Ungrafted Acers

[Woocash]

This weekend these little whipper snappers arrived. They are all pencil thin little whippedy doo dahs and none are grafted. I was wondering how this will affect their growth habits and tolerances moving forward. I realise they’re going to need a few years to begin to thicken up anywhere near where I want them, but they’re nice plants regardless. Would a graft be recommended on any of them in the future? Fanks.

 

[Paulpash]

This weekend these little whipper snappers arrived. They are all pencil thin little whippedy doo dahs and none are grafted. I was wondering how this will affect their growth habits and tolerances moving forward. I realise they’re going to need a few years to begin to thicken up anywhere near where I want them, but they’re nice plants regardless. Would a graft be recommended on any of them in the future? Fanks.
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Why would you want to introduce a potential flaw in your material by grafting? If they were cutting grown then it would be logical to assume that they were vigorous on their own roots.

It would be beneficial if you knew the varieties so that more specific guidance could be given. I have experience of growing orange dream,katsura, arakawa, deshojo, sangu kaku & going green on their own roots. The varieties listed have responded positively for me in terms of the rigours of Bonsai training.

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

The best part about starting with small material is you can grow it into anything you want. In the spring, get the roots arranged properly, plant them over a board, tile or rock, and plant them to grow out. Right now, I don’t see anything that suggests a graft is necessary...way too early for that.

 

[Woocash]

Why would you want to introduce a potential flaw in your material by grafting? If they were cutting grown then it would be logical to assume that they were vigorous on their own roots.

It would be beneficial if you knew the varieties so that more specific guidance could be given. I have experience of growing orange dream,katsura, arakawa, deshojo, sangu kaku & going green on their own roots. The varieties listed have responded positively for me in terms of the rigours of Bonsai training.

I just assumed there was a particular reason for it, because is it so difficult to get more mature Acers without grafts. I’m completely happy that I don’t have to if that is case. Unnecessary risks, and potentially ugly scars are not what I want so thanks.

The varieties are Orange Dream, Emerald Lace, Seiryu and a straight up Acer Palmatum. Good to know that at least two of them have potential. Sango-kaku is next on the list for me.

 

[Woocash]

The best part about starting with small material is you can grow it into anything you want. In the spring, get the roots arranged properly, plant them over a board, tile or rock, and plant them to grow out. Right now, I don’t see anything that suggests a graft is necessary...way too early for that.

Thanks Brian. I had hoped to do some arranging of roots in spring, but three of the four are grown in little fabric plugs, then planted into the larger pot. Would you suggest to attempt to carefully cut away the plug then or wait until the roots have strengthened somewhat?

That’s one reason why I got some smaller saplings, to mould them how I like and to learn how they grow. The ROR idea is intriguing.

 

[AlainK]

I second what Paulpash wrote, I have all the species you bought and they're doing fine on tgheir own roots.

Other cultivars are weak on their own roots, but these can be air-layered successfully, which is a good sign.

Grafting is used to keep the characteristics of a named cultivar, whether they can be grown on their own roots or not because seeds rarely produce plants true to the type, and when one masters the technique (unfortunately, I don't) it's faster and easier than air-layering them. I suspect most, if not all the cv we can buy here on their own roots (Orange Dream, Phoenix, etc.) are from cuttings which is also a simple way of reproducing them.

 

[AlainK]

carefully cut away the plug then

I'd do it next spring, just before budbreak.

 

[Woocash]

I second what Paulpash wrote, I have all the species you bought and they're doing fine on tgheir own roots.

Other cultivars are weak on their own roots, but these can be air-layered successfully, which is a good sign.

Grafting is used to keep the characteristics of a named cultivar, whether they can be grown on their own roots or not because seeds rarely produce plants true to the type, and when one masters the technique (unfortunately, I don't) it's faster and easier than air-layering them. I suspect most, if not all the cv we can buy here on their own roots (Orange Dream, Phoenix, etc.) are from cuttings which is also a simple way of reproducing them.

Cool, thanks. That’s good to know, I purchased them for cheap through groupon (a discount offers mail order company) and with those places you never know if they are merely taking the cheapest option to send to you or if they have their own legs, so to speak. The palmatum looks the strongest and I wasn’t sure if that was a coincidence or because the others were inherently weaker on their own. That they were likely all cuttings makes sense though so good stuff.

 

[Woocash]

I'd do it next spring, just before budbreak.

Oh yea, thanks, will do.