Progressive Maple Challenge - Max

[barrosinc]

Hi!

I was just offered this tree. And saw a chance to really improve it, I wanted a tree a bit nicer, but this was already pushing on my budget but it will keep me busy as it needs a loooooooooooot of work.

It has some major flaws... lack of nebari, t-bar branches, apex looks like crap, really bad scaring.

you can check the 360° link if you like (might take some time to load).

Or here are some views of it:

This is the tree as purchased, and the pics are from last winter (july 2014).

I really appreciate comments as straight forward as possible...

 

[Cadillactaste]

I love the hollow at the base! What character it has!!! The T-bar branches will allow you to do the selecting...looks like much fun.

 

[MACH5]

Nice tree Max! I think with some work and time, this could become a very nice tree. I am actually liking how the tree looks on pic 4 (at least from the photo). I know probably the obvious front would be to use the uro side. But in pic 4 the tree has more of a natural, almost wild stance and appearance to it. I do not mind seeing the "hideous" cut up top. I would make this into a design feature. This front would make me wire the branches in a completely different manner than from almost any other view. The top does not really work from this side (pic 4) but that can be fixed. And yes nebari on all sides needs improvement at least from what I am able to see.

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

Some thoughts...
Good bones, plenty of branches. If JM is hard to come by in Chile, you did pretty well.
I think the attached photo is the front, and I would focus first on these 4 areas:
1. Reduce the apex to the red line.
2. Reduce the visual mass of the upper dead wood back to the yellow dotted line. You'll have to rework some of he branches, but you seem to have plenty to use.
3. Keep exposing the cambium of the trunk scars to get them to close faster.
4. In the spring, do some thread grafts to improve the nebari on the right.

 

[barrosinc]

yes, 4 was my choice by far if it didn't have the scaring. Both of you guys chose that front too (and got posted simultaneously), it must mean something!
I have 10 seedlings ready for grafting!

I will work on all the scars this year. Except the uro.
The top must go... MUST. I hate the bending it has.
Point 2, seems like it is the hardest part to do. I was thinking maybe carve a bit from the inside and try to fold it over a bit (like the van meer technique???)... Actually I have no idea how to fix that.

 

[barrosinc]

I love the hollow at the base! What character it has!!! The T-bar branches will allow you to do the selecting...looks like much fun.

As Walter always said, having to many branches is a good problem to have XD

 

[Dalmat]

As Walter always said, having to many branches is a good problem to have XD

And Walter often says, make it even uglier. Keep the top, it's got character, don't overbonsai the tree.
Wonderful fairytale tree.

 

[barrosinc]

And Walter often says, make it even uglier. Keep the top, it's got character, don't overbonsai the tree.
Wonderful fairytale tree.

It just seems to me to be too unnatural. And transitions very abruptly.

 

[JudyB]

I would pick the first side. I like very much the low hollow, many trees in the forest have these magical openings. The curve at the top is tolerable and can be fixed easily from this side as well. You have a lot of nice branches to choose from, I think you have a really nice start and a lot of fun making those choices ahead of you. The abruptness of the transition can be remedied with time and good strategies, like sacrifice branches, and holding back other areas.

 

[ColinFraser]

2. Reduce the visual mass of the upper dead wood back to the yellow dotted line. You'll have to rework some of he branches, but you seem to have plenty to use.

That's exactly what was going through my mind when I looked at it too! Carving that down a bit would definitely improve taper.

 

[barrosinc]

Ideas for a pot would be welcome too... as it takes a while to be shipped over and ready for august.

 

[0soyoung]

That's exactly what was going through my mind when I looked at it too! Carving that down a bit would definitely improve taper.

But isn't that carving going to enlarge that 'hole' and make it that much more difficult to ever get that scar to close?

 

[ColinFraser]

But isn't that carving going to enlarge that 'hole' and make it that much more difficult to ever get that scar to close?

Maybe, but the inverse taper it shows from the view BVF mocked up would bug me more . . . look at his dotted yellow line again. It just appeals to me, but you know what opinions are like . . .

 

[0soyoung]

Maybe, but the inverse taper it shows from the view BVF mocked up would bug me more . . . look at his dotted yellow line again. It just appeals to me, but you know what opinions are like . . .

I agree with the 'dotted yellow line' / inverse taper point = yikes! The 'extra' stuff doesn't look like dead wood to me - it looks like 'swelling' or extra growth (look at pix 3 & 4) that was associated with the branch/trunk that was chopped off (i.e., it is not dead wood).
Anyway, I agree it is a problem, but it is one thing to say

2. Reduce the visual mass of the upper dead wood back to the yellow dotted line.

but it is another to accomplish without making matters worse instead of better. After carving, then what?

 

[barrosinc]

Pic 1, solves the reverse taper and hides the scar.

 

[ColinFraser]

I agree with the 'dotted yellow line' / inverse taper point = yikes! The 'extra' stuff doesn't look like dead wood to me - it looks like 'swelling' or extra growth (look at pix 3 & 4) that was associated with the branch/trunk that was chopped off (i.e., it is not dead wood).
Anyway, I agree it is a problem, but it is one thing to say

but it is another to accomplish without making matters worse instead of better. After carving, then what?

I agree completely. I suppose I was making a purely aesthetic comment; I certainly don't have the experience to comment on the feasibility of its implementation.

 

[JudyB]

Picture 2 is actually a little better at disguising the bumps low on the trunk, and also the angle of the apex is a bit better as well. Although I would just start over at the drastic bend at the apex, it won't take that long to restart a better angled apex on this tree. Size?

 

[barrosinc]

If I would have to guess... 3.75¨
Colin, I don't know how to fix it either...

 

[Vin]

I'm with Judy on image number 2. Definitely needs the top cut off as suggested by BVF. Maybe an approach root graft on the left side of the trunk to go along with the thread grafts. A little branch selection and it's on the road. I like it a lot!

 

[barrosinc]

So right now I am boiling in rage. Called to go pick it up and it sold... My e-mail says I have a ten minute lead. Let's hope I can pull this off, or this will be such a major disappointment. I have no more to say...it was a complete paradigm shift for me,I was buying just nursery stock and the seller talked me in to it, buying more advanced stuff and moving it in my direction and stop losing time.

I can't really say how pissed I am.

Wish me luck.

I should have been asleep two hours ago but this is paying mind games with my head!

Argggggghhhhh