AusBonsai

Howdy all
done some thread grafting on a couple of coral bark maples early spring , 2 are going well but one is not growing at any great rate if any
it has leafed out but is lost in the canopy above the graft .
can i defoliate the rest of the tree and leave only the thread grafted branches so they gain more vigour
or just thin out the above canopy?
cheers

I am intending to not defoliate the newly thread grafted branch on an ordinary Japanese maple that was thread grafted a few months ago. It should help quicken the joining of the two in my opinion.

Grant

NBPCA wrote:I am intending to not defoliate the newly thread grafted branch on an ordinary Japanese maple that was thread grafted a few months ago. It should help quicken the joining of the two in my opinion.

Grant

So does that mean you WILL be defoliating the rest of the maple

Rawhide, you can defoliate above or partial defoliate so the grafted branch can gain more light and energy, don't defoliate the grafted branch.

Mick

rawhide wrote:

NBPCA wrote:I am intending to not defoliate the newly thread grafted branch on an ordinary Japanese maple that was thread grafted a few months ago. It should help quicken the joining of the two in my opinion.

Grant

So does that mean you WILL be defoliating the rest of the maple

Sorry ( it is so easy not to make one self clear, and this is a technical question and not philosophy!). ) Yes I will defoliate the maple but not the thread graft. I intend to defoliate the tree twice this year and will assess whether to defoliate or not the thread graft the second time round.

Cheers,

Grant

thanks Grant and Mick
I thaught thats what you meant just making sure .I have read in books that you shouldn,t defoliate more than once
in a growing season but reading through the aus bonsai forum it seems common practice to defoliate 2 or 3 or more times ,just one of those bonsai myths

rawhide wrote:thanks Grant and Mick
I thaught thats what you meant just making sure .I have read in books that you shouldn,t defoliate more than once
in a growing season but reading through the aus bonsai forum it seems common practice to defoliate 2 or 3 or more times ,just one of those bonsai myths

As usual it depends on where you live (climate) fertilizing habits, potting mix etc.; plus also the age and health of the tree.

Sometimes a short hand answer is given to keep it simple but of course this can confuse.

Also some types of trees can be done (safely) more frequently than others.
Grant