Field-grown trident

markyscott

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Two week update from the spring work. Here's what we're looking for from a strong tree. Lots of backbudding that we can cut back to the next time we work to develop branch structure. This new growth will harden off in six weeks or so and then we can work it again. In my growing season, I should be able to do this work 3-4 times this year.
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markyscott

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4 week update. It's growing strong, but the second flush hasn't hardened off yet. Too early to work. It'll need another three weeks or so minimum. Right now, just feed and watch for the wires to cut in. Remove the wires as needed - some will have to be removed in as little as three weeks or so after pruning. Others could stay on until the tree is ready to be worked again.

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Les

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Hey Mark, I followed your advise on the way you did your root grafting on this thread. I did two root grafts on my kotohime maple and both are now taller than the tree. I was wondering though about how many seasons do I let these seedlings grow before they completely fuse to the tree?

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markyscott

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Hey Mark, I followed your advise on the way you did your root grafting on this thread. I did two root grafts on my kotohime maple and both are now taller than the tree. I was wondering though about how many seasons do I let these seedlings grow before they completely fuse to the tree?

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Hi Les. Can you remove soil and examine the graft union? If so and it's started to fuse, you can begin to wean the graft. If not, leave it i until the next time you repot. Then you can evaluate it and be sure.

Scott
 

Les

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Hi Les. Can you remove soil and examine the graft union? If so and it's started to fuse, you can begin to wean the graft. If not, leave it i until the next time you repot. Then you can evaluate it and be sure.
Hi Les. Can you remove soil and examine the graft union? If so and it's started to fuse, you can begin to wean the graft. If not, leave it i until the next time you repot. Then you can evaluate it and be sure.

Scott
Thanks Scott, I'm doing a repot in the spring . So I'll wait until then.
 

Tieball

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Two week update from the spring work. Here's what we're looking for from a strong tree. Lots of backbudding that we can cut back to the next time we work to develop branch structure. This new growth will harden off in six weeks or so and then we can work it again. In my growing season, I should be able to do this work -4 times this year.
View attachment 144610 View attachment 144611
I was looking closely at your photos....and just wondering....
When a cut area is healing...or completely heals over......
Do you cut or trim the dead bark edges which usually are around the original size of the cut area? Or.......
Do you leave that bark edge alone for character and it eventually blends with the callus covering?
 

markyscott

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I was looking closely at your photos....and just wondering....
When a cut area is healing...or completely heals over......
Do you cut or trim the dead bark edges which usually are around the original size of the cut area? Or.......
Do you leave that bark edge alone for character and it eventually blends with the callus covering?

Hi Tieball. I scrape back the bark around the original scar as the wound begins to callous over. Also, when the tridents exfoliate bark annually- I remove the old bark. The scar lessons over time.

S
 

markyscott

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Hi Scott,

Do you wait until all of the leaves have completely hardened off, including those at the very tips of the new shoots?

Lars

Hi Lars. I get continuous growth all summer so there is always green growth at the growing tips. You'll get a spring push and it will harden off in 6-8 weeks - at that point it's ready to be worked. The signs are that the leaves change to a dark green color and the shoot color darkens from light green over most of the shoot (growing tips are the exception).

If you leave the spring growth, the shoots will continue to lignify through the growing season and become increasingly difficult to wire for movement - even if you prune it at some point during the year. So work your tree as early as possible - after you've finished, the tree will push again - you can work that growth after it hardens too. That's the rhythm of developing broadleaf trees for bonsai. In my climate I can reliably get three growths a year on tridents in one growing season - sometimes four. This tree has been worked twice and the third growth is extending now.

Also, be sure to not work your tree too close to autumn. The tree won't reliably respond at that time and you're priority is no longer training, but prepping the tree for the next spring.

Scott
 
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Lars Grimm

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Hi Lars. I get continuous growth all summer so there is always green growth at the growing tips. You'll get a spring push and it will harden off in 6-8 weeks - at that point it's ready to be worked. The signs are that the leaves change to a dark green color and the shoot color darkens from light green over most of the shoot (growing tips are the exception).

If you leave the spring growth, the shoots will continue to lignify through the growing season and become increasingly difficult to wire for movement - even if you prune it at some point during the year. So work your tree as early as possible - after you've finished, the tree will push again - you can work that growth after it hardens too. That's the rhythm of developing broadleaf trees for bonsai. In my climate I can reliably get three growths a year on tridents in one growing season - sometimes four. This tree has been worked twice and the third growth is extending now.

Also, be sure to not work your tree too close to autumn. The tree won't reliably respond at that time and you're priority is no longer training, but prepping the tree for the next spring.

Scott

Thanks Scott. That is very helpful. I was waiting for the tips to harden off, but that sounds like it is unnecessary since the shoots have started to lignify and the leaves further back have hardened off.
 

markyscott

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Thanks Scott. That is very helpful. I was waiting for the tips to harden off, but that sounds like it is unnecessary since the shoots have started to lignify and the leaves further back have hardened off.

You should be good to go. In NC, I imagine you can work your tridents for the first time as early as April or early May.

Scott
 

Lars Grimm

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You should be good to go. In NC, I imagine you can work your tridents for the first time as early as April or early May.

Scott
This was a field grown tree that was dug this late winter so I waited longer for it to be established before doing the first styling on it.
 

markyscott

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This was a field grown tree that was dug this late winter so I waited longer for it to be established before doing the first styling on it.

Ahh - got it. Sounds like you're doing the right thing by waiting. If it's growing strong, you should be good to go. If it's weak, wait until next year.

Scott
 
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