Seller is looking to get rid of this JM. Great potential. Any tips for digging up? I'm a little iffy about digging it up late July.

[sketchylemons]

 

[19Mateo83]

definitely not the time of the year to be digging a old JM like that. IF it is to survive collection, proper aftercare will be paramount. It will have to be severely cut back, properly watered and kept out of the sun until it starts pushing new growth. I had someone give me a huge JM a few years back, dug out of season… it did not fare well. If it’s like free, maybe I’d risk it. I would definitely not buy and dig an old tree like that in July, late winter/early spring is the best time. It will also help if you add your usda growing zone to your profile so others can give better, more specific advice based on your climate. Also…. Welcome to the nut house!

 

[sketchylemons]

Yeah, I'm going to see if I can dig it up in the fall. Do you think that's a good time? I know early spring is the most ideal.

 

[19Mateo83]

Yeah, I'm going to see if I can dig it up in the fall. Do you think that's a good time? I know early spring is the most ideal.

I have been successful digging trees in early winter, once they have dropped their leaves. Just make sure to get as much fine roots as you can and keep it moist but not wet. it will need to be mulched in to protect it from severe cold.

 

[sketchylemons]

Do you think putting in a large pot or planting into the ground is the best bet? You mentioned adding mulch.

 

[Deep Sea Diver]

Pretty big specimen!

Fine to dig in the fall after leaf drop. Dig in a circle around and under the edge and under of the roots and bag and burlap. Either build a box and plant in the field soil the tree came in, but add some bark and enriched soil, perhaps 30-40%. Cover ground under tree with 1” bark.

Or dig a hole where the tree will go ahead of time. Plant tree, but mix in bark and enriched soil, same percentage… or if one feels lucky more. Cover ground under tree with 1” bark.

Either one will work fine. Yet if one desires to put the tree in the ground, do it, no box in between. Tree ought to do fine.

Cheers
DSD sends

 

[Bonsai Nut]

Welcome to the site! You didn't mention where you're located. We'll offer different advice if you are in San Fran versus Columbus.

 

[rockm]

yeah, Hard pass on something like that. Trunk isn't all that interesting, other than simply being BIG. A trunk chop on that will take a decade to heal --and you will likely have to do that since there is NO taper in it, at least from what the photo shows. Even if there is some in the apex, leaving it without trying to induce some taper in that stovepipe trunk will produce an odd looking mushroom looking bonsai. Also BIG means the physical collection it is going to be a circus. The process could kill you and the tree . An effective root mass on that will be huge, as will any container you put it in. Got a forklift and a pick up?

Additionally, it's a cut leaf variety. Those can suffer as bonsai, since leaves can get crispy and drop in summer in a shallow container.

 

[Deep Sea Diver]

Thinking it was a landscape vs bonsai job?

Is it?

Cheers
DSD sends

 

[Bonsai Nut]

A trunk chop on that will take a decade to heal

I agree. And because of the cultivar, I will almost guarantee you that it is a tree with a high graft - snugged right up under the foliage mass. That's typically how they propagate these weeping laceleaf trees. So if you chop the trunk, you would probably be left with a generic green leaf tree.

It is a nice tree for landscape, however - as long as you can move it.

 

[PerryB]

19 years ago, when I was a construction project manager, we were about to demolish a 50 year old house that had many mature plantings around it. Everyone I worked with was clamoring for some f the azaleas, but I already had a backyard full of azaleas. Instead, I had my eye on a cut-leaf JM that was jammed up against the front porch. It had an 8" diameter trunk and a 10 foot diameter canopy with an overall height of about 4 feet. It was July, and we had a schedule. If I didn't take the tree, it was going into the dumpster.
I had our bobcat operator scoop it up and he got most of the very shallow root system. We put it on a tarp in my pickup, and then another tarp to contain the canopy within the confines of the truck bed for the 15 mile trip on the DC Beltway.
I had previously prepared a shallow hole near the driveway in front of our house in the shade ofan ancient silver maple. It took me and 2 laborers to drag the tree off the truck, and then an hour to tilt the tree and rootball for removing the bottom tarp. I watered it twice a day for weeks, and it survived without a hitch!
It was at the time much larger than any cut-leaf JM available at even the high priced nurseries here, and those were priced at $10,000+.
If OP is using this as a landscape tree, it's possible to do it now.
I agree about grafts: I wouldn't consider this for bonsai.

 

[Shibui]

I agree with the limited potential of this tree for bonsai. I've often mentioned that it is easy to overestimate potential when trees are still in the ground. If it is free and you have a machine or fancy a few hours of backbreaking digging and chopping then have some way to lift and move several hundred Kg of tree and soil then go ahead and take it.
I would certainly not even consider taking anything like that, even at a more opportune time of year.

 

[Pitoon]

I would not recommend pulling it out of the ground now that it's in full leaf.

I'd be willing to bet one could probably air layer multiple shohin size trees off that tree. That would be a fun project for sure.

 

[robrizok]

I have moved many j.maples. The fall is best. Right now I would root prune with a spade at 12, 4, and 8 o'clock tree positions. this cuts about 1/3 of its roots and start new roots where the cuts are. Water well. frequently. makes for easy transplant 3 months from now. (July)