Projects from TJ’s Backyard

[Colorado]

Here’s a little overgrown ficus. I’ve really let it get away from me with the branching and the moss on the trunk, but I kind of enjoy the relinquishment of control and just letting it do it’s thing

It really needs to be repotted and pruned - probably will get around to it soon. I prefer to repot tropicals in the very early “spring” when they’re still inside. I do wait at least until after the winter solstice so daylight length is increasing. They seem to wake up a bit around that time. Summer is great too but I often have a lot going on during the summer and January/February is a slower time for me personally.

 

[Colorado]

ABS Convention 2023 workshop Blue Spruce enjoying the snow recently

 

[Colorado]

Repotting season is officially underway here in my garden

This trident maple spent most of the winter in my garage. I did bring it outside when the temps were mild. I was hoping to hold off on repotting until freezing temps had passed to avoid the shuffle, but this tree had other ideas.





I got the tree in fall 2022 and haven’t really done any work on the branches, other than prune off some big dead pieces and some minor pruning on the longest extensions. I’ve really just been focused on getting the tree healthy and a good root system established, Planning to let it grow strong this year and perhaps wire it in the fall.

I also am not sure this is the best front. It has some other angles that might be better. Plenty of time to think about it

 

[Apex37]

Repotting season is officially underway here in my garden

This trident maple spent most of the winter in my garage. I did bring it outside when the temps were mild. I was hoping to hold off on repotting until freezing temps had passed to avoid the shuffle, but this tree had other ideas.

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I got the tree in fall 2022 and haven’t really done any work on the branches, other than prune off some big dead pieces and some minor pruning on the longest extensions. I’ve really just been focused on getting the tree healthy and a good root system established, Planning to let it grow strong this year and perhaps wire it in the fall.

I also am not sure this is the best front. It has some other angles that might be better. Plenty of time to think about it

Wow, he’s got an awesome base with tons of character. Can’t wait to see how this one develops! Tridents are always the first to leaf out in my garden too.

 

[Shogun610]

Repotting season is officially underway here in my garden

This trident maple spent most of the winter in my garage. I did bring it outside when the temps were mild. I was hoping to hold off on repotting until freezing temps had passed to avoid the shuffle, but this tree had other ideas.

View attachment 531917
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View attachment 531919

I got the tree in fall 2022 and haven’t really done any work on the branches, other than prune off some big dead pieces and some minor pruning on the longest extensions. I’ve really just been focused on getting the tree healthy and a good root system established, Planning to let it grow strong this year and perhaps wire it in the fall.

I also am not sure this is the best front. It has some other angles that might be better. Plenty of time to think about it

Love that maple so dope !.. and gorilla carts are awesome I’m about to get my 3rd lol so useful!

 

[Colorado]

Wow, he’s got an awesome base with tons of character. Can’t wait to see how this one develops! Tridents are always the first to leaf out in my garden too.

Love that maple so dope !.. and gorilla carts are awesome I’m about to get my 3rd lol so useful!

Thanks bros! Really looking forward to working more on this one!

 

[Colorado]

Accent plants are starting to wake up from a long winter slumber

Mountain Harebell - going on its 4th growing season in this pot!


Rocky Mountain Iris - second growing season, had to redo the moss this spring.


Hosta just waking up! Repotted this spring, plan to leave it in this pot indefinitely. Needs time for moss to establish.


Mock Strawberry - second growing season in pot.


I also have a little columbine in a pot but I’m not sure it made it through the winter…

 

[Colorado]

Mountain Harebell again, now in flower!

 

[Colorado]

That hosta from above flowered beautifully this year but I failed to snap a photo. Now it’s got some cool seed pods. I like this little accent!

 

[Colorado]

We got freezing rain and 27F the other night, so my deciduous trees have finally dropped their leaves. Snapped a few pics!

Aspen that I’ve been growing about 5 years from a pencil-thick nursery seedling/cutting.



And after a bit of wire:


I didn’t want to wire all the tiny shoots right before winter. So I’ll finish those off in the spring.

 

[Colorado]

Native Alder that I have been growing for about 4 years from nursery stock.



I think I’ve got a decent start on the branching, but next year I am planning to cut it back HARD. I’m also planning to put it in a larger pot for a couple years to grow the trunk bigger.

 

[Colorado]

Rocky Mountain maple yamadori collected with @Hartinez



Planning to repot in the spring, let it grow unchecked for another year and then cut it back really hard and regrow the branches to form a gnarly, wild clump. If I remember correctly, there is a lot of base buried beneath the surface. I’m excited to check that out at repot because I can’t remember what it looks like really

 

[Hartinez]

Rocky Mountain maple yamadori collected with @Hartinez

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Planning to repot in the spring, let it grow unchecked for another year and then cut it back really hard and regrow the branches to form a gnarly, wild clump. If I remember correctly, there is a lot of base buried beneath the surface. I’m excited to check that out at repot because I can’t remember what it looks like really

From what I remember that base is FAT.

 

[VAFisher]

ABS Convention 2023 workshop Blue Spruce enjoying the snow recently

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What an awesome tree.

 

[Colorado]

Here’s a pic from summer of my little apprentice hanging out under the deciduous bench

 

[Colorado]

What an awesome tree.

Thanks, Fisher! Just a little snow on it today!

 

[VAFisher]

Thanks, Fisher! Just a little snow on it today!
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Wow. It was 80 degrees in central VA today.

 

[Hartinez]

Wow. It was 80 degrees in central VA today.

Getting something similar in Abq. Not quite as cold and snowy. But fall is all gone.

 

[Mike Westervelt]

Rocky Mountain maple yamadori collected with @Hartinez

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Planning to repot in the spring, let it grow unchecked for another year and then cut it back really hard and regrow the branches to form a gnarly, wild clump. If I remember correctly, there is a lot of base buried beneath the surface. I’m excited to check that out at repot because I can’t remember what it looks like really

Awesome! always wondered why acer glabrum isn't utilized more we saw some really ramified small leaved ones in Wyoming a few years ago.

 

[Colorado]

Thanks Mike! I am looking forward to learning more about the species as time goes by with this one. I have had a couple small nursery stock in the past but didn’t have enough patience to keep them around/grow them out. There are a few things I really like about Rocky Mountain Maple:

-bright red twigs and buds in the winter. Really a beautiful color.
-extreme cold hardiness
-can take some sun without leaves burning up
-seems to be a strong species, vigorous grower
-leaves appear to be able to be reduced under the right circumstances
-nice leaf shape

Looking forward to repot this spring to take a look under the hood