Maple - suggestions please

[The Surgeon]

Hi all,

Looking for some inspiration and assistance with this maple. It was out of my possession for about 12-18 months and suffered badly. I have lost about two thirds from the top and many branches. The Two lower branches i have lost about half length each. As you can see i tried to turn the deadwood into something resembling jin/shari, but its just not working.

The 45 degree angle of the branches don't work either.

On the plus side, it seems to be a prolific grower.

to be frank, i'm at a loss as to what to do with this, once nice looking tree. any/all suggestions welcome

cheers

[FruitFly]

Looks like it was a nice little tree.

If it was me (and I'm a newbie), I would trim those lower branches back further and then just let the tree recover and grow.

Approach it as an opportunity for a restyle, but since its a prolific grower, I don't think it will be too long before you can see a new direction.

Good luck and keep us posted.

Cheers

[Akhi]

Agree with fruitfly put it back into a growing pot however as it is the peak of summer I would not go about cutting branches but just slip pot it into the grow pot and keep it there till winter where you can do come branch cutting to pretty much bones as I think you have a thick trunk there which takes time for a Japanese maple

[kcpoole]

Take the 4th Picture and cut everything off and shorten the top.
Regrow a new apex and branches
Next repot, tilt to the right a little
If nebari needs improving then layer it low to get a new set.

Currently has many faults
Trunk and branches too straight si the biggest IMHO
Uro can look good on maple but not Jin and shari usually.

Ken

[anthonyW]

Ditto Ken's image and if you could fluke a shoot out the back below the head and top branch that would be a bonus .

Anthony

[The Surgeon]

Thanks Fruitfly, AKHI, Anthony and Ken,

Will place in a grow pot tomorrow (too hot today 37 degrees in Melb). It was one of my finest trees at one stage. Formal upright long lower branches which dipped a little, was wired very nicely. Once i cut the dead wood out the shorter thicker lower branches, they just returned to their normal 45 degree growth angle, Too thick/short to bend now.

Ken, thanks for the diagram. Do i need to wait until winter to start pruning heavily?

thanks

[kcpoole]

I would prune now and repot in spring.

Ken

[shibui]

Agree with Ken. Branches far too thick and straight. You can cut all branches off Trident and new ones will usually grow from the base. Then select the best and start growing branches from scratch. Does not take long when fed and looked after well. Often the result is far better than the original.

[Jag001]

Well just to add my two cents worth.

I would slip into a larger pot, fertilize and allow to grow to regain some vigor. As others have said you have a decent size trunk which takes a while to develop with Maples. So wait till early spring next year, and evaluate your options. Either cut off all the branch and develop a new frame work of branches or use this years growth to use as whips for thread grafts to put branches where you want.

cheers,
jeff