This was a garden tree here at my place , chosen for the excellent graft 15 years ago .I didn’t plan to use it as a Bonsai until a borer attack 2 years ago . Most of my Maples were effected and have been removed as i was unable to control the borers . It was removed and potted up hoping to salvage the trunk .With a good show of leaves last season i would have assumed it had put out a good root spread . I did attach a few maple whips as thread graft for new roots , unfortunately the failed to fuse to the old root base and the trunk didn’t produce many roots at all . Not one to give up i decided to inarch 24 T rident Maple whips around the base of the trunk just above the old base . Using an Angle grinder with a tungsten saw blade attached
i cut 2 dozen 2mm slits around the base at even intervals
and inserted the 3mm Trident whips into position .As the seedlings were inserted the fine bark on the whips was disturbed , this i hope will aid the fusing together of whip and trunk .With all the whips attached
i simply wound several layers of grafting tape around and over the area where fusing is required
then potted the tree up into its original pot .
This will grow on for another season and then i may have suitable new root mass to work with .Nothing ventured nothing gained .Cheers Alpineart