Maple wound healing?

[mwar15]

I acquired this maple a couple months ago. The Previous owner said it was a triple trunk and he cut off the two outside trunks and left this one. I am wondering if I can graft over this to help it heal? or can i just give it time? or should I bury it to help it heal? or just cut my loses and layer it above the wound? there is a similar size wound on the back side of the trunk creating a rectangular shaped trunk instead of a round trunk. I am open to suggestions.

It does have some reverse taper up about 6" where a large branch was previously cut off

 

[MichaelS]

If the top of the tree is worth the trouble, you could bare root it this spring and thread graft new roots onto it using seedlings and a drill.

 

[Tieball]

It looks like it's growing in mud...that might not be real healthy. I attached a lined photo. Are the roots in front actually shaped like the line? I couldn't exactly tell from my view. I wonder if that dark area is tree trunk inside that circle of root or a hole of soil....or is that an area where one of those trunks was previously removed? I thought the layer would be higher up on the trunk....but I really have no idea what the top of the tree looks like. So....I'm probably offered very little help really.

 

[mwar15]

It looks like it's growing in mud...that might not be real healthy. I attached a lined photo. Are the roots in front actually shaped like the line? I couldn't exactly tell from my view. I wonder if that dark area is tree trunk inside that circle of root or a hole of soil....or is that an area where one of those trunks was previously removed? I thought the layer would be higher up on the trunk....but I really have no idea what the top of the tree looks like. So....I'm probably offered very little help really.

Yes, the soil isn't the best, it hasn't been repotted in years. I didn't dig down to look at the roots under the wound. The dark inside the circle you drew is where the other trunk was cut off. I might try the thread grafting, I will look and see what I have for seedlings to use.

 

[Tieball]

ahhhhhh.....now I see it...get it....that area shown is where the chop was and that's not roots...it's the trunk roll over....in sort of a triangular shape. Might need some cleaning to keep that area solid if you want the roll to continue. If the wet soil rots the wood the roll over may just stop...nothing solid for a gripping.

 

[Tieball]

I'd go for a spring cleaning of the roots and such so you know what you have to work with below the soil....and get some more healthy soil in place for those seedling root grafts. Is Oregon in or past Spring already?

 

[mwar15]

If I have time Before I leave I will try and get some seedlings and try grafting it. But it may just be a think where I clean it up and repot it in some good soil over a tile and lave it for a couple years.

Spring hasn't sprung yet here

 

[Tieball]

If I have time Before I leave I will try and get some seedlings and try grafting it. But it may just be a think where I clean it up and repot it in some good soil over a tile and lave it for a couple years.

Spring hasn't sprung yet here

Your last comment.....a good idea....repot and let it grow healthy. Knowing what's below the soil will be very helpful when you think of grafting.

 

[mwar15]

I had some time today so I decided to dive into this tree. I didn't graft it I just repotted it. I feel like I did more to help this tree than to hurt it. I may have done something wrong or could have a better technique so If you see something that I could improve on let me know. Securing in trees I struggle with.

this is the whole tree how I got it

There was a solid mesh screen that that roots had grown all through. lots of good growth though

What I would call the front (above)

left side (above)

Back (above)

right side (above)

Anderson flat with lava, with a large tile wired to the anderson flat. I then put bonsai soil over that and wired the tree to the tile.

I trimmed the roots that crossed and that went straight down. I had to trim a little of the taproot. I also cleaned out the large cut wound on the front of the tree, it was slightly rotten. I also trimmed up the tree, anything going straight up or straight down and the apex a little.
It looks like a large circle in the pot, but it is just the fresh soil I sprinkled on top and it is still dry.

 

[Tieball]

Nice work!

 

[mwar15]

Thanks, the pictures of the roots are before trimming, I didn't take any after. I have a couple more to do...I'll try and get posts on those

 

[Tieball]

I'm guessing....that the new soil mix makes both you and the tree feel better.

 

[BonsaiButler]

If you do air layer, I can see getting many potential nice trees out of this thing.
just start with that nice top and work your way down.