Acer Saccharinum (Silver Maple) #1

[Orion_metalhead]

Tree has done well. Needs a repot next year. Responded well to May pruning. Have some decisions to make stylistically. Gave it some fert for the fall build up to winter.

 

[Orion_metalhead]

Very happy with development. As mentioned repot needed next year. It should respond with a year of massive growth after heavy post-repot fertilization.



Potential future front.... maybe rotated slightly counterclockwise...

 

[Ininaatigoons]

Is the lowest branch sacrificial or trunk? Too low for a branch and too high for twin trunk. Lookin good so far.

 

[Gabler]

If the low branch is meant to be your new leader, why are you pruning and wiring the rest of the tree? Wouldn't it thicken much faster if you let it run without interfering.

 

[Orion_metalhead]

Silver maples in nature often have splits and clumps occuring not at the soil low, but several feet in the air. They tend to lean and have a droopy personality.

Trying to mimic that in this tree.

I may use that low branch as a leader later on if I dont like how the left trunk line works out.

 

[Orion_metalhead]

Repotted today. First repot of the season. It's amazing how enjoyable just getting lost in a repot is. I used my deciduous mix for the soil - 1:1:1/2 Safe-T-Sorb, Perlite, Pine Bark as my Base Mix then 1:1/2:1/2: Base Mix, Base Mix, Compost. Because Silver Maples are swampy low land trees, I probably could have amended the mix with more compost but I think this will be just perfect.

I put it in a @Bob Hunter pot, since I like how it is turning out. Next steps this year are to fertilize in spring once I see 1st flush and then MAYBE a late June prune if it has done well.

Before:


Out of the grow box


Empty box for the next tree


Raking out the roots



Raked Out


Close Up


Some of the initial pruning



New Front Chosen:

 

[Orion_metalhead]

Some more photos:

Top down view:


The pot Selection:


Pot prepped


Tied down


Finished:


We are dropping below freeIng tonight so its safely under the bilcos until i can get it out tomorrow on the bench. Not expecting any below freezing temps for a bit so hopefully it can stay out. I also replaced my hose bib tonight so watering will be... possible!

 

[Zappin1]

This one started from seed from our mature silver maples. It decided to grow in a very shady spot but I let it go for the heck of it. I was somewhat surprised it survived the winter because we shovel a fair amount of snow off the deck right in that general spot. This spring it came back so I decided to wire the trunk and left it for three weeks. Today I dug it up and potted it. Hoping it will survive the transplant. Going to let it go this year but wondering what I should look for to trim the trunk to get it to branch.

 

[Orion_metalhead]

Looks like red maple, acer rubrum to me..

 

[Zappin1]

Looks like red maple, acer rubrum to me..

It's possible but there are no red maples around us for blocks.Either is fine with me.

 

[Orion_metalhead]

Fall color was good this year. Probably needs another repot next year. Leaves were small too... full sun all summer. Plenty of water...

 

[Aaron the Great]

Beautiful tree and I love that pot. What is the orange electrical wire connector for?

 

[Orion_metalhead]

Beautiful tree and I love that pot. What is the orange electrical wire connector for?

I use them as a quick reference for what gets repotted in spring. Its an easy visual indication. Yellow for repots, orange is for trees that missed the previous years mark for repots, so, they take priority.

 

[Aaron the Great]

That's a pretty awesome idea. I might have to borrow that when I get more trees.

 

[Orion_metalhead]

Cleaned up, loaded old photos to new album for history. Did some light wiring to aim for a typical silver maple look (up and out and then droopy at the tips). Grew very well this year, adding 1/4" of thickness.

Can probably get repotted again next year but Ill leave it a year to strengthen and then go for a 2026 repot.

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