Acer Ginnala - Maggie

[HorseloverFat]

On a particular trip to Milwaukee (that just HAPPENED to coincide with a liver biopsy appointment at Freodert ) My mother and I stopped at a nice little nursery (on Good Hope Rd., if I am not mistaken) to have a (or several) “looksie”(s).
I happened upon this Amur and, it being the first one I ever really examined, was instantly drawn to it’s charms.
Being fairly broke at that time, I enjoyed the tree.. and moved on. I kept “circling around” to it, to which my mother narrated, “I’ll get it for you if you name it after me.”.... deal!

So I kept it inside over winter as I was rather misguided at that time. I ALSO performed many ill timed and poorly executed techniques.. looking at it is painful for me.. but I know better now than then (at least.)

So here she is, Maggie.. with HORRIBLE prune plans and still bouncing from being inside

Mid-Summer I WILL be correcting the “work”

Now that I know how.

 

[NOZZLE HEAD]

Ill timed and poorly executed techniques are the story of my life.

 

[sorce]

Ill timed and poorly executed techniques are the story of my life.

Or ....
You sprayed too much stuff and it "seems like" it was the fault of the ill timed and poorly technique!

Sorce

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

A true testament to how hardy, resilient an Amur maple truly is. It still looks healthy. Leave it outside this winter, it will be so much happier.

Also anything you trim off, you can root as cuttings. It won't hurt to have a spare 'Maggie' in the odd chance it all goes south.

I find Amur maples tend to be more angular in their branch patterns than Japanese maples. They also tend to produce irregular internode lengths. A little tricky to work with but you can beat the vigor and the small leaf size. (leaves reduce nicely).

 

[HorseloverFat]

A true testament to how hardy, resilient an Amur maple truly is. It still looks healthy. Leave it outside this winter, it will be so much happier.

Also anything you trim off, you can root as cuttings. It won't hurt to have a spare 'Maggie' in the odd chance it all goes south.

I find Amur maples tend to be more angular in their branch patterns than Japanese maples. They also tend to produce irregular internode lengths. A little tricky to work with but you can beat the vigor and the small leaf size. (leaves reduce nicely).

Thank you. I actually do have several little rooted “maggies”

Since i moved it outside it has gotten tar spot. I have fungicide... but i was also planning on making a very hard prune anyways to correct the error... Should i treat the fungus...then prune mid summer.. or treat and wait until spring?

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

Tar spot is ubiquitous, once it is in your landscape, it is there forever. Tar Spot does not overwinter inside the twigs and trunk of the tree, it overwinters in the leaves that have fallen to the ground. In early spring, about the time new leaves expand, spores are released from last year's dead leaves on the ground.

I would do my middle summer prune - then treat with Daconil, or Bonide or Cleary's 3336, hopefully new leaves will not be affected. Then in spring, just before or as leaves are unfurling, treat again with Cleary's 3336, and again about a month later. Then only treat again if new Tar Spot appears on your tree.

Tar Spot is in your landscape maples. Some help would be had if you kept fallen leaves raked up and either burned or removed from the area, or composted and buried before spring. But there is always the next door neighbor's maple with Tar Spot, and you can not control your neighbors. It is just something you will have to deal with.

Removing affected leaves from your bonsai as they show up is about all you can do.

 

[HorseloverFat]

Thanks, Leo. I knew that once prevalent, it was inescapable [at least in landscape]..i just had to know for sure.

 

[NOZZLE HEAD]

Or ....
You sprayed too much stuff and it "seems like" it was the fault of the ill timed and poorly technique!

Sorce

Seems more likely that I didn’t spray enough.

 

[leatherback]

Just do NOT show your mom the tree for 2 years after.
(I know I took one branch of my anniversary gift pomegranate and my wife was not happy )

 

[HorseloverFat]

Just do NOT show your mom the tree for 2 years after.
(I know I took one branch of my anniversary gift pomegranate and my wife was not happy )

How.... DARE YOU!!!

 

[HorseloverFat]

Uuuuuhg.. I know what has to be done.... just working up the courage.

Just do NOT show your mom the tree for 2 years after.

 

[HorseloverFat]

(((Not considered “suitable viewing” for the squeamish)))

So I knew I had to make this hard... hard prune...

Inverse taper can seldom (from what I’ve seen) be “corrected”...

There is quite a bit more, regarding the aesthetic aspect of inverse taper, to be said of prestidigitation..

