j maple low branch dieback - what would you do?

[watchndsky]

one of my more well developed j maples has come along very well out but a critical low branch on the left died back a little over half over the winter. I cut back in spring to live wood and got a couple of buds to pop that arent growing.

not sure what my best option is
1-since there are a two smallish buds that popped on the branch, keep waiting and hope for best (even though temps are getting into 90s here and rest of tree has been exploding with growth and this branch is still stuck with only 4 leaves)
2-suck it up, rotate the tree, use the sacrifice branch instead of the main branch, make a new front and waste the nicer nebari
3- split the end of the branch in question and try to graft a piece off the tree into the end (i call it whip grafting not sure if thats right or not) or try an approach graft (which almost always end up with me breaking the graft branch)

im worried that minimal growth on the left main branch suggests that it isnt going to recover and develop into the main branch i want. if so then it might be worth the a graft attempt - problem is i dont like grafts. i never seem to pull them off well - maybe 50% success rate. the whole tree was designed around that main 1st branch being there - so losing the branch means rotating the tree and add many more years of development. if i can preserve this branch - it fits perfectly in to the original design, i get to keep the formal upright design and make use of the much better nebari while attempting grafts on the back (that wont be seen anyway so if they get buggered its not a big deal)


im hanging on to hope for option 1 - because i really hate to lose the whole branch - but lack of good growth has me worried. its not dead - there is SOME growth on it - but its just not as much as i would have expected.

i hoped this would be one of my nicer trees by end of this season and going back to the drawing board sucks.

grafting MIGHT save the use of the branch and preserver original design - but with my lackluster grafting skills - id hate to lose what little bit of growth is at end of the branch to attempt a whip graft into the end of it.


so what would you guys do option 1 2 or 3.

 

[Kodama16]

Can you take a photo from all sides? You might just need to let that branch heal. Maybe even trim some of the strong branches so the energy is pushed to the weak lower branch. Photos will help: )

 

[watchndsky]

i did and i would get another but not sure it would help much - will try to get a better pic later today

ive been very diligent to keep all new growth cut back to try to refocus the growth. moved the tree for branch to get more sun and trimmed/pulled growth above it make sure light getting thru canopy etc

as temps rose i even went out and watered the pot etc to keep temps down. its about to get hot as crap here and i was really thinking id have some more growth coming out of it by now

 

[FrankP999]

Could there be an issue with the roots that supply that branch of the tree?

 

[JudyB]

I would not do anything drastic, like starting to chop stuff off that might actually still work out in the original plan. If it's going to be super hot soon, then the tree may stall anyway, so cutting off top growth may not help at this point. I would make sure that I kept the tree healthy, and cut back the stronger branches hard late winter, to force even growth to the weak branch. I don't know your climate, but I assume you could feed heavily after the hottest part of the summer into fall.

 

[watchndsky]

wouldnt think roots are a problem - growth is rock sold all over -i would think either result of having a very bad winter (some of my hornbeams and crabs got hit hard) or i was overly aggressive with some bending on that branch last fall.

theres a sprout that just came out off trunk under that i could work with (worst case)

when i got out there with phone for pics i got closer and there are 5 shoots coming off (which is a couple more than i had thought) but they havent really grown at all in last few weeks.

 

[watchndsky]

I would not do anything drastic, like starting to chop stuff off that might actually still work out in the original plan. If it's going to be super hot soon, then the tree may stall anyway, so cutting off top growth may not help at this point. I would make sure that I kept the tree healthy, and cut back the stronger branches hard late winter, to force even growth to the weak branch. I don't know your climate, but I assume you could feed heavily after the hottest part of the summer into fall.

thanks judy - that was my thought (regarding temps) so ive took extra measures to keep temps down to try get another week or 2 of growth in. its started getting in 90s and its to the point where its going to stay there (which seems to be threshold where growth slows - im in NC btw) i work from home most of the time - so ive gone out and sprayed the pot sides to keep cool and kept towel over base to try help keep things cooler.

i just hope its not a slow decline. its not my best tree - but its a favorite - some sentimental value associated with it. post may seem a little alarmist - but this one is important to me.

 

[JudyB]

I think it's been a strange weather season this year in many places with plants reacting differently from the long winter, so try not to over-care for it if you know what I mean...

 

[Kodama16]

Can you post a photo of the whole tree please?: )

 

[BethF]

Patience

I think the key here is patience. Sometimes you get branch die-back on Japanese maples. It can take two or more seasons for the new growth to regain vigor. What you've got so far looks healthy and probably isn't growing anymore, like Judy stated, due to the heat. Just let it be for now. And maybe next year, too. Some of the new stuff is in good position to develop a new branch. But it will take time. Better to regrow it this way than going through the uncertainty of a graft.

 

[GrimLore]

You really need to listen to the advise given for your tree as your temperatures are hitting 90f as they are where I live. That condition stresses your tree. For example I might be watering all of my trees up to three times a day during the hot spell. Do I work on them? NO. Do I repot or fertilize? NO. My Wife works on tropicals which happen to love this time for all of that - not the same in any way. The tree needs to rest, semi shade, water when needed - nothing else...

Grimmy

 

[watchndsky]

i understand - im not planning on doing anything other than watering and trying to keep the pot cool - if i gave the impression i was about to do a major styling, dont worry i am not.

i was just concerned what was best option for the branch in question.

 

[barrosinc]

You really need to listen to the advise given for your tree as your temperatures are hitting 90f as they are where I live. That condition stresses your tree. For example I might be watering all of my trees up to three times a day during the hot spell. Do I work on them? NO. Do I repot or fertilize? NO. My Wife works on tropicals which happen to love this time for all of that - not the same in any way. The tree needs to rest, semi shade, water when needed - nothing else...

Grimmy

I had not heard this before... why not fertilize in summer when it is hot? I realize the trees are not really growing but I don't know if they still suck up fertilizer ready for a new flush when the conditions allow.