Too late to chop?

[BonjourBonsai]

Either way you'll learn

You're absolutely right. Thanks for your thoughts.

 

[sorce]

I was thinking just lop it ugly too since it doesn't matter.....

But I guess it wouldn't suck to make the clean v and observe it to know how to make your final cut perfect.

Sorce

 

[Lorax7]

I have done a trunk chop on a Japanese maple this late in the growing season without encountering problems.

Here’s a picture from above the area that was cut. It’s now a year later and is starting to callus over the wound.

 

[BonjourBonsai]

I got up enough courage to make the decision and cut the main trunk. I decided against the V at this stage because it just don't look right. I might regret that later, but for now I'm happy with the way it looks. I added cut paste and will see where it goes from here. Thanks for everyone's thoughts.
I'll keep this thread updated.

 

[penumbra]

Great base on this tree. Very feminine and graceful. Hope you can follow through with the rest of the tree.

 

[BonjourBonsai]

Great base on this tree. Very feminine and graceful. Hope you can follow through with the rest of the tree.

Thanks. That's what atracted me to it. The graft is really well hidden to the point that my untrained eyes cannot see it!

 

[penumbra]

Treat her well. She could take you places.

 

[BonjourBonsai]

Now I'm wondering whether I should reduce the remaining leader to just done the first pair of leaves. I would like the tree to focus energy lower down the trunk but I'm worried that taking off too much at one time would be dangerous for its overall health. I guess the conservative approach would be to leave it recover this season and then reduce again next year. Any advice?

 

[BobbyLane]

I got up enough courage to make the decision and cut the main trunk. I decided against the V at this stage because it just don't look right. I might regret that later, but for now I'm happy with the way it looks. I added cut paste and will see where it goes from here. Thanks for everyone's thoughts.
I'll keep this thread updated.View attachment 313393View attachment 313394View attachment 313395

looks like you made the right choice, you already have a good transition there. if you chop lower it will look odd for a while.

you should cut away the plastic rim and look at the tree from the base up before making any other drastic decisions.

 

[BonjourBonsai]

looks like you made the right choice, you already have a good transition there. if you chop lower it will look odd for a while.

you should cut away the plastic rim and look at the tree from the base up before making any other drastic decisions.

Thanks. I think that's a good idea. I'll do more studying and it'll have some time to recover.

 

[BonjourBonsai]

The tree is doing well. It's pushing new growth.

 

[leatherback]

I would personally not let more branches grow at that spot. With the ut and all the risk of swelling is already present. This new branch just adds to it.

 

[BonjourBonsai]

I would personally not let more branches grow at that spot. With the ut and all the risk of swelling is already present. This new branch just adds to it.

I hadn't thought of that. Thanks for pointing it out.

 

[BonjourBonsai]

Just repotted. I'm still undecided about what to do with the large upper branch.

 

[BonjourBonsai]

I'm contemplating doing away with the V.

 

[BonjourBonsai]

Like this.

 

[penumbra]

I can only tell you that I personally would not hesitate to chop now.

 

[BonjourBonsai]

I can only tell you that I personally would not hesitate to chop now.

Even after I took off a substantial amount of roots?

 

[BonjourBonsai]

I went back and re-read @BobbyLane 's thread on the V cut he did to the katsura. I am emboldened and back on track! Tomorrow I put my new ARS IK-10 pruning saw to its first use and make that V like I originally had envisioned.

 

[BonjourBonsai]

Here are my efforts.
I took off the long branch of the V and left on nice that I hope new brakes will spirit from. I'm not sure that the order of the branches is working out quite right, but by taking that off, I hope that the tree pushes more growth from below.