How to encourage/force a bud to break

[Rivian]

Is there anything other than full sun and fertilizer?

 

[BobbyLane]

full sun might not do much if the bud you want to break is being shaded or facing downwards.
hard pruning/pruning other areas to divert energy?
if the bud is at the base of the tree, as we know maples are apically dominant, a bud at the base needs or might need help as in reducing vigour in other areas.
balancing vigour is a basic pruning technique, i recently posted a video where G potter explains why balancing vigour is important.

ive found that in some cases, weak buds near the base fail, even with me taking measures to strengthen the bud. in many cases the top of the tree is just too strong.

 

[Rivian]

The bud is on an airlayer so without phloem I dont think there could be a benefit from cutting back the parent. Want the bud to break quickly because all the leaves of the airlayer are damaged. Maybe equivalent of 4 healthy leaves as far as photosynthetic activity goes.

 

[Rivian]

Or maybe cutting back the parent would redirect the waterflow through the sapwood towards the airlayer, so it might help after all? High turgor -> bud breaks?

 

[BobbyLane]

i dont have much experience with layers im afraid. someone else will

 

[Wires_Guy_wires]

It's a bit late for new bud break in our region Rivian. We're heading straight for autumn and most of my trees have pushed their last flush two weeks ago.
I think the tree might sense that spending the energy would not be a good investment and instead it's waiting for spring.

Adding carbohydrates to your water might(!) help activate some stuff, but then again, chances are slim and it could very well be a feeding ground for bad fungi and bacteria. Not every plant likes sucrose, some prefer fructose, glucose, or some other kind of sugar.
Coconut water might be interesting to look at, since it also contains auxins and some other hormones that might do a trick. But it's hard to predict really, and since I'm not a fan of maples I really don't know anything about them.

 

[roberthu]

Try kelp spray once a week.

 

[Davidlpf]

After a partial leaf burn, my shideshojo airlayer is popping new growth everywhere, even in the base of the arilayer.

I have done nothing special, only keep watering and fertilizing as usual. (spraying fertipron 20-20-20 at full strength every other week )

The best advice you never read :

In general, all bonsai can be fertilized with a soluble 20-20-20 at full strength every other week from the first new growth in the spring until late fall when the daytime temperatures fail to rise above 50F.

I plan cut off the new tree when the leaves fall, in order to let the old roots feed the tree as much as they can. Two set of roots are better than one!!

Patience pays off!

Greetings from Spain

 

[Rivian]

Several buds are slowly swelling, I give it full sun and fertilizer but I think from now on I will also take the plant inside over night because it gets down to 9°C and I believe this may initiate dormancy.

 

[sorce]

gets down to 9°C and I believe this may initiate dormancy

Light always comes first, then temps, then local conditions.

Your local conditions are such that it can't/won't sleep yet if it doesn't have enough to make it through winter.

That said, if it doesn't pop that bud, it doesn't need that branch, so you should never need to encourage it.

Sorce

 

[Davidlpf]

Several buds are slowly swelling, I give it full sun and fertilizer but I think from now on I will also take the plant inside over night because it gets down to 9°C and I believe this may initiate dormancy.

Palmatum maples come from the mountain, so they are adapted to deal with daily temperature changes. I wouldn't move it every day. If it starts dormancy, It'll rest through the autumn and the winter, and use the stored energy when it needs to swell the next spring.

I wouldn't force the machine, because it can be break for the over overexertion.

Cheers