AusBonsai

As the title suggests, i have found some nice cultivars of the Japanese Maple at the local big green shed.
They are all Grafted onto rootstock, and even though they're just being used as garden plants, id like to ground layer it to produce a wide nebari above the point of graft.

Is this doable using the tourniquet method with a circular sheet of plywood, as i have done successfully with pot grown Tridents, to constrict the trunk over the next couple if growing seasons?

thanks for advice given!

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It should certainly be possible to layer JM but while many varieties root easily, some do not seem to co-operate.
There are also some that do not seem grow strong roots so when not grafted they are quite slow to grow and may not thrive. I can't give any guidance as to which will do well and which may not.

Why don't you just get the real thing from a place like Maples X Mail http://www.maplesxmail.com.au/and then you can forego the layering.

admittedly the mailing season is over, but the nursery is apparently pretty special, and prices have always seemed pretty good.

oops, you're in SA....soz... maybe next year

I've had Sango Kaku on it's own roots and they do well as long as they are morning sun afternoon shade. They seem to be one of the more sensitive varieties from my (limited) experience.

I also had Osakazuki on its own roots and they were quite slow growing. Possibly this was just my one but i ended up giving it away to focus on my more advanced trees so i can't say if it picked up as it developed.