Trident maple raft

[BobbyLane]

this is a field growing project, started in spring, the cutting was taken from a small trident, both tree and cutting are in the ground

here is the cutting after spending a few months growing in this pot, luckily it struck and grew well
20161024_171134 by Bobby Lane, on Flickr
20161024_171036 by Bobby Lane, on Flickr
2016-12-15_04-28-08 by Bobby Lane, on Flickr
2016-12-15_04-36-41 by Bobby Lane, on Flickr

and in spring i had a look at all the root it grew from last season
20170301_143903 by Bobby Lane, on Flickr
20170301_144145 by Bobby Lane, on Flickr

i rubbed some rooting hormone on the base after scraping away some bark
20170301_144536 by Bobby Lane, on Flickr

and placed on a tile with a little soil and moss
20170301_145429 by Bobby Lane, on Flickr

20170301_145452 by Bobby Lane, on Flickr

and today after a few months
20170810_145149 by Bobby Lane, on Flickr
20170810_145035 by Bobby Lane, on Flickr
20170810_145149 by Bobby Lane, on Flickr
20170810_145210 by Bobby Lane, on Flickr

plan is to leave it to grow wild for another season or two and see where im at in regards to thickening and girth.

 

[Giga]

looks great, can't wait to see it in those few seasons

 

[TomB]

That's looking good, great development. Have you got the Peter Adams maple book? Some similar examples in there I think, and he had a famous trident raft that would be a useful reference point. I have a feeling I've asked you that before, maybe on another forum ... apologies if I'm repeating myself.

 

[BobbyLane]

Hi folks thanks!
Hi Tom, i dont have the book but ive seen the diagrams and images of the one you mean. just needs to bulk out now, might take at least 2 more seasons of strong growth before its ready to be cut back, will see how it goes, but i plan to build something very interesting with this material. trident and field maples bulk up so fast they're literally taking over my allottment, it looks like a jungle right now.

ok i may not of seen the trident raft, just this diagram

if it could even look anything like your maple raft in a few years id be happy
feel free to share any images mate

 

[Danny Tuckey]

Update on how it looks now?

 

[BobbyLane]

it didnt wake up spring 2018, dunno why, maybe died over the winter

 

[BobbyLane]

if you zoom in on the two trunks on the right, rings of bark peeling away, something might of been eating it i dunno. the two trunks in the foreground also show bark damage
2018-02-22_12-26-02 by Bobby Lane, on Flickr

 

[Danny Tuckey]

Oh damn, unlucky...

 

[BobbyLane]

this is a field maple raft/clump in development, just cut back the heaviest trunks for taper, this could be quite good in a few years...from a root cutting i think. there's a wound there almost closed up
field maple clump from cutting by Bobby Lane, on Flickr

 

[cmeg1]

Nice!

 

[leatherback]

cutting was taken from a small trident,

Do you remember how you took the cutting, time of year etc?

 

[BobbyLane]

Do you remember how you took the cutting, time of year etc?

it would of been around march times according to this upload, so it would of just broke bud, the leaves are just opening here, this is the tree it was taken from. would of made a nice raft, this is one im still gutted about.
2016-10-24_05-17-15 by Bobby Lane, on Flickr

and that tree was also grown from a cutting by the seller. i remember using quite a bit of hormone on it, the vitax powder which ive run out of. ive just took some field maple cutting but didnt get a chance to use any hormone on them.