You may remember my tall Swamp maple, Acer rubrum ‘drummondii,’ from last fall. It’s been on death watch since I brought it home in 2017. Well, it’s not dead yet nor is it dying. I don’t yet see any signs of deterioration that have plagued my attempts to collect large specimens over the years. So we’ve got forward motion.
I showed you this snapshot from early March.
Quite a difference over the past couple of months! I’m very pleased with how this tree looks. To be sure, it’s overgrown by about 25%, but in order to properly develop the branch structure of this tree I’ve had to let it run a bit. I need all of the branches to be thicker. Branches are typically thickened by letting them run and pruning them back. With maples (and most other deciduous species), you have to strike a balance between allowing a branch to run and keeping your internodes close together. With this tree, I have worked hard to maintain relatively short internodes, so that when I prune back the branches pretty hard I’ll get the ramification close in to the trunk. That’s the way to properly develop this bonsai.
I continue to be pleasantly surprised by this Swamp maple. Assuming nothing bad happens, I’ll update you later in the growing season.
“I have worked hard to maintain relatively short internodes.”
What can you do to promote short internodes?
Thank you.
You control internode length by pinching new growth at the tips of the shoots, which stops them extending. They will produce new buds from the leaf axils where you pinched. And you repeat the process.
Hi Zach.
Love it. Very nice transition!
Please keep me in mind if you decide to sell.
Thanks
You got it, Roland. The main thing with this specimen is its survival, as I’ve noted. I’m in hopes that my collecting technique and post-collection care will make the difference. I should know by next year.
Zach,
What a wonderful tree. I am sure that you will have plenty of things to create some movement in that wonderful looking trunk. Please keep all of us informed on the progress.
Thanks for the compliment, Bob. There won’t be any more movement in this trunk, it’s way to old and stiff. The subtle movement it does have will work fine, trust me.
Good job & good analysis. pk