SeanS
Omono
- Messages
- 1,552
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- USDA Zone
- 9b
Time to start a thread for my biggest JM.
This is standard acer palmatum I picked up from a local garden nursery in July 2020 for ~$14 (R200). In the following August as the buds were swelling I trunk chopped and repotted the tree, and wired the primary branches. I chopped much higher than my intended design and managed to get 2 air layers from the subsequent upper section during the 2020 growing season. It's grown reasonably well and has taught me a lot about JMs so far. The 2020/21 growing season was my first season with maples from spring to fall so it's been a great experience watching how this tree (and its siblings) grow.
Unfortunately I had a bit of a mishap with some horticultural oil late in the season which I used to try control spider mites which had eventually found their way from the rest of my infested plants to my maples. I really has a terrible time with mites this season and hope to keep them under control next season with a full season long fungicide/insecticide/miticide program planned. The hort oil incident caused this tree to lose quite a bit of foliage late in the season, and resulted in quite a lot of buds drying up and turning black. The upcoming spring will reveal the extend of the bud damage.
Yesterday I put this tree on the work bench and did my fall pruning and wiring. All of my JMs have been very late to drop their leaves as we're already halfway through June. I'm happy with the progress made this season, and look forward to the next one where I can learn more and apply the techniques I've learnt about up until now. The various @markyscott seasonal work threads have been a massive resource for me and I'll be applying his well documented techniques next season. Thanks @markyscott !
The tree as purchased in July 2020, pre any work
After the initial chop and wiring. You'll notice the excessive section of trunk and "twin trunk branch" I left above the wired leader. 2 air layers came from that upper section during the season.
These are the sections that gave me the 2 layers
And here are the layers that came off, with the mother tree behind them. I'll document them in separate threads once they're worth writing about.
The tree during the season, nice and bushy. The leader grew well, it's been amazing to see how it thickened up with the vertical growth. I think maybe 1 or 2 more season and I'll have the thickness I need, if the season goes well.
Here is the tree as of yesterday. Before and after. I realise the nebari needs work. I'll either ground layer it at some stage or do some root grafts on the the undercut section when I repot in 2022. I'll be germinating some JM seeds in spring so will hopefully have some seedlings for grafts. I'll make the final angled cut to smooth the transition to the leader once the leaves harden off next spring.
This is standard acer palmatum I picked up from a local garden nursery in July 2020 for ~$14 (R200). In the following August as the buds were swelling I trunk chopped and repotted the tree, and wired the primary branches. I chopped much higher than my intended design and managed to get 2 air layers from the subsequent upper section during the 2020 growing season. It's grown reasonably well and has taught me a lot about JMs so far. The 2020/21 growing season was my first season with maples from spring to fall so it's been a great experience watching how this tree (and its siblings) grow.
Unfortunately I had a bit of a mishap with some horticultural oil late in the season which I used to try control spider mites which had eventually found their way from the rest of my infested plants to my maples. I really has a terrible time with mites this season and hope to keep them under control next season with a full season long fungicide/insecticide/miticide program planned. The hort oil incident caused this tree to lose quite a bit of foliage late in the season, and resulted in quite a lot of buds drying up and turning black. The upcoming spring will reveal the extend of the bud damage.
Yesterday I put this tree on the work bench and did my fall pruning and wiring. All of my JMs have been very late to drop their leaves as we're already halfway through June. I'm happy with the progress made this season, and look forward to the next one where I can learn more and apply the techniques I've learnt about up until now. The various @markyscott seasonal work threads have been a massive resource for me and I'll be applying his well documented techniques next season. Thanks @markyscott !
The tree as purchased in July 2020, pre any work
After the initial chop and wiring. You'll notice the excessive section of trunk and "twin trunk branch" I left above the wired leader. 2 air layers came from that upper section during the season.
These are the sections that gave me the 2 layers
And here are the layers that came off, with the mother tree behind them. I'll document them in separate threads once they're worth writing about.
The tree during the season, nice and bushy. The leader grew well, it's been amazing to see how it thickened up with the vertical growth. I think maybe 1 or 2 more season and I'll have the thickness I need, if the season goes well.
Here is the tree as of yesterday. Before and after. I realise the nebari needs work. I'll either ground layer it at some stage or do some root grafts on the the undercut section when I repot in 2022. I'll be germinating some JM seeds in spring so will hopefully have some seedlings for grafts. I'll make the final angled cut to smooth the transition to the leader once the leaves harden off next spring.
