Nursery stock Shishigashira Japanese Maple Progression

[TrevorLarsen]

I bought this tree at a local nursery it was grown by Iseli. I think it cost around $200. It’s grafted but it was done well. Here it is soon after I bought it in May 2022.

I let it grow for 2 full years until March 2024


I bare rooted it and put it on a tile.

I was shocked how good the nebari was, and with this being one of my first barefoot repots it turned out way better than I expected.
Here it is starting to leaf out in April.

 

[RKatzin]

Beautiful tree and a nice piece of work reducing it from nursery stock. Man, I never could drop $200 on a tree! You got cahones! I paid $20 for a two year old graft 14 years ago and it's just getting to this size, but what fun I've had.
I don't think you need to use a tile with an Andersen flat. I don't know, I've never used a tile on any trees, but I have grown lots in Anderson flats. Just keep it elevated so there's air space underneath or the roots grow out the bottom and along the bench and makes it hard to get the trees out of the flats

 

[RKatzin]

Here's a pic of my 14 year old shishi. I've actually had it for 12 years, but it was about a 1/4" trunk in 2010.https://photos.app.goo.gl/UmzzZ2NkcRw6SbMx5
That's a nice Vicky Chamberlain pot.

 

[TrevorLarsen]

Here's a pic of my 14 year old shishi. I've actually had it for 12 years, but it was about a 1/4" trunk in 2010.https://photos.app.goo.gl/UmzzZ2NkcRw6SbMx5
That's a nice Vicky Chamberlain pot.

Very nice tree. I am sure you got a lot more satisfaction growing to from basically nothing.

 

[RKatzin]

Very nice tree. I am sure you got a lot more satisfaction growing to from basically nothing.

Thanks! It is very satisfying to grow a tree from scratch, but I've done many trees from nursery stock like yours with great satisfaction also. One way is like raising a child from infancy and you get to guide and nurture all the way. The other is like adopting a teenager and you get to correct and retrain. Both can develop a fine specimen and both are a ten to fifteen year project.

 

[potatofarmer]

Beautiful tree and a nice piece of work reducing it from nursery stock. Man, I never could drop $200 on a tree! You got cahones! I paid $20 for a two year old graft 14 years ago and it's just getting to this size, but what fun I've had.
I don't think you need to use a tile with an Andersen flat. I don't know, I've never used a tile on any trees, but I have grown lots in Anderson flats. Just keep it elevated so there's air space underneath or the roots grow out the bottom and along the bench and makes it hard to get the trees out of the flats

that actually seems cheap. they want 20 bucks for these shitty little blue berry plants or a few strawberry plants at costco here.

 

[RKatzin]

that actually seems cheap. they want 20 bucks for these shitty little blue berry plants or a few strawberry plants at costco here.

I've always practiced poor boy bonsai, looking for the giveaways and closeouts, but you know, 15 years ago I didn't have the confidence to know that I could process a $200 dollar tree without killing it or knowing I could get something out of it. Today I just can't afford it, LoL.