

That's true

are not

The sticks you show in the pictures are all without roots at this point.

But its so exciting