Trunk Chopping a Nursery Stock Maple Tree

[lieuz]

Just a curious thought, I see this very nice maple tree about 3 feet in size. I want to buy this maple tree because I think it has great character and movement but it is alas too big for a bonsai. So I'd really like to buy this tree for 60 bucks and trunk chop it. The current rootball is in a canvas bag, because I'm trunk chopping it, all foliage will be chopped off with the trunk chop. Does this result in having the reduce root size as well? The current root ball is about the size of a basketball. I was thinking up of a few approaches, I could just trunk chop and throw this guy into a big pot and wait a few years to root prune. Or I could do both at the same time and put it into a smaller pot.

 

[0soyoung]

Just a curious thought, I see this very nice maple tree about 3 feet in size. I want to buy this maple tree because I think it has great character and movement but it is alas too big for a bonsai. So I'd really like to buy this tree for 60 bucks and trunk chop it. The current rootball is in a canvas bag, because I'm trunk chopping it, all foliage will be chopped off with the trunk chop. Does this result in having the reduce root size as well? The current root ball is about the size of a basketball. I was thinking up of a few approaches, I could just trunk chop and throw this guy into a big pot and wait a few years to root prune. Or I could do both at the same time and put it into a smaller pot.

You may as well do both.

With the foliage gone, it won't dessicate. On the other hand, JMs usually put on second flush around July/Aug in my climate, so it should (re)sprout by then.
What you risk in chopping now is some die back on the trunk, so leave it a bit taller than your plan.
Go easy on the root reduction, but do wash out all that muddy muck from the roots that is usual with ball&burlap.

 

[qwade]

Yes lieuz,

As my esteemed college O So Young has stated, do both. I go buy the rule of what you do to the top, do to the bottom. Seems to work for me. Good luck with your tree if you indeed decide to purchase.

 

[Zac chandanais]

I remember Vance (I believe) saying that trees with roots wrapped in bags from the nursery are usually lacking in the root department. So you may not need to take as much as you think. He was speaking of mugos but I assume this is pretty general with all burlap wrapped trees. (But I don't know anything) lol

 

[erb.75]

if you buy a maple cultivar that is not your generic maple (like if you buy a japanese maple that is a kotohime for example) and trunk chop it below the graft, your cultivar will be lost and you will end up with whatever species makes up the roots (for many japanese maples, that is a generic green maple that looks totally different than the top did before the chop).

Just an FYI! Find out if it's grafted.

 

[lieuz]

if you buy a maple cultivar that is not your generic maple (like if you buy a japanese maple that is a kotohime for example) and trunk chop it below the graft, your cultivar will be lost and you will end up with whatever species makes up the roots (for many japanese maples, that is a generic green maple that looks totally different than the top did before the chop).

Just an FYI! Find out if it's grafted.

Really good point, made me definitely take a double take. Asked the vendor and found out that it isn't grafted.