Progressive Maple (Little Club):'Orange Dream' #001 aka "lil boy"

[thumblessprimate1]

In response to 0soyoung's thread "mine's not big enough", I'm finally confident enough to present to you my small maple a.k.a. "lil boy". It's trunk is actually smaller than 0soyoung's

He's been through a lot, so this year it'll spend most of its time growing up. I had begun sawing away at the trunk, but then decided against it. I left a wedge there instead. The trunk was left to heal the wound and to act as a sacrifice branch to keep that trunk growing bigger. I would like for this small maple to become a larger maple one day. The branch that's wired up may become a future portion of the trunk. Root spread is decent. Maybe next year I'll let some roots escape into the ground to help increase girth.

 

[JoeR]

Mostly perlite and potting soil/pine bark fines huh? That's what I did with mine because I can't find any of the ingredients for a proper soil in my area. I really wish I could join a club, they'd probably tell me where they get it.

What's the white bandage thing at the top?

Anyway, I think I understand you clearly; are you going to remove the tree at the notch eventually leaving just the second trunk/branch? If so

I agree that you cut it prematurely.

My question is is there more trunk below the soil surface?

If not it seems to me it is useless to cut it so low unless you are making a small tree because it will just get lost and be unnoticeable in a larger tree (I may be wrong about this)?

 

[thumblessprimate1]

Bark fines and perlite; it's working alright for growing. The white bandage at the top is parafin film. I didn't have a sealer at the time, so it's what I used. I carved out what I suspected was disease last year. Sprayed it with fungicide. Yes, eventually I'll remove the branch that succeeds the notch. I had a little too much fun with my new pocket saw. There's more trunk about an inch below the soil surface.

 

[thumblessprimate1]

Growing better than I anticipated. You can see it's beginning to seal up it's wound too. Grow, maple. Grow.

 

[Eric Group]

Wait, so you are removing the top or the side branch?

I certainly hope it is the top you are removing...

 

[thumblessprimate1]

The larger top branch is what I'll remove in the long future.

 

[bonsaiBlake]

Really a good idea I think notching the trunk the way you did. You still have the benefits of the sap and energy flow from the foliage of the larger branch/old trunk, while starting the healing of a wound that would have been made eventually anyways. It looks like it would kick start the healing over of that wound. Good luck.

 

[thumblessprimate1]

Root work and planted into ground.

 

[thumblessprimate1]

Dug the tree up and did root work weeks ago. Brilliant orange spring color. So or didn't take pictures ofrom rootwork. I just pruned roots back conservatively. Removed crossing roots and roots growing on a higher plane. Adjusted some roots with nails. Didn't remove from board. Oh and I chomped more on the notch, and tried wrapping wound to control swelling. I'm considering friction tape as this aluminum tape doesn't stick well.


I think the base is improving slowly.


Look! A little red-orange bud popped from the base.

 

[namnhi]

Dug the tree up and did root work weeks ago. Brilliant orange spring color. So or didn't take pictures ofrom rootwork. I just pruned roots back conservatively. Removed crossing roots and roots growing on a higher plane. Adjusted some roots with nails. Didn't remove from board. Oh and I chomped more on the notch, and tried wrapping wound to control swelling. I'm considering friction tape as this aluminum tape doesn't stick well.
View attachment 135618

I think the base is improving slowly.
View attachment 135619

Look! A little red-orange bud popped from the base.
View attachment 135620

The roots make me think this is an airlayer. Is it? Very colorful garden you have there.

 

[thumblessprimate1]

The roots make me think this is an airlayer. Is it? Very colorful garden you have there.

You're right. It's an air layer, and that's why it's no surprise to have a bud pop right at the base of the trunk. Still cool. I've saved the root stock to create an bonsai, stay tuned though as it's locked away in one of the time capsule threads. I've been so itching to show it though.
Thanks, it's a colorful garden, but a mess at the moment!

 

[thumblessprimate1]

Chilling by the fence, developing nebari, healing wounds, and making amendments. A few months has probably passed since the notched trunk fell. I think by me wrapping the trunk with some friction tape, I kept it's vascular system intact. The trunk is alive and healthy. Never even wilted. Kind of not a bad thing, I'm guessing because now growth is directed toward the trunk I want to keep and more light hits the buds inside.


This bud that popped up is now a tiny branch.


BTW, I've started to top dress the soil with bits of spaghnum moss on my maples and Japanese flowering quince. Hard to keep up with watering without it as temperature rises.

 

[thumblessprimate1]

In process of selling my house and this happens. It didn't happen when I had strong gusts of wind or when I bumped into it a few times. It happened when I started having people come see my house. Oh well, so I removed it and worked the wound.

 

[thumblessprimate1]

I'm open to any suggestions.

 

[thumblessprimate1]

Had some fun manipulating the branches. No idea where I'll take it. Chops are in it's future for more movement and taper.

 

[thumblessprimate1]

Been really motivated seeing the maples that Bill Valavanis develops over many many decades. I had left some wire on too long. The maple had a growth spurt and wire bit in deeper than it should. Already the scars are filled in, however the scars are not invisible. I don't really see it as a set back. Just going to let it grow out a while before the next chop. The callous is rolling decently around the first major chop. I can imagine how much different the nebari and base is already. Really look forward to the small improvements every year.

 

[namnhi]

Or you can just send it to me.

 

[thumblessprimate1]

Or you can just send it to me.

Glad you like my maple Don't you have little maple too or is just @0soyoung and me?

 

[namnhi]

Glad you like my maple Don't you have little maple too or is just @0soyoung and me?

I have a few but they are fungus infested. Will definite tidy up growing space and spraying more. That is the goal for next year. A little too late to do anything so I just leave them to fence for themselves this year.

 

[defra]

Realy cool and inspireing

I got a small orange dream too
Bought it with 50% discount at garden center because it had lice
Its growing ok now
I want to grow it out as well and will get it out of the nursery can spring 2018