Young Deshojo and Arakawa

[keyfen06]

Hi all. I recently picked up my first Deshojo and Arakawa maple from a specialist maple nursery (not a bonsai one). I've never really cared for a maple before, so was just wondering if anyone had any tips specifically or could link to some good resources about them? These are the ones in question:

Deshojo:



Arakawa:



Will the tree eventually grow to a point where the grafts will be less visible? Or should I just opt to use these two plants as mother stock to take air layerings from etc. and develop that new material? And in terms of just letting it grow and thicken, is the best thing to do just to leave it and not touch it or maybe give it a light prune at a certain time? I think I will start feeding them now.

 

[eplov90]

That kind of graft will always be visible. Some grafts, especially those done specifically for bonsai, are done so neatly that you may not notice them for most cultivars. Arakawa is a different beast though, as the rough bark would never match the smooth bark of the rootstock.

You have two options -- grow them out as larger mother plants or develop the tree you want on the rootstock to take advantage of it's vigor, then layer the whole tree off at the right time. Personally, I would put some light wire on them this year to put movement in the branches and let the plants grow, then airlayer off next year when they have a more established root system.

 

[Shibui]

Maybe not visible forever but probably visible until the trunk gets to around 10cm thick which could take 15-20 years in a pot. Arakawa bark has already been mentioned.

Probably best to use them as stock plants to try to grow more.
Some people can strike maple cuttings but my success rate is very low so layers are often a better bet.

 

[Dutch bonsai chef]

I think both grafts will be visible practically forever since they’re so high up the trunk. As said before you could layer the tree off or use it as motherstock. Maybe it’s a good idea to plant them in your garden, let them grow out on the grafted stock. Then you’d have amazing landscape trees and motherstock for airlayers. Best of both worlds imo.

 

[keyfen06]

That kind of graft will always be visible. Some grafts, especially those done specifically for bonsai, are done so neatly that you may not notice them for most cultivars. Arakawa is a different beast though, as the rough bark would never match the smooth bark of the rootstock.

You have two options -- grow them out as larger mother plants or develop the tree you want on the rootstock to take advantage of it's vigor, then layer the whole tree off at the right time. Personally, I would put some light wire on them this year to put movement in the branches and let the plants grow, then airlayer off next year when they have a more established root system.

What rootstock are normally used for bonsai purposes? I've never actually tried a graft before, but it seems like it's a good skill to learn growing maples. I think I might stick to growing them out as larger mother plants for now, stick some wire on and airlayer them next year since I don't have much experience with maples and I don't want to mess about with it too much and kill it off before I can even get anything from it.

 

[keyfen06]

Maybe not visible forever but probably visible until the trunk gets to around 10cm thick which could take 15-20 years in a pot. Arakawa bark has already been mentioned.

Probably best to use them as stock plants to try to grow more.
Some people can strike maple cuttings but my success rate is very low so layers are often a better bet.

I could ground grow them, but likely I will do that to the air layers I take from them. Would they be okay in just full sun or a bit of shade? And would they need a bit more of a free-draining substrate in the ground or just stick them straight in compost and that's it?

Am I right in saying that even if you took a cutting from a Deshojo or an Arakawa, they wouldn't grow well on their own roots and that's why people graft them? I might have a shot at it, I think there's a few threads on here about it?

 

[eplov90]

The rootstock will generally just be standard Acer Palmatum.

Deshojo and Arakawa can both definitely grow on their own roots. They are widely available that way and many people here(including me) have taken cutting and airlayers.

They are likely to be a little bit less vigorous on their own roots vs standard acer palmatum but develop just fine -- there are many slower AP cultivars.

 

[Shibui]

Would they be okay in just full sun or a bit of shade? And would they need a bit more of a free-draining substrate in the ground or just stick them straight in compost and that's it?

Your full sun and my full sun probably vastly different. Also difference between sun hardiness in a pot V in the ground. At a guess, JM should be OK in full sun in most of the UK.

When planting in the ground I find it best to use the native soil. Digging a hole in clay soil and filling that with well drained substrate creates a pond when any available water runs out of the surrounding soil and into your hole. A hole filled with the same soil as nearby is no longer a hole so water disperses equally and slowly drains away. Roots also find it easier to grow into surrounding soil when there is no defined differences.
If your native soil is really badly drained the best approach seems to be to build up a raised mound above natural soil level so some roots can live in better aerated mound while others go deeper into the soil below.

Always tease out some roots from potted plants before transplant. This helps them to grow into surrounding soil instead of continuing to circle around the potting soil.

Am I right in saying that even if you took a cutting from a Deshojo or an Arakawa, they wouldn't grow well on their own roots and that's why people graft them? I might have a shot at it, I think there's a few threads on here about it?

As mentioned above, depends on the cultivar. Both these seem to be OK on their own roots and there are plenty of bonsai 'Arakawa' and 'Deshojo' to prove that. Several US bonsai maple specialists sell cutting grown Japanese maple cultivars because their customers demand ungrafted plants.
Several reasons why commercial growers may graft:
Some plants are grafted if they are difficult to propagate as cuttings. (obviously not the case with these maples)
Layers are way too slow to be viable commercial method.
Some plants are grafted just because the propagator knows grafting. If you are set up for grafted plants it's probably just as easy to graft as to make cuttings - whether or not the cultivar can be grown any other way.