Question about next step for JM.

[jandslegate]

I have a JM that has been field grown (aka in ground in my back yard)for approx. 5 years. Early this spring I dug it up and moved it into a grow box. In July I defoliated and as of now it has fully flushed back out and seems to have responded well to everything done with it.
My question is what next? On the one hand, I feel like I shouldn't push my luck and let it be. However, if the goal is to get to more desirable shape and overall refinement I don't want to let vigor go too far unchecked. I'm leaning towards hands off but am looking for input from the community. Thanks for everyone's time and thoughts.

 

[BrianBay9]

Probably need a pic to get useful responses.

 

[jandslegate]

Probably need a pic to get useful responses.

Apologies. I didn't think to ask until I got to work.

 

[queenofsheba52]

That's OK. We'll wait.

 

[jandslegate]

Sorry, asking was an afterthought this morning. I've injured my knee and have been spending just enough time out with my trees to keep them alive. I had a brief moment before work and didn't consider pictures being fairly important, I should know better, heh. Anyway here's a rough front and back. The tree is a bit bigger than my go to backdrop. So I had to recruit my son to help me.

 

[Orion_metalhead]

I think next step is to let grow for a season to get some branching to start. Then you can make some pruning decisions.

 

[Orion_metalhead]

I'd start thinking of the long term appearance / style / height and size of the tree you would like to have. I think if this were my tree, I'd be working the roots out to a solid radial structure and then chopping and replanting to grow out. It's got good promise, but there is no movement in the trunk.

 

[Dav4]

If you're happy with the trunk height and girth-wise, you can apply wire to branches you feel will be part of the final design now... getting movement up/down and side to side is much easier before those branches fully lignify. I'd also be grooming whips in the upper canopy for possible thread grafting this winter.

 

[Colorado]

I've injured my knee and have been spending just enough time out with my trees to keep them alive.

Sorry about your knee. 2 knee surgeries here, so I can relate. Watering your trees on crutches is not an easy task!

Good luck with your recovery and with the maple.

 

[jandslegate]

I'd start thinking of the long term appearance / style / height and size of the tree you would like to have. I think if this were my tree, I'd be working the roots out to a solid radial structure and then chopping and replanting to grow out. It's got good promise, but there is no movement in the trunk.

I definitely agree with you about the movement. That's actually a good example of my concerns about letting things go to far with out making adjustments. It originally had a third 'trunk' in between the two that are present. It was damaged when it came in to my store and the center one was snapped. I did get it for ten bucks at least, heh. So eventually the base swallowed the dead center leader but to help facilitate that I left it alone.

 

[jandslegate]

Sorry about your knee. 2 knee surgeries here, so I can relate. Watering your trees on crutches is not an easy task!

Good luck with your recovery and with the maple.

Thank you for that. I'm not in crutches yet. I have an MRI soon, during my vacation at least. The doctor says he thinks it's a torn meniscus but we'll see.

 

[Pacey]

I'd start thinking of the long term appearance / style / height and size of the tree you would like to have. I think if this were my tree, I'd be working the roots out to a solid radial structure and then chopping and replanting to grow out. It's got good promise, but there is no movement in the trunk.

Hi @Orion_metalhead. Could you please briefly explain what the purpose of working and chopping the roots out please?