2022 Discount Rack Contest: Srt8madness' Sango-Kaku Maple

[Srt8madness]

This one was labeled as a Bloodgood at HD for $139. Definitely not a BG, I saw this tree back early April, today it was the only maple left (the others were actual BGs, which is hilarious to me that this one was left).

Almost bought these boxwood with 2" trunks but the variety was big round leaves. Instead, I double checked and sure 'nuff, the gorgeous maple was half off.

I think I'll likely try to get a couple of layers off this one. While the grafted base will never be a show tree, it has a nice nebari (I covered in pic), so I may still grow it out after layers. Not sure how the rules view that but I'm jazzed either way.

Only one pic so far, wind was blowing really hard.

 

[Srt8madness]

GnRly graft union, so I think this will be a tree I grow big and strong to taker layers off of. It does have long internodes so I'll be doing bigger bonsai with it. I'd have 10 of these if I lived where it snowed, the scarlett red bark against the bright white snow is so beautiful to me.

I saw where someone recently pointed out the idea of ground layering these grafted trees really misses the mark, having a strong base allows for rapid top development when can then be layered off. That's exactly my goal now.

 

[19Mateo83]

Was that $139 the markdown price? That thing does have a weird gnarled graft, very vibrant green root stock too!

 

[Srt8madness]

$70 was the markdown price (50% off), guess I should have clarified! 10gal pot. I think even "full price" would have been good for a Sangu Kaku this size. But it definitely fits in the rules of discount rack.

I'm kicking myself about the boxwood. Huge trunks, probably a root reduction and styling away from something credible. I imagine the leaves could have been reduced too. Oh well.

 

[19Mateo83]

$70 was the markdown price (50% off), guess I should have clarified! 10gal pot. I think even "full price" would have been good for a Sangu Kaku this size. But it definitely fits in the rules of discount rack.

I'm kicking myself about the boxwood. Huge trunks, probably a root reduction and styling away from something credible. I imagine the leaves could have been reduced too. Oh well.

Man you got a STEAL!!! Hell yea! Welcome aboard. Buckle your seatbelt. That one’s going to be a fun ride!

 

[Neo_Rokkenjima]

That's a nice tree! I love sango kaku, although my only attempt to ever care for one ended in failure (lessons learned.)
This looks very large to be a bonsai, though. If you end up chopping it, it may take quite a few years to look "normal" again." Will this really be sufficient for a 5-year contest?

 

[Srt8madness]

I won't be chopping it to use the base as a bonsai, at least not for the contest. I will be developing and air layering the top of the tree. That will give me a ready made nebari, and early stages of branch development. When you grow out a full tree, you can essentially develop a renewable source of free prebonsai.

 

[Neo_Rokkenjima]

air layering the top of the tree. That will give me a ready made nebari, and early stages of branch development. When you grow out a full tree, you can essentially develop a renewable source of free prebonsai.

This sounds like a great idea.
Air layering... I know of it, but I don't really understand it. I still have so much to learn. I'm very new to these forums, and to bonsai in general.

 

[Srt8madness]

Air layering is basically tricking the plant to grow new roots at a certain spot on the plant. Scraping the cambium interrupts hormone flows. There is a really good detailed write up here on the site done by Bonsai Nut himself.

 

[Srt8madness]

I killed it. Well, me and a severe houston summer.

Can I sub a different clearance plant?

 

[19Mateo83]

You can start another if you like. It’s still a open contest sad to hear about your entry though….atleast it didn’t die on the discount rack like a lot of them do.