Hand-snapping Japanese Maples

[MJL]

Hi All,

Rory made a comment in another thread Titled: "One,Two or Three any ideas ?" (by boom64 - John): Kunzea and I wanted to comment (but I did not want to hijack the other thread so .... here's a new thread referencing Rory's comment- see an extract of Rory's comment below.

by Rory (an extract from the seperate thread):

That’s a very unique and interesting material you have there John..... .... I find as I get older and more meticulous, I’m even placing emphasis on not cutting branches flush, sometimes breaking them with my hand and allowing some peel, instead of a flush cut so it looks more natural... .... to a certain extent though..... but eucs or Cas cunninghamiana for instance look so beautiful when the bumps of broken branches are left to heal over. But they have to be broken off and not cut to give the natural look better, so that the rolling cambium heals like a bumpy wart and not a smooth crater if that makes sense.

This re-enforces what I heard at the YVBS 2018 show last weekend, with someone mentioning that hand-snapping on some natives works very well. Cool.

But here's the weird bit... and this next comment may make some label me a heretic but bear with me.

I have started hand-snapping some of my Japanese Maples! Not for any fine work - nor to encourage ramification.

No - only to knock the top of some trees or indeed, an unwanted old branch here and there. It is a bit like creating a jin but kinda more basic. When I get the chance I'll add a photo to illustrate.

Why am I doing this? Well firstly, I noticed that a couple of my garden planted Japanese maples snapped in the wind and sort of tore the bark away - but it looked OK over time. Further, when I was concave cutting the branches on my young Bonsai'd Japanese Maples - I'd get this kinda ugly top because the new growth would grow at harsh angles ... sure I could wire new growth but I'm exploring new ways. So I thought - what if I hand-snapped ...

I feared some kind of rot but you know what ... all seems to be going ok... we'll see.

Anyway - I thought this may be of interest. Sorry in advance if such a comment misleads people or highlights my ignorance in this fine hobby. It's not intended - rather, I am just saying that I am experimenting and it seems to be sort of working!

It this rather rough approach heresy in Japanese Maple land? Any thoughts?

Mark

[MJL]

I should qualify ... don't worry, I am not being so rough on beautiful old bonsai trees... when I say 'old'- it's amateur old; 5-7 year old - pre-bonsai. I am not desecrating trees of significance. I have none of those!

[Daluke]

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. You need to be happy with what you see in your trees - if you prefer to snap branches than that’s what you do...

If someone asked me to summarise maples in a few words I’d say elegant, graceful and delicate. I wouldn’t want a snapped branch on one of mine. Maybe it’d work on a particular tree of someone else’s but it’s hard when I picture what I have.

Contrast this with a juniper - strong, weathered and contorted... I’d prefer to see rough, natural and battered branches.

There’s merit in your view.

[MJL]

Hi Daluke,

Thanks for your reply and thoughts. I agree.

The only reason I think it may work in my situation is that I am creating a story (or trying too!) in a Japanese Maple forest ...

I am trying to create the impression that some time ago ... the tops of 3-4 older trees were in some way decimated - maybe by a rock fall/weight of snow perhaps .. and younger trees have sprung up around the elders.

It's my imagination getting in the way of my ability and any sensible decision regarding an elegant tree ...

Also - I know they are not meant to be snapped - they almost bend in half before they break!

Trust me on this ... if I had any tree of high quality - it would not be an experiment. Of course, one might say: "Mark, if you continue too experiment - you may never get a tree of quality."

I'll post a photo or two in due course.

[Daluke]

Don’t be scared to venture outside the “rules”.

[MJL]

Ok - here's how I am torturing some Japanese Maples. In due course, they will be inserted into a forest .... there's a seperate thread on that forest. My thinking is that the older trees in the forest were impacted by something ... and hence there tops and one of the bigger branches got ripped off...
Anyway ... here's how hand snapping looks. This snap happened two years ago - see below.

IMG_4347.jpg

Heres a couple of newer 'snaps' ...apologies - rather average photos from a cold Melbourne winter's day.

IMG_4342.jpg

IMG_4343.jpg

Is that the sound of screaming bonsai enthusiasts everywhere

It's all right - I am hoping that a certain MadPotter's custom pot from Murrumbung Studios will make everything look good; or perhaps Tracey will simply refuse to make me one because I will bring the value of her business down!