Input on large maple

Neild

Looking for input and feedback on my repotting description.
Last December I got a large (40gal) kiyo hime grafted to palmatum understock.
This winter the graft failed and died completely back to the understock which has a bright green cambium layer.I could not keep the large pot of soil sitting on my patio for seveal reasons and had to repot.
I removed the failed graft and began working the roots.
This tree was planted 6-7" above the trunk base. There were many roots growing downward, few growing out. Those at the bottom were growing in a circular motion, were black and coarse, but not rotted.
I had to wash with a hose and some pressure to remove clay and large rocks from the middle of the root ball. I removed some large (finger size and bigger) roots with few fine roots attached. I finally got the clay out, and reached a point where all I had was a root ball consisting of reddish colored fine roots.
I potted into a tub in standard bonsai soil. I soaked in a solution of superthrive, rooting hormone and mychorriza. It's now in my warm laundry room until I see something green.
Nebari 12-14", trunk 7-8" and 9" tall.

Thoughts on what I'be done...

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soonami

It might be a good idea to seal the top of the cut to prevent the tree from drying out.

I didn't know that there were mychorriza that are beneficial to maples, but maybe that's something I haven't encountered in my limited experience

I'm just sorry for your wallet, having spent some dough on a big palmatum cultivar and having the grafted scion die...

Neild

If there are any maple "experts" out there I hope they can let me know my chances for survival. I did something similar to an elm and it pulled through after 3-4 weeks.

This one had not buds showing yet on the understock.

Mychorriza are not essential to maple as in pine. However, I know that inocculating your soil can help when the summer gets hot and dry (drought tolerance). More of a "safe" thing than essential, especially in this case because I more or less bare-rooted it. This was the 1st time I have had to do something like this, and "felt" my way through it.

Yes, the chop is where the kiyo hime scion was, it was remove 3-4 weeks ago. I have heard both ways on sealing.

Not a big deal cash wise. $25.00, at a local place I have found. It wasn't the best stock, and would not have sold this year or even the next. I will be happy if it lives. Maybe nice in a few years.

Aaron_K

Hi Neil,

Personally I would have thought that if this tree were going to survive, it would show signs of bud activity within 6 weeks or so. Japanese maples back bud on old wood quite readily. If the roots were not rotting, then some other factor caused the top section to die. As this is a pretty large base, I take it the scion had been growing successfully for many years, so I'd be looking at the winter temperatures, or a disease of some sort that killed the top section. So long as the base still has a green cambium layer, there is hope for it.

All you can do now is sit and wait.

All the best,

Aaron

__________________
Do not follow where the path may lead. Go instead where there is no path and leave a trail. - Muriel Strode

Vulpes pilum mutat, non mores!

"A fox may change its skin but never its character"

Vance Wood

I agree, all you can do is wait. It sounds like you did all the right things. As to the death of the graft, it is hard to tell except Kiyo Himes are kind of wiggy, they tend to be laterally dominant where most Maples are apecily dominant.

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