These first two photos are three years and three days apart. In 2013, I grafted 7 seedlings through the base of this Japanse maple, to help full some holes in the nebari. 4 died fairly quickly. I think it was due to being shaded out. The seedlings were short, and just couldn’t quite make it out past the canopy before they were shaded out. Notice that even where the grafts failed, the gaps are closing, and it’s on it’s way to becoming a fairly solid base. Though, without intervention, it will easily take another 10 years.
Look again, with the grafts numbered, then and (best I can tell) now:
#6 died. And it was in a really important spot:
The plan is to let them thicken another year, then cut them back short to develop some ramification. This year’s repot wasn’t too aggressive, but it was about arranging the roots radially, and getting a good look at the grafts was important. So, here is the repot:
Unpotted
Combed out and hosed off:
Cut back again, roots combed out, and set back into its pot (Yamaaki)
Tied down:
100% akadama worked in to the roots:
Finished:
Slightly deeper to keep the roots thickening underground.
very nice!
Brian, great information and photos of what you have done on this tree. I will be helpful in the distance future, I to have something like this to work with someday, but that day is way off. But I do notice you do not have any of the wire going over the large roots. Which I know could damage and if nothing else take away from a tree of this … don’t know the words, but a tree this great. So how does it stay anchored in the pot with just the small roots? Is the root mass so thick?
Thanks for all your time you share we others
Michael