AusBonsai

Hi folks,

I was wiring my Japanese Maple & because of my stubby fat fingers and elephant type strength...I nearly snapped my secondary branch off maybe 50%-60% was snapped off so its still attached to the trunk.

When my heart started beatibg again, i grabbed some twine and bandaged her up.

a) will she survive?

b) if she does, how long should i leave the twine on?

c) Should I wait before I wire it? Or am I ok to go now whilst its bandaged?

And most importantly,

d) what is the best remedy in this scenario & and is it too late to carry it out?


This is the first Japanese Maple I have ever owned and have no clue about them...except for what I have read.....but I forget all that once in the garden

Superglue or any type of anaerobic adhesive. Basically the same as what they use at the hospital instead of stitches. You aren't supposed to get any on the cambium only the heartwood but it's a little hard to do that. Just don't stick your fingers to the branch or each other

Hard to say mate. Looks like it should do the job. Next time some cut paste and grafting tape for better results.

Definitely don't try to bend the broken branch until it is well healed - at least 12 months, possibly 2 years. The healed area is usually very weak and will just snap again.
Leave twine on until it grows and heals - at least a month or 2 after it starts growing in spring.

d. best remedy: for Japanese maple- cut the broken branch off near the base. This is a very thin branch. It probably has long internodes so it will be difficult to get side shoots to build a good, dense ramified branch. When the branch is cut back it will sprout several buds from the base. Some will have short internodes and will make a much better branch for the future.

d.2: Are you really sure you need a branch at this location? Many less experienced growers select way to many branches for a start so as they mature and bulk up there is no room and some need to be removed anyway. That bottom branch is very close to the ground (esp given the trunk diameter) too and will probably be superfluous in the near future as well.

Maybe you are in a bit too much of a hurry to be a good bonsai grower (post at 5:07; bump at 5:49 the same day Good bonsai take years to develop. First learn patience.