Cheering ourselves up with Maples

Beautiful @emery. You have such a lovely place!

 

New member of the forum from Seattle WA. I've been giving my yard and garden much more attention since the COVID lockdowns started. Had one JM in the yard (perhaps Trompenburg, see my first post on the forum looking for help with that ID) and purchased another last year (labeled as Red Spider). Got excited about getting more and have purchased three new trees in the last 3 months - Ukigumo, Autumn Moon and Shirazz. Pics of all my trees below. I purchased the latter two from Celestial Maples in Gig Harbor, WA. Great selection and great customer service from the owner, Dan. I'm hoping with some effort I can coax more color at of the Ukigumo. I've read that reducing nitrogen in the soil can help. Interested in adding 2-3 more to my yard this year and would be happy to get recommendations. Looking for contrast with my current trees. Considering a Summer Gold for something in the bright green/chartreuse/yellow spectrum. Was also wondering about something with a more pink/purple color. Purple ghost? Looking forward to reading and learning about Japanese Maples. Best, Jason

 

@Southernwayfarer, good evening J, that's an impressive start to the thread. I can see you are really into your maples, that fits in very well on this forum.
Your thoughts on Summer gold and Purple ghost are IMO a perfect accompaniment to your collection. The ghosts are my favourites, they are wonderful all seasons. Summer gold is perfect for a sunny spot in your garden and looks great next to a dark ghost.
Can I make one observation about the planting, not a criticism at all, you should be able to see the root flare. This in turn keeps soil away from the trunk and so does not cause rot, which can go on unnoticed below the soil line.
Your Ukigumo will hold its colours longer if kept in a lot of shade, just a thought. Do not over feed if at all and especially at this time of year. You do not want new soft Growth in September.

Really enjoyed your photos J.

 

Omg these are gorgeous. The top one is my favourite which one is it? I really can’t start buying more maples I don’t have a large yard! I’m quite partial to the lace leafs, I recommend adding one of them. I have a red dragon the color is stunning. The crimson queen is also glorious. And a super soft spot for weeping maples. Good luck.

 

Just watching “Gardeners World” on tele and the presenter explained an issue with a lack of mid and lower Branch growth on a lemon tree.. he said the canopy branches send a hormone down the trunk stopping budding lower down. He demonstrated cutting an inch wide horizontal notch only into the cambium above a dormant bud And said this stops the hormone travelling down and results in new buds below the notch.. he also said he’d done the same with a dissected JM. Is this a known method??

My J.Aureum has stopped branching lower down whilst the canopy grows stronger and stronger..I wondered whether anyone on here had tried this method?

 

Emery, thanks for telling us about the videos! That was fun to see you and Adele and your place. I enjoyed seeing the long video, but also appreciated the short one with the subtitles - French subtitles, but it made it a lot easier for me to understand what was being said. I don't know why you thought your hair needed to be cut.

 

@dicky5ash, good evening R, notching has been around for a while, but tbh I have never used it. It is a method successful on fruit trees.
The science is there and is definitely worth a try, as it's only a small cut that will heal if it does not work out.
Sorry I cannot help more.

 

Thanks D.

..before I start Mutilating I’d like to hear some success in maples

 

@dicky5ash, totally understand R.

 

Very nice trees you have there. The Autumn Moon is stunning. The red you have does look like Trompenburg and this would go very well with Summer Gold. This one is new for me but so far I like it very much. Mine was actually much brighter in the shade and once I gave it a sunnier position it turned a similar colour to your Autumn Moon. If you keep it in a pot you can experiment with locations etc. Regarding the Ukigumo, I think you are correct in that nitrogen levels affect variegation but the best way to keep the pink and white is to keep it out of the sun.

 

A good weeping lace leaf variety that would look really good in your collection would be Hana Matoi. Pink, red, green, cream and white variegation and is quite rare. Very pretty. It’s one of my favourites.

 

Thanks Luke, now I have to go shopping again my family can’t take the obsessions anymore. Hahahah

 

I will throw another in the mix Lisa @Lisa Harry and that is my Goshiki Shidare, lovely varigation of the dissected leaves, I'll add a photo of my Hana Matoi as well.
Totally agree with Luke though.

 

Lovely @Acerholic, good suggestion. My Goshiki Shidare is a one year graft from Barthelemys so very small. Here are a couple of pics of a slightly bigger Hana Matoi that I got from Guy Maillot a couple of months ago. It came with quite an interesting twisted trunk which I’m trying to keep, so please excuse the ugly looking canes lol

 

We know all about that on here lol

 

@Luke’s Maples, good morning Luke, a lovely day for some gardening.
That is a nice specimen. Interesting trunk indeed, the different shapes do give it character.
You are right, this is becoming the 'What to buy next' thread, lol.

 

Yes, it is becoming a dangerous sport lol. Thanks for the compliment. I must say when I unboxed it it was pleasantly surprised at how old it looked for a standard 3ltr plant. Not massively cheap though.

 

Ooh, nearly forgot about Amagi Shigure. Pink and purple with excellent reticulation. Not sure whether I prefer it over Purple Ghost or not but something you can consider.

 

Hmmm, what's not to love about Amagi Shigure Luke. Mine loves the early morning sun.

 

@Southernwayfarer good morning J, just seen your profile photo. What a brilliant choice. Ukigumo stands out in every collection. 'Lovely'.

 

Some photos of my Purple ghost at different times this Spring and Summer, as Luke just mentioned it as a possible for J @Southernwayfarer.
Latest photos are showing second flush just starting in last few days.
It goes beautifully with Ukigumo btw.

 

Well @Luke’s Maples & @Acerholic You both are just great! I feel I’m 15 again and just found friends mother won’t approve of ;). Your pictures are of course gorgeous and shopping inspiring I like the suggestions, I’ll have to take a look and see if I can come across the Hana Matoi. I was also looking at the Orengeda. My yard is very full sun so I’ll have to research these a bit to see if they will be ok in my area. I do have some landscaping work that’s needs to be finished before I start adding to it but I’ll just have to start lying about where I’m going so the family doesn’t start an intervention! Oh who am I kidding I answer to the dog and the dog alone! Have a great day guys

 

@Lisa Harry, good afternoon Lisa I don't know how to take that, Lol.
I think you mean Orangeola, this is a very nice weeping dissectum, but not quite as hardy in the sun as some other dissectums.
My old Red dissectum is 42 years old plus and in full sun all day long. Very hardy indeed, no fancy name but an excellent and well known variety.
The Tamukeyama as I said earlier is bomb proof and a very good starter weeper.

Leaves for my Orangeola attached.

I'll think on this afternoon about being the wrong type your mum might dissaprove of ......... Lol

Have a lovely weekend Lisa

 

Two wonderful people in a place that looks like heaven on earth !

I agree ! Though when I could still have long hair, I used to have it cut short in the summer, when the weather was hot.

 

@Acerholic please don’t take any offence I’m a bit cheeky. But between you and @Luke’s Maples I may need a second job to cover the maple collection I now feel obligated to get. Or sell my shack In the city and buy some lavish property in some small town in bc and live like @emery !! I mean that in most complimenting way possible