doctoring a grafted tree

[baldone]

Could not find much on what my questions is in search. Can you carve, file or anything to make a grafted maple look more natural ?

 

[Shibui]

That will depend very much on what the graft union looks like.
In many cases the graft union will slowly be absorbed into the thickening trunk. There's quite a lot of great JM bonsai that are grafted but the graft is now not noticeable. Many bonsai people assume (incorrectly) if you can't see a graft the tree is not grafted. I have several that cannot be detected but you'll need to be prepared to allow years and plenty of growth.

Thickening in specific areas (like above or below a graft or on one side of a trunk) can sometimes be accelerated by scarring that area. I've tried vertical cuts through the bark but with limited success.

Carving and dead wood is not often used on maples as the wood tends to deteriorate quickly.

 

[baldone]

I have a couple I would like to develop into bonsai. I bought the trees because they were advertised as good maples for bonsai before I knew that grafted trees may not work. I will try and get some picture later.

 

[Shibui]

The other option many growers use is to layer the trunk above, at or just below the graft. This gets rid of the problem while still leaving you with your desired cultivar, now growing on it's own roots or with a graft so low it gets incorporated into the basal flare of the developing trunk.

 

[baldone]

The other option many growers use is to layer the trunk above, at or just below the graft. This gets rid of the problem while still leaving you with your desired cultivar, now growing on it's own roots or with a graft so low it gets incorporated into the basal flare of the developing trunk.

That's good advice. I am new to air layering also and have a few going now to learn how. They are on my yard japanese maples, limbs that I was going to prune off anyway.

 

[baldone]

I believe this one Kiyohime will wash away the graft eventually because of the double trunk.