Shohin Maple repotted

[linlaoboo]

nice tree, too bad we don't have nurseries nearby for me to score something like that here. How often do you fertilize it? I'm thinking to fertilize like mad to get my twiggs to fatten up.

 

[MACH5]

Thanks Judy!

Linlaoboo: I believe you may be closer than you think to some nurseries? For example there is Bonsai Rosade Nursery in PA and a couple of other's that may be somewhat close to you depending of where you are in NJ. You also have the MidAtlantic convention that's worth the trip IMO. That's where I got this little maple. With that said you can always create great looking maple shohin with regular nursery stock. It will take a few years but very doable.

I fertilize pretty aggressively most of my maples. I use a combo of cakes with regular liquid fertilizers like Miracle Grow applied once a week during the growing season. I slow down in the heat of Summer however.

 

[MACH5]

A quick update. As it happens every year, this little Kiyohime is showing signs of Spring activity. This is the first maple to leaf out for me. It is an early riser for sure! This year it will not be repotted.


The pic below is one that I found from back in late Winter 2009, about two years after I got it from Suthin.

The tree enjoying the snow a couple of weeks back in early February.

I just took these pics today showing the tree with swollen buds getting ready for another growing season. The design keeps maturing nicely. I have done a bit of trimming and wiring to it.

 

[JudyB]

I adore this tree!

Have you thought of going back to a round pot ever? I kinda dig it in that shape in the first pic... but it's lovely.

 

[MACH5]

Thanks Judy! I have not thought about a round pot but I suppose it could work too The original blue pot eventually became too small proportionally to the tree and it didn't offer much growing space.

 

[milehigh_7]

This tree is so stunningly beautiful to me. I believe it is one of my favorites if one can ever say that.

 

[painter]

man thats crazy that its already budding out. im in nj as well and its been freezin every night im not even thinking repot for another 2-3 weeks
where do you keep yours?
painter

 

[coh]

Beautiful tree, regardless of the variety.

Chris

 

[MACH5]

man thats crazy that its already budding out. im in nj as well and its been freezin every night im not even thinking repot for another 2-3 weeks
where do you keep yours?
painter

Painter, I keep it in an unheated garage where the temp averages in the mid 30s. No matter, this guy likes to wake up early. Still, most of my maples won't stir for another few weeks and even a few more well into April.

 

[october]

This tree is beautiful. I love that it is a shohin as well.

Rob

 

[Poink88]

Very nice tree!!! Love it specially in bud and fall colors

How did I miss this thread until now????

 

[MACH5]

Spring update

Just a quick Spring update

 

[Lancaster]

Very nice! Thanks for sharing your beautiful tree!

Troy

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

Nice looking tree! I was in your neck of the woods earlier this week (Princeton)...azaleas blooming beautifully, pretty area.

 

[MACH5]

Nice looking tree! I was in your neck of the woods earlier this week (Princeton)...azaleas blooming beautifully, pretty area.

Thanks Brian! Yes very pretty area although I am still about an hour or so going north from there. Unfortunately, we have such bad deer problem in my area that I cannot have azaleas in the landscape

Next time let me know and perhaps we could meet

 

[MACH5]

Autumn 2013 uptade

A quick update of this shohin kiyohime. Usually it tends to color up more reddish but this Autumn it decided to go more orange. This photograph was taken last Sunday, November 3rd, a bit past its peak.

 

[sikadelic]

Beautiful tree and a great pot as well. I love seeing all these wonderful maples. So far, they're my favorite species.

 

[Eric Group]

That is a great looking little tree! I love Maples...

Honestly though something about feels off to me, something about that bottom right branch coming from the inside of the bend Maybe... I have just beat it into my head that branches pop from the outside of curves I guess... Rules are made to be broken of course!

The overall look of the tree is stunning!

 

[Dan W.]

Eric, I'm not really trying to argue with you... but I'm curious where you would place that branch for improvement? I'm having trouble envisioning a balanced image with the branch anywhere else. And the tree seems well balanced to me as is.

There are a lot of Japanese trees with branches on the inside of a curve. Some I like and some I don't. I guess to me balance is more important than precise emergence from the trunk.

 

[Dan W.]

Ok, I wen't back and looked at the winter shots again, and I think I might understand some of the "off" feeling. For me I think it has more to do with the similar movement and plane of the two lowest branches on either side of the trunk. Though on a shohin this small I don't know that there is too much one can do about it...? Possibly adding movement to the left branch would help? It would be easier than moving a branch anyway. What do you guys think?

Either way, I would be very happy with this tree as is. You have a great shohin JM here M5!