Trident maple root-on-rock (5)

[daiviet_nguyen]

I have grown this tree from a cutting. I cannot remember when. But it must
be more than six years by 2007. The cutting was about 2mm. The below photo
was taken on the 03/November/2007:


View 1 - 1

The pot is a signed Japanese pot. I did realise that it was not good enough
be in this pot -- I wanted to see how it would look.

There should be another branch between the third and fourth branches, and it
should be pointing toward the wall. I did not know how this mistake occured.

I wanted to correct this by grafting a seedling onto it. On the 10/August/2008,
I repotted it into this foam box, together with a two-year old seedling. The
graft was carried out a few days later. The seedling still has its own root.

On the 26/January/2009, I opened the tape, I saw that they have fused. I taped
it up again.

The following photos were taken on the 11/July/2009.


View 2 - 1


View 2 - 2

View 2 - 2 shows how well one of the roots has grown onto the rock.


View 2 - 3

View 2 - 3 shows how clunky I was in doing the graft. In hindsight,
I should have placed the seedling more horizontally, thereby avoiding the
vertical gap between the main trunk and the seedling.

The following three show the graft naked:


View 2 - 4


View 2 - 5


View 2 - 6

I am hoping that with times, the scar will be less visible, and even disappears
altogether.

*
* *

I think the graft has taken place. I am planning to cut the graft off its roots
in the next few days. And also repot it into a proper bonsai pot for further
development.

[Steven]

Hi Daviet,

I love reading your bonsai adventures! You document them very well mate
Have you cut the roots off the graft yet?
Question please: Is there any benefit doing the graft this way (approach graft) as opposed to drilling a hole through the trunk and poking a seedling in it (thread graft)?

Thanks,
Steven

[Jow]

I asked this very question when i was in Japan as most maple grafts i saw there were approach. They said it was because approach grafts took less time to 'take'. Thread grafts are pretty fool proof and almost always work but they tend to take longer to work.

[daiviet_nguyen]

Hi Steven,

I did ponder between the two choices.

The advantage of the thread one is the joint will be very
clean. The scar is hardly visible -- these are based on
what I have seen with other people's works.

But for me, it is too touchy, we have to get the diameter
of the hole just right; if it is wider than the seedling
then the fusing might not take place as desire; if it is
smaller, then we might damage the seedling trying to get
it in. These are just what I am thinking, not from experiences.

I would still like to try the thread method one day though.

I have already cut it off and repotted it. I will post
pictures when some buds appear.

Best regards.

[daiviet_nguyen]

I cut off the root of the grafted branch on the 12/July/2009 and repotted it
on the same day.

On the 31/July/2009, I gave it a total rewire. The following photos were taken
on the 06/September/2009 -- it still caries a lot of wires.


View 3 - 1


View 3 - 2


View 3 - 3


View 3 - 4


View 3 - top down


View 3 - the grafted branch

The pot is a signed Tokoname one. Length: 30 cm. Width: 23 cm. Height: 7 cm.

The height of the tree from pot surface: 46 cm. The top is yet to be fully
developed.

[Chris]

outstanding work. I will be keeping an eye on the progress as i love how the tree looks like it's clinging to the rock.

[anttal63]

cool viet the tree is looking very strong.

[bodhidharma]

Excellent recording of technique Daviet. It will be a future stunner. I saw one like it at Ray Nescis, much older, but it was stunning.

[daiviet_nguyen]

1. This tree has been stolen: between 6:00PM 03/Jan/2009 and 8:39AM 04/Jan/2009.

2. Another one that was stolen is: spruce picea which has been growing for 16 years -- I have never posted before.

3. A radia pine which had been with me for 16 years as well -- the bastards ripped it out of the wooden box. I was correcting the roots.

I have no gate, no high fence.

[Greth]

B@#%tards. so sorry to hear.

You got any chance of recovering the value on insurance, Viet?
Maybe Ausbonsai should have a thread for photos of stolen trees, so the community can keep a watch for anything which comes up for sale?

[Petra]

Oh no so sorry to hear this has happened. All that hard work, just for some one else to steel. I agree with Greth, we should have a thread of pictured stollen trees, and that way we could keep our eyes out for them.I cant beleive this happens, these people that do this must be so desperate that they have to steal from someones garden. I say string them up and beat them to death. B#!?*#>~s

[Greth]

Let Ozzy loose on em with a chainsaw, then Antonio can twist em up in barbed wire...

[Bretts]

Shoot I was just reviewing the thread and was looking foward to an update. That must be hart breaking daiviet.
Dogs are the best alarm system you can get.

[daiviet_nguyen]

Hi,

Thank you for your commenting. I did not have content insurance. My place looks very scrap.
I thought I could get away with it

I had been doing some works on the trident, I was looking forward to the autumn colours.

But I just could not understand why those ....rs actually ripped my radiata out of the wooden box.

I was looking forward to do a post on roots correction with it!

Some workmen will come and give me the quote on the gate to block the access off.
I did file a police report too.

Well, for some people, only expensive lessons can get through to them -- that is me! Only if I listened to
mom and dad!

We still have our health and knowledge; and jobs to support collecting trees and pots later on.

Thank you for your supports.

Best regards.

[Greth]

True, contents insurance is a must even if you don't think you have anything of enough value to warrant it, there's always something which it would hurt to lose..
Having said that, you are not to blame for the incident, bad enough to steal cash or goods which are easily replaceable, but totally miserable to steal something which is obviously a long term artwork in progress. Do post any pics of the other trees, if you have any, Im sure people here will be on the lookout for them.