How to get shorter internodes on Campestre maple?

Kazoo

Is there a way? I've tried what "seems" to work on the Palmatums, namely exposing to the sunniest location very early (before any heat) in the year.
But on the Campestre, it still gets those 3" internodes. Sometimes longer. They seem to come in spurts. Suddenly one will sprout and go off to the races before setting a leaf.

Any "secret?" Water deprivation? I don't fertilize early.

??

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bonsaikc

Exposing to sunlight is a very iffy proposition for reducing internodes. The most reliable and effective technique for acer palmatum and probably acer campestre (although I speak without firsthand knowledge of the tree) is to treat the tree in this fashion for the year:

Do not feed in early spring. It will enlarge the internodes tremendously. When the first new leaves are open, the buds in the crotch are already elongating. You must pinch them out with a fine tweezer before they get any larger than what you can barely grasp with the tweezers. this will stop the elongation, and the next buds will be a bit smaller. With palmatum etc., we work with what we get in spring, since we can't rely on second growth like acer buergerianum. This is a very meticulous process. Do some research on it, old magazines and the like. You won't find it in books. Perhaps a search online.

__________________
Chris Johnston
Sashi-no-eda.blogspot.com

Kansas City Area Workshops 2008

Vance Wood

Pull out the growing tip before it opens. This will help induce back budding. The technique is shown is several books. It is a stressful procedure and should not be done more than two years consecutively.

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The only finished bonsai is a dead one; me 1992 MABA Des Moines Iowa

bonsaikc

What he said.

__________________
Chris Johnston
Sashi-no-eda.blogspot.com

Kansas City Area Workshops 2008

GaryS

I have an Acer campestre that I grew from seed.

The species genetically has longer internodes and petioles than most of the traditional maples used for bonsai. Since most of them are grown from seed, there will be some variation from plant to plant.

It's my opinion that they don't make very good small to medium bonsai but they do lend themselves to larger sized bonsai, say 30" and over.

There is a dwarf variety-Compatum or nanum- that has smaller internodes, leaves and petioles for the medium sized bonsai.

I planted a row of the species along my property in 1985 and they are close to 35' tall so it's not a small tree.

__________________
GaryS

Kazoo

Mine's a bit over 2 feet.

Attached Images

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