Progressive Maple challenge- my first JM that I ever bought
- Thread starter Eric Group
- Start date
Eric Group
Masterpiece
Worked on this tree a bit this weekend! We are in Orlando Fl. Right now on family vacation, so I have no pics to post yet. Kathy Shaner was in Columbia before I left, and I got to spend a day at a workshop with her... I dropped so many trees on her, and she gobbled every damn one up! It was so great... But this Maple, well she really liked it! She and I went out to look at it about mid- day as I spent the first half of the day working on a massive Water Elm john was kind enough to pass on to me last year. When she was done working her magic on that one with me, we moved on tot he Maple and she commented how she had been looking at it all day wondering whose tree it was... I could tell she got more excited once I told her the story. Well I asked what she thought I should do "chop here, chop there or there". As I clumsily pointed out a few locations along the lower trunk where branches are that I had picked as possible future massacres... She went with the "none of the above" option and basically told me I was a sick twisted SOB if I chopped the tree. I had been dreading cutting off any more of the beautiful wood this tree had produced anyway, so her recommendation was falling on very willing ears! In the end we did little in the way of changes to the tree, more cleaned and sealed the wounds, shortened a higher branch, talked about a future strategy... And then agreed to let it grow most the year. I tend to let my Maples grow most the Spring, prune back, let them grown, prune them again...about 2-3 times over the warm months, so this won't be a big difference. I will let it grow out, MAYBE do one hedge prune to it in the summer if it is booming like it should be... And I think it is GOING TO BOOM! It has been pushing new buds EVERYWHERE, a few leaves coming on... Probably post a. Updated pic soon, and then it will most likely be months before there will be another one because the tree will just be growing!
Those lower branches that follow the trunk line up? Keeping them! I feel so much better about the direction of this tree and the decision to take it home now than I did even when I first dug it and that is saying a Lot, because I was pretty excited that day! Plan on turning this one into my best tree... It is already pretty close without any real styling done to it!
Those lower branches that follow the trunk line up? Keeping them! I feel so much better about the direction of this tree and the decision to take it home now than I did even when I first dug it and that is saying a Lot, because I was pretty excited that day! Plan on turning this one into my best tree... It is already pretty close without any real styling done to it!
fraser67
Shohin
I took one look and thought...yup, that's a pretty crappy tree
.
Can't wait for the new pics!
.Can't wait for the new pics!
Kimberley82h
Mame
Cant wait to see some more pics here to see how you get on 
I would love to try one in the ground, but not sure I am ready for all that yet I might inadvertently kill it!
I would love to try one in the ground, but not sure I am ready for all that yet I might inadvertently kill it!
sorce
Nonsense Rascal
It's ok man.. I poop on trees at other people's homes as well... For a small fee of course!
Sell those diapers on eBay too!
Group Fertilizer!
I thought we were potty training ?
Sorce
Eric Group
Masterpiece
New pics as promised! this is a progression thread after all, right?
Tree in leaf:
leaf closeup
Close up of buds popping just below the chop... that reverse taper is all macro, just a lens illusion.
Just wanted to show the trunk movement a little better- hard to see in 2-D
Tree in leaf:
leaf closeupClose up of buds popping just below the chop... that reverse taper is all macro, just a lens illusion.
Just wanted to show the trunk movement a little better- hard to see in 2-D
Eric Group
Masterpiece
Just a quick update with all it's clothes on... this was already posted in the JM air layer thread to show the generational progression. This monster is the parent of most of my Maples. I bought it as a tiny pencil thick cutting about 10+ years ago, let it grow... Layerd a couple branches off 6-7+ years ago... Fooled around with them for a while, let them grow out... This spring I started layers on two of them which were removed this weekend! One sits in front of the Momma tree for comparison...
Vin
Imperial Masterpiece
Wait just a minute! Am I reading correctly that you started layers (air) this Spring and removed two of them already? What are you feeding the Monster?
Eric Group
Masterpiece
Yes sir, that is correct! I was shocked too! Started two back in Feb (I like to start early), and despite a cool Spring, they already had roots galore! Tried a new method using a plastic pot and perlite - just like I do cuttings- and using both the ring bark method AND a piece of wire at the top of the ring to prevent it from growing over... Justin Case taught me that! Well... More like I am using the example from his name!Wait just a minute! Am I reading correctly that you started layers (air) this Spring and removed two of them already? What are you feeding the Monster?
I made a thread about it.
http://bonsainut.com/index.php?threads/new-jm-air-layers.19039/
sikadelic
Chumono
Looking good Eric! I will definitely be using Perilite from now on. The vermiculite was a huge failure for my layer.
What do you have in mine for it? Will you be keeping it tall or chopping it down to the lower branches?
What do you have in mine for it? Will you be keeping it tall or chopping it down to the lower branches?
Eric Group
Masterpiece
Had a big struggle with that... I had been thinking of chopping it lower, but the damn scar would be MASSIVE! And... Well.. It would just hurt me to do that to this beautiful tree! Kathy said basically "Hell no" when I asked her if she'd chop it and that made my mind up. It has such subtle movement and pretty good taper already.. Cannot home for much better if I chopped it and tried to re grow a new top over the nest 15 years!
It will be a large tree- probably over 3 feet!- but it should be pretty nice one day. It is going to basically be a potted landscape tree for the next few years as I work on it. The top will probably wind up a little lower than it is right now once I settle on the apex, but this growing season will be mostly growth and recovery. Next year I will make some more decisions most likely. The way this guys is growing, I might HAVE to make some soon or I won't have room for any more trees in my back yard.
Smoke
Ignore-Amus
That would be a good problem for me to have....
sikadelic
Chumono
I am still training my eye and my first notion was that if it were mine, I would keep it tall too. It looks like a very fun project. Good luck!
dirk hoorelbeke
Omono
Nice "find"
Eric Group
Masterpiece
A little Christmas update! Well these were actually taken about two weeks ago, it is fully defoliated now. Shoulda taken a few shots in the nude today...
dirk hoorelbeke
Omono
We want nude...
Giga
Masterpiece
Eric Group
Masterpiece
Ahhhh yeahhhh... Gentlemen, coming to the stage we have "Diamond"! You asked for it, you got it- allllll neeeewwwwd, and definitely NSFW!
Sorry for the crappy pics! Took 'em with my phone and the back ground sucks... Way too heavy to move though. This is a 2-3 man move at this point.
dirk hoorelbeke
Omono
Seeing nude with a background that sucks, don't see the problem... Are you planning at chopping this tree or do you go for a tall slender tree?
Eric Group
Masterpiece
I am keeping it tall for now. I might carve out the top eventually to get a better end, but it will probably be pretty close to this in height when done..
I could chop it lower, get a wider almost sumo look with the bottom 3 branches, but I like more of a natural look for this tree and JM are pretty long and graceful in nature.
