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therion · 10-12-2010, 05:11 PM

I bought a jap. maple "bloodgood" 2 weeks ago. Last week I planted it in the ground. I plan to do a major trunk chop to it, when would be the best time to do this? I live in central Texas Its like spring here again and will stay like this till the end of Nov.
Could I do it now? I would love to do this now and then come spring have a flush of new growth on it!

treebeard55 · 10-12-2010, 10:38 PM

Therion, best to leave it alone over the winter. Transplanting is itself a shock, and a serious trunk chop would add another. The two trauma together might well be enough to kill your tree.

I'd wait.

therion · 10-13-2010, 10:41 AM

Thanks Treebeard! I did one chop, but it was'nt the main trunk just a 4' branch to see how it would root and respond to that little chop. It seem to be responding well (the tree) how long should it take the branch to root? the temp range right now is mid 80's to mid 60's.

treebeard55 · 10-19-2010, 05:37 PM

Sorry, Therion, you'd better take that question to someone local. So much depends on your conditions when it comes to rooting cuttings.

Salvelinus · 10-19-2010, 07:40 PM

Mid to late Spring would be a much more successful time for taking cuttings. I agree with Treebeard--let the plant rest for a while. Growing Bonsai helps you cultivate patience...your trees absolutely need that. Let it regain some strength for a year or so, especially if it is in a different soil. It may need 2 years to get used to that.

Incidentally, I'm not sure what all the red and yellow lines and numbers on the photo mean exactly, but if you're planning a chop, I would recommend chopping just above the first branch, using that branch as the new apex. That would introduce some nice movement to the trunk. I would wait quite a while before doing that, until the base is at least half the size you are hoping the finished tree will be.

Mike423 · 11-04-2010, 05:15 PM

If you were planning on cutting in a lower region of the tree I suggest air layering a few of the larger upper branches a year previous to the chop to get a few extra trees to work with.

10-12-2010, 10:38 PM	#2 (permalink)
treebeard55 Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Warsaw IN, USA USDA zone 5b Posts: 511	Therion, best to leave it alone over the winter. Transplanting is itself a shock, and a serious trunk chop would add another. The two trauma together might well be enough to kill your tree. I'd wait. __________________ Treebeard 55 Steve Moore http://hoosierbonsai.blogspot.com The most important bonsai tool is your brain.

10-19-2010, 05:37 PM	#4 (permalink)
treebeard55 Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Warsaw IN, USA USDA zone 5b Posts: 511	Sorry, Therion, you'd better take that question to someone local. So much depends on your conditions when it comes to rooting cuttings. __________________ Treebeard 55 Steve Moore http://hoosierbonsai.blogspot.com The most important bonsai tool is your brain.

10-19-2010, 07:40 PM	#5 (permalink)
Salvelinus Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Greater Cincinnati, USA Posts: 98	Mid to late Spring would be a much more successful time for taking cuttings. I agree with Treebeard--let the plant rest for a while. Growing Bonsai helps you cultivate patience...your trees absolutely need that. Let it regain some strength for a year or so, especially if it is in a different soil. It may need 2 years to get used to that. Incidentally, I'm not sure what all the red and yellow lines and numbers on the photo mean exactly, but if you're planning a chop, I would recommend chopping just above the first branch, using that branch as the new apex. That would introduce some nice movement to the trunk. I would wait quite a while before doing that, until the base is at least half the size you are hoping the finished tree will be. __________________ Namaste, --Scott ><> "There seems to be no survivors to interview, but I suspect [kamikaze pilots] did not shout 'traytree' the moment before their personal sacrifice." --Herb Gustafson

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10-13-2010, 10:41 AM	#3 (permalink)
therion Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Austin Texas 78727 Posts: 4	Thanks Treebeard! I did one chop, but it was'nt the main trunk just a 4' branch to see how it would root and respond to that little chop. It seem to be responding well (the tree) how long should it take the branch to root? the temp range right now is mid 80's to mid 60's.

11-04-2010, 05:15 PM	#6 (permalink)
Mike423 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Chicago, IL Zone 5 Posts: 114	If you were planning on cutting in a lower region of the tree I suggest air layering a few of the larger upper branches a year previous to the chop to get a few extra trees to work with.

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