cmeg1
Imperial Masterpiece
Great progression,they seem to be growing very well and looking great!
Progression of Acer palmatum C
- Thread starter parhamr
- Start date
Gurudas
Mame
Looking good! I truly enjoy seeing progression posts. It is very inspiring for newbies like myself. Thanks!
parhamr
Omono
The clump was quite overgrown and shows a lot of vigor. I gave it a moderately aggressive trim.
The new tree is definitely surviving and incorporated with the clump. The right-middle trees could be pruned even more aggressively.
I’ll take another look mid-winter for pruning opportunities.
The new tree is definitely surviving and incorporated with the clump. The right-middle trees could be pruned even more aggressively.
I’ll take another look mid-winter for pruning opportunities.
SilverioSan
Mame
I live in Seattle so I would say the temperatures from Portland and the times of the year are almost the same. When you would consider a structural pruning? I am newbie and I have read a lot but as you may know informations out there sometimes are very opposite. Would you consider to cut back on winter or wait February for this?
parhamr
Omono
Good times for Japanese Maple structural prunings tend to be in the growing season. Around here, specifically the urban Pacific Northwest, many diseases, infections, and physical damage can occur from pruning between November and March.
Stringent aftercare can be used to extend the growing season. Environmental protection is useful.
parhamr
Omono
just.wing.it
Deadwood Head
Some impressive growth!
Nice.
Nice.
KiwiPlantGuy
Omono
Hi,
You said you did an approach graft to add the fifth tree into your clump. I was hoping you could explain the “how you did this” please and thank you.
Great clump in the making!
Charles
Nanuk
Shohin
Your clump is coming along nicely. I like it.
parhamr
Omono
Back in 2017 I was thinking a formal graft might have been needed to successfully encorporate the new seedling. Here are two guides for grafting:
https://www.bonsaiempire.com/basics/cultivation/advanced/grafting-trees
http://bonsai4me.com/AdvTech/ATApproachGraftingforBonsai.htm
When I made a final decision about which tree I would be adding and where it would go, I figured out I could just nestle it in a nook between two of the trunks and let new growth lock it in. Think of this somewhat like a handshake—the positive shape of two trunks was compatible with the negative space in the roots of the tree I added.
On the new tree I teased out the roots by hand, removed one conflicting root, and guided the remaining roots into a small pocket I had prepared in the clump. I finished this up by top-dressing the new tree’s roots in place with strips of sphagnum and fine, sifted akadama. I held it all in place by lacing two galvanized steel wires, wrapped in plastic aquarium tubing, criss-crossed over the base of the clump and new tree.
The roots of the new tree are fully enmeshed into the rest of the clump and its base is butting up against the adjacent two trunks. The five trees will soon be one connected knob.
parhamr
Omono
The camera on my new phone is quite a bit more crisp
RobertB
Chumono
what type of phone?
parhamr
Omono
iPhone XR
parhamr
Omono
This is a fancy Japanese pot I got from Bonsai Northwest
That upper section of straight trunk on the tallest tree will likely go this June.
That upper section of straight trunk on the tallest tree will likely go this June.
parhamr
Omono
In this repot I did minor work on the nebari. It’s a little uneven where some older roots rotted away. There’s a decent bulge around the base where I could ground layer or perform root grafts. I think I’ll wait for the 2022 work to make those improvements.
parhamr
Omono
I’ve been fastidiously plucking off the second set of leaves as they push out. The trunk at left is leafing out the slowest of the five, but I think it’ll be fine.
AlainK
Imperial Masterpiece
Very nice progression thread. Good job ! 
parhamr
Omono
I’m planning to make big moves next May … something like this:
just.wing.it
Deadwood Head
Niiice.
I think the second trunk from the left needs to be chppped low.
It is too straight and long.....all the other trunks have movement.
I assume you've seen it, and have considered it.....I think the sooner the better.
Nice work keeping it healthy.....J Maples have always been a disease harbor for me.
I think the second trunk from the left needs to be chppped low.
It is too straight and long.....all the other trunks have movement.
I assume you've seen it, and have considered it.....I think the sooner the better.
Nice work keeping it healthy.....J Maples have always been a disease harbor for me.
parhamr
Omono
Welllll I did it. Removing years of growth was hard to stomach overall, but the long internodes, mediocre taper, and undesirable directional growth was stuff I could feel great about fixing.
Even after the hard structural prune there were some bits of dense foliage so I performed a partial defoliation on all that remained. It’s warm and sunny this week so I’ve got this tree in part shade so it doesn’t get burnt.
Even after the hard structural prune there were some bits of dense foliage so I performed a partial defoliation on all that remained. It’s warm and sunny this week so I’ve got this tree in part shade so it doesn’t get burnt.
