one_bonsai
Shohin
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So remove them, grow one trunk until it's thick enough, then do a trunk chop and then grow the two subtrunks?I would say, they are too thick now already ..
I haven't pruned the top or the roots properly yet because I wanted to see what people said first. I will prune the Y down much lower if that's what I decide to go with. Just like Y shaped trunks with deciduous, they look more natural.Why sub trunks that divide so far up?
Before putting this back in please shorten those roots substantially. New roots almost always grow from the end of a cut root. Cutting shorter will not harm the trident maple and will give you much better root system for the future.
All roots will eventually thicken and merge.I was going to put the roots in a separate thread but since you mention it..... I dislike pancake nebari. I prefer a nebari with distinct roots. If I shorted all the roots. will this eventually develop into a pancake?
All in all it sounds as if you have very fixed views on what you want so no real point in us giving much advice
Yes. Thank you. I not sure how that conclusion was made either.Ouch. This conclusion is not what I gather from reading @one_bonsai's posts in this thread.
Apologies if I have misinterpreted and/or overreacted.Yes. Thank you. I not sure how that conclusion was made either.
but now a change of mind:Just like Y shaped trunks with deciduous, they look more natural.
Not sure what a 'single trunk' bonsai looks like. All trunks divide into branches of one sort or another and those branches then divide into smaller ones and so on. The big difference is the angles they emerge from the trunk.Sounds like the consensus is to go with a single trunk, so I think I'll go with that.
Thanks. Appreciate it.Apologies if I have misinterpreted and/or overreacted.
From my reading: After several very experienced members question the forked trunk the response appeared to be rather dismissive:
but now a change of mind:
Not sure what a 'single trunk' bonsai looks like. All trunks divide into branches of one sort or another and those branches then divide into smaller ones and so on. The big difference is the angles they emerge from the trunk.
As I said earlier - and others have also picked up on, what you do and how you develop a tree depends very much on what you expect as the final result - style, size, etc. Maybe the reference to Y shaped trunks means broom style? That would fit well with the current vertical trunk. Developing a broom style or 'natural' style needs different development to informal upright or other traditional bonsai styles.
From experience the first trunk reduction chop and subsequent branching works well at around 1/3 of planned final height (give or take). My reference to the height of the current fork was based on that 1/3 - 2/3 proportion. If you plan a tree 3-4 times the height of the current fork then it is in about the right spot. Subsequent forks and branching look best when each subsequent section is shorter and thinner than the previous sections. If the current sub trunks were to be kept both would need to be pruned to the first node to achieve the next fork in proportion and so on.
Thickness also looks much better if it decreases step by step. The current branches are both approaching the thickness of the trunk below. They may look OK as they continue to thicken but there's every chance it will look too heavy. Nothing is certain but it is certainly easier to make the change now if you don't want to take the gamble on overly heavy branching.
It s very easy to overestimate the size and length of primary parts of a developing tree. I've found it far safer to go a little smaller and a bit thinner than first impressions because the proportions look different as the trees grow.
Thinking ahead, having some sort of plan and knowing a little about what results from different techniques makes it far easier to develop something closer to what you want.
So after I chop to the lowest node and let it grow, would I cut that same trunk down a node or two higher that winter?Cut the left branch off, and next summer chop the right to the lowest live node. Then you will have a start to decent line. The nebari is a great start, but will eventually be a pancake if you root prune it and put in a shallow pot.
Theoretically, yes if the taper is to where you want it. Some let them go two years in between chops. you have to balance the rapid growth with the size of the wound that will have to heal after The chop.So after I chop to the lowest node and let it grow, would I cut that same trunk down a node or two higher that winter?
Great advice. Thanks.Theoretically, yes if the taper is to where you want it. Some let them go two years in between chops. you have to balance the rapid growth with the size of the wound that will have to heal after The chop.