But I would never personally be satisfied with the specimen if the problem was just visually averted or concealed....

So as my last post shows..

The inverse starts low....

(get on with it)


I didn’t take a “back” shot.. i was gooing for 45 degrees to hide the wound nicely.. realistically it ended up 38-40 degrees... I’m ok with that...

Maggie, however, is “ok” with NONE of this business!

 

[leatherback]

Why!?

 

[Potawatomi13]

Kind of wonder what was seen in this in the first place.

 

[HorseloverFat]

Why!?

...inverse taper

 

[HorseloverFat]

Kind of wonder what was seen in this in the first place.

Hmmm.. Considering as this is the FIRST tree purchased during/for my “bonsai hobby”, I believe some “leeway” should be allowed... At least it isn’t a cookie-cutter ficus, fukien, or “indoor juniper”

I’ll try harder at the whole “knowledge of the experience” without the “experience of the experience.”... THAT way I can make the correct choice EVERY time... NO mistakes... EVER..

God, that must be nice.

 

[leatherback]

...inverse taper

Where?


Such a shame. In my eyes you just butchered a perfectly fine tree.
I do not think the problem warranted a trunk chop

But..

Considering as this is the FIRST tree purchased during/for my “bonsai hobby”,

Learn and grow!

Lesson here: Ask second opinions before major cuts?

 

[sorce]

A lot of stuff you read makes it sound like that bit of reverse taper is unacceptable. I used to feel that way.

Where did the top go? Root it!

Speaking of Roots.

Roots first, there was stuff that needed fixing below this chop. Not just for aesthetics either. A nice root spread is necessary to use the pot space efficiently enough to survive in the pot on the first place!

At least that's what I've been telling myself lately!

Oh pimp stats...


I found a sweet Amur that dropped a bunch of seedlings in a park's woodchips. After a night, 15 hours or so in the bottle, they are still looking fine!

Sorce

 

[HorseloverFat]

Where?
View attachment 311877

Such a shame. In my eyes you just butchered a perfectly fine tree.
I do not think the problem warranted a trunk chop

But..



Learn and grow!

Lesson here: Ask second opinions before major cuts?

Yes.. inquire thoroughly FIRST! ...still working on that.

I feel necessary to point out that the “bowing” out around that first branch followed all the way around the tree... “muffin-topping” even worse on the “back” side... so not sure if that would’ve changed things.

And now we’ll never know, because I didn’t ask.

Thanks for your patience an understanding with me (everyone)... just a little over-enthusiastic and eager, at times. Gotta take a minute to breeeeeathe (and maybe inquire ) before taking action.

Hmmm.. Considering as this is the FIRST tree purchased during/for my “bonsai hobby”, I believe some “leeway” should be allowed... At least it isn’t a cookie-cutter ficus, fukien, or “indoor juniper”

I’ll try harder at the whole “knowledge of the experience” without the “experience of the experience.”... THAT way I can make the correct choice EVERY time... NO mistakes... EVER..

God, that must be nice.

Sorry, @Potawatomi13 ... reading my response NOW, I realize THIS was unnecessarily “snarky” and foolish of me.

My appologies.

(I’ve been meaning to ask. Just out of curiosity, as my father was half Potawatomi, are you, as well, native american?)

A lot of stuff you read makes it sound like that bit of reverse taper is unacceptable. I used to feel that way.

Where did the top go? Root it!

Speaking of Roots.

Roots first, there was stuff that needed fixing below this chop. Not just for aesthetics either. A nice root spread is necessary to use the pot space efficiently enough to survive in the pot on the first place!

At least that's what I've been telling myself lately!

Oh pimp stats...
View attachment 311880

I found a sweet Amur that dropped a bunch of seedlings in a park's woodchips. After a night, 15 hours or so in the bottle, they are still looking fine!

Sorce

I have about 3 semi-hardwoods “in”.. and a fairly large hardwood cutting.

...trying to grow toes.

 

[Colorado]

Where?
View attachment 311877

Such a shame. In my eyes you just butchered a perfectly fine tree.
I do not think the problem warranted a trunk chop

But..



Learn and grow!

Lesson here: Ask second opinions before major cuts?

A “perfectly fine tree?” It was a piece of nursery stock. The only interesting attribute was the base and nebari.

I think the chop was fine, as long as you’re prepared for a long term project.