I airlayered this Amur maple earlier in the year and finally removed it a few weeks back.  I didn’t disturb the new roots or moss, just slipped the whole thing into a larger pot of free draining mix that will hopefully insulate the roots from the cold this winter too.  Looking forward to spring to see what I’ve got.

A quick update for the records of this flowering cherry last posted here

autumn 15

current nebari

autumn 17

I’ve finally got more backbudding and after a couple of years free growth I’ve got more to work with and the trunk is slowly maturing in age and girth.  Good colour this autumn but not the best I’ve had.  I’ll try and get some wiring done over the winter.  Hope to finally repot in the spring.

Like all bonsai enthusiasts in the dead of winter, I’m excited about the potential of the growing season ahead. I’ve a lot catch up on after two years of inactivity in the garden but in some cases this has been a good thing. Some of the field grown material has flourished and thickened considerably and today I decided to check if some projects were progressing as I’d hoped. The following trees were all ground layered two years ago to hopefully produce a better surface root system:

First was a European Hornbeam

It was planted in cat litter in the ground and I found lots of fine root throughout this. Didn’t go down to Nebari level though as I didn’t want to do much damage at this point. I am satisfied though with the new flare at the bottom of the trunk. While I was at it I took care of some top pruning but left the bottom branches. I’ll airlayer the sacrifice branch in spring. Can’t wait to lift this tree when buds fatten up!

The rest of my material that was ground layered two years ago:

Japanese Larch twin trunk

Jan 2018

Silver Birch

Cut sacrifice branch Jan 2018

Field Maple

January 2018

Field Maple corky bark.  Air layer candidate.

Japanese Maple garden tree.

Jan 2018

fine root

Repotted a couple of weeks ago into its first ceramic pot. Needles are still on so fingers crossed the process hasn’t been too traumatic for the tree.

I plan to wire the tree later in the year after it recovers.

A couple of months ago I managed to have a look at the new roots growing on this very large Japanese Maple garden tree that I had ground layered two years ago here.

 autumn 2017

March 2018

Evidence of new roots

Wooden box removed and rootball undercut

Plenty of new root beginning to thicken.  These were spread and left to extend and thicken.

No new roots on this side.  Older thicker roots were trimmed around the whole tree.

The bare side was cut again and pasted with rooting hormone.  Tree replanted with free draining soil mix and covered.

Back in the flower bed for another two years.

Created during 2020 on Field Maple material that has been grown in the ground for 8 years. The airlayer has been put in the ground to protect it over the winter. I’ll have a proper look at the roots in the spring.