Kotohime Maple with Browned Leaves - Repot Now?

rlominski

Hello everybody. I have a Kotohime that needs repotting badly. Unfortunatley we are at the end of the season. The leaves are browned and falling (partially because night temps are good fall 40's).

Soil is goop. My question is, should I gingerly pull away the cruddy soil and repot into open soil? I would not cut any roots (unless rotted). If so do I need to provide extra winter protection? I generally go into the unheated garage (generally in the 30's, occasionally into the 20's or so. I know it needs help, but believe me it WAS worse than now! I don't know why people wait to repot so long? (don't flame me, I do know I have two young kids too!).

I am just afraid to wait out the winter as I lost a maple several years ago in a similar fashion, it just stayed too wet and rotted out.

If it needed extra protection I could keep in unheated basement (constant 40's or so). What temp is required for dormancy anyway?

Anybody have any experience with this?

Thanks
Robert

Attached Images

	DSC06297.jpg (65.4 KB, 59 views)
	DSC06300.jpg (70.3 KB, 51 views)
	DSC06301.jpg (69.3 KB, 53 views)

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I.B.

Leave the maple alone, but make sure the soil drains. If it does not, punch some holes in the soil mass with a chopstick.

Repot in spring. It is not adviseable to transplant at this time of the year in your area.

Good luck!

Bill

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William N. Valavanis

Fletch

While Bill probably knows more about your local climate and even about maples than I do I would still say it sounds like your tree is in need of repotting right away. Especially if you suspect root rot has set in. My limited experience would tell me to get as much of the 'goop' off the plant (bare root it if you can), clean up any mushy or smelly roots and put it back into a training pot with a good free draining mix. I too have left trees that I was not sure whether to repot or not at less than the perfect season and eventually lost them. Once root rot has started the affected roots must be removed or the fungus or whatever organism causes it will continue to spread and destroy all the remaining healthy roots, especially if the condition of the soil is not remedied.

__________________
Advice worth every penny you paid for it.

Regards
Fletch

andrew lenden

no offence fletch, i,d go with bill on this! wait till spring. its had to imagine anyone with more experience with maples than bill, hes in your area and one tree that is probably the favourite maple of mine is one of his kotohimes, cheers and regards andrew

Adam_MA

Yes... Leave it alone. This looks like what happens to my maples near the end of August. The only one I have had success with stopping this from happening is one that is planted in the ground in almost full shade. Next spring, repot this tree, and treat as normal. By the middle of July, you will want to put this tree in a shady (but bright) location. The ONLY way it would be safe to repot this tree now, is if you have the ability to keep it at a steady temp for the entire winter that is low enough to keep it dormant, yet high enough to keep it from getting frost. An almost impossible task without a climate controlled greenhouse.

Remember, trees are tough things. We are right near the trees going dormant for the winter, so it should go to sleep and get some much needed rest.

Adam

rlominski

I got the tree in the later part of the year, when it was too late to repot. I knew it needed it, but it was such a great deal (and who ever sees kotos with such large trunks). I also know it needs lots of work, which is the fun part anyway. When I saw it I immediately thought of Bill V's exceptional koto which I had drooled over many times. Thanks for the info. I will perforate the goop carefully with a chopstick and monitor the moisture level carefully.

BTW, Mr. Valvanis, your listed as an "apprentice" or something. It that's true, then most of us should be considered "non-starters". Although we have never met, I have attended several lectures/demos of yours, and been to Rochester once for a seminar. I have also taken private lessons with Berni Gastrich who always has fond stories to relay about you. Thank you much for the info.

Robert

I.B.

Thanks for the comments. Here is a photo of my original Koto Hime maple. It has produced over 10,000 cuttings during the past 30 years and most of the specimens in the bonsai world originated from this mother plant.

I airlayered the top section in the early 1980s and the second photo shows the top.... it has developed quite nicely now.

And, by the way, both specimens had brown crispy leaves in August and they are now looking great. I simply removed them and got another flush of growth.

Bill

Attached Images

	KOTOHIME.jpg (65.8 KB, 53 views)
	KOTOHIMETOP.jpg (59.3 KB, 50 views)

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William N. Valavanis

Fletch

Bill and All;

I humbly apologize for my impertinence and bow to your obviously superior knowledge of the species. I guess I'm still a little over-reactive after last summer's fiasco and sort of panicked when I read 'goop' and 'root rot' and started imagining the very worst. As it sounds like this sort of browning is not unusual for this species then I would agree that the best course would be to let it rest and repot in spring as usual.

__________________
Advice worth every penny you paid for it.

Regards
Fletch

andrew lenden

dear Bill, this to me is a very intriguing statement. please excuse the directness,i am intrigued with the history of some of the varieties we use and how they got where they are. Is the "world" in bonsai world here the same as the "world" in the baseball world series . it would be amazing if my kotohime was a descendant of your original beautiful bonsai and would definately make me feel i had a little bit of bonsai history, cheers and kind regards from north wales, andrew