Brussel's Sharps Pygmy Progression

[butlern]

Been struggling with this tree for a long while and never documented anything, so doing so now to keep everything organized.

Purchased from Brussel's in Spring 2017. It had really heavy branches up high and the low branches were thin and weak. I'd never had a maple at that point, so it took a while (too long, really) to get started on rebuilding branches.

As received in April 2017 (guy wires... yes, ridiculous, I know)



Grew pretty vigorously that year. March 2018 revealed the long path ahead



After a few weeks of consideration, I got started on the re-build:



It's been taking a long time, but the tree is slowly developing. And it's always been healthy, thankfully. June 2020:



And who doesn't love Irish moss?!?

Still working on branch and apex development... and a long road ahead, still. New Shuho oval. Too showy, but needed something shallow to keep forcing lateral growth of roots. Continuing to chase lower branches back to finer growth to help develop more taper. April 2022:



And today, healthy and vigorous and in need of partial defoliation to keep interior finer growth alive. May 2022:



Sharp's have been so much more challenging when it comes to managing flushes. They're just so dense with soooooo many buds at at every single junction, which leads to rapid swelling and "knuckles." But it does seem (to me) to be getting a little better each year.

 

[coltranem]

I like how the rebuild is coming. The lower branches are thickening nicely.

 

[butlern]

I just checked the Brussel's site to look at what they're offering for Sharp's Pygmy maples these days.... YIKES!

 

[butlern]

Although not apparent from the pictures, the branching continues to develop.

I also think I will repot into the yellow Horst Heinzlreiter oval in 2024. Photo is totally out of proportion, given that the pot is simply placed in front of the tree, but mostly showing for color contrast on fall foliage. I think the purple-red leaves look better with a more complementary color (yellow).

Thoughts?

 

[robrizok]

Great job!! I just purchased a Sharp's Pygmy from Brussels. It will be living on my deck. Full sun till 2pm, then shade. Winters here in Poughkeepsie NY will be well below freezing, Jan, Feb, March.
Questions: Right now temps are ~90*, does it need to be acclimated to the morning full sun?
During the freezing winter months should I bring into my 40* garage for the winter?
Thanks in advance - Bob

 

[butlern]

Hi Bob,

I would try for some dappled shade before for a week or two and then start transitioning it into more sun. I moved in 2019 and my tree went from partial shade all day into 1/2 day of sun and the leaves all bleached out and dropped. It did push new growth, but was not ideal.

I overwinter in a hoop house here in Iowa in Zone 5b. My tree is exposed to ambient deep cold, but I keep my trees on propagation mats that limit the rootball to nothing lower than ~25-28 F, even when air temps are below 0 F. You should protect this tree's rootball. garage is good. but 40 F is on the border of being a little warm. A little colder like 35-38 F would be best, if possible. So maybe that means placing your tree on a shelf or stand closer to the overhead door of the garage (away from house entrance, if it's an attached garage).

Good luck!

Noah

 

[robrizok]

Hi Noah, Thanks for your reply and info. Transition underway. Not sure how I will handle the winter as my garage rarely goes under 45*. So, I take it that the rootball should not deep freeze?

 

[butlern]

The roots can freeze, Bob. And they can go pretty low. But I would try to keep above 15F and do your best to avoid freeze thaw cycles.

If garage is too warm m(and I do think 45 F is too warm (others may disagree), then I would bury it in the garden along side the foundation of your house.

Dig a hole, place some drainage rock/large gravel at the bottom, then place your potted tree on top. Cover the top of the bonsai soil with an old T shirt or something like that, which will prevent the topsail from mixing into the bonsai soil (I am assuming it's in bonsai substrate), and then back fill and heel it into the ground for the winter. Make sure is gets some water every 7-10 days, as even in the dead of winter, it still needs moisture. Covering the base of the tree with snow is ideal, if it does snow. Then the melting snow does its work to water the tree slowly and evenly. Just try to avoid southern exposures, as the freeze thaw cycles are much more likely there. Best to try and avoid those.

There are some good threads about heeling trees in bonsai pots into the ground for the winter if you use the search function.

 

[robrizok]

Butlern, thanks for the great advice. I will certainly consider the freeze/thaw cycles in whatever my my final winter plan is. How long should dormancy be? Nov to mid Dec? If I keep outdoors, on my deck, until night temps drop to say 26*, mid DEc, then bring in to my 45* garage? Would that work?

 

[butlern]

No. Dormancy is as long as winter freezes and then the sub 40 F weather last. If you bring it inside early (December is WAY early) and it warms up and starts pushing growth in January or February, then you're going to be in trouble because the leaves will get no light in your garage. Inside your house is just as bad. The goal is to get it into dormancy and keep it there for as long as possible... it needs some protection until ambient temps stay above freezing at night. When temps moderate in the spring and remain above freezing at night, then it can go back on your deck. This may be why I believe that "heeling it into the ground" is best path... it will wake up in the spring when it's ready...

Do some reading here on the forums--lots of good tricks and tips for getting trees in small pots through the winter.

 

[robrizok]

No. Dormancy is as long as winter freezes and then the sub 40 F weather last. If you bring it inside early (December is WAY early) and it warms up and starts pushing growth in January or February, then you're going to be in trouble because the leaves will get no light in your garage. Inside your house is just as bad. The goal is to get it into dormancy and keep it there for as long as possible... it needs some protection until ambient temps stay above freezing at night. When temps moderate in the spring and remain above freezing at night, then it can go back on your deck. This may be why I believe that "heeling it into the ground" is best path... it will wake up in the spring when it's ready...

Do some reading here on the forums--lots of good tricks and tips for getting trees in small pots through the winter.

Got it! Thanks again - Bob

 

[Ininaatigoons]

26 degrees is perfect for any and all temperate trees! What's worrisome is when it falls below that. 20 is fine, but you start loosing roots and branches after that. Many suggest healing In the ground. If your winter temperatures are mild enough great idea. Just remember to put up animal protection like a steel mesh fence and some spray. I keep mine in the attached garage. Too cold outside. If the temperature stays around 30 degrees or at least hits that every couple days all winter it's fine. If it doesn't ever get there it's not an option.

 

[Paradox]

Butlern, thanks for the great advice. I will certainly consider the freeze/thaw cycles in whatever my my final winter plan is. How long should dormancy be? Nov to mid Dec? If I keep outdoors, on my deck, until night temps drop to say 26*, mid DEc, then bring in to my 45* garage? Would that work?

Trees typically start waking up in March in our part of the world. I use a cold frame and typically leave them in there until I know they are safe from frost. I uncover the coldframe when it's safe and cover it when frost or freeze are predicted.

I would leave your tree in the ground until threat of frosts and freeze are past unless you need to repot which is done as the buds swell, then you will have to put it in your garage only if a frost or freeze is predicted