First "Big" Tree Purchase (Trident Maple)

[Alex DeRuiter]

I swung down to Gregory Beach Bonsai in Dowagiac, Michigan today to visit Don Blackmond. First I'd like to say that Don is an awesome guy. He was really helpful and worked with me to find a tree that suited me -- which also indicates that he's an extremely patient person, too. lol

So in the end, I picked up this massive Trident maple. I like a couple different fronts on this tree. It's got a little ways to go, but this was definitely a steal. If anyone would like to check out his stuff, it's at http://www.gregorybeachbonsai.com/

The selling point to me was that this tree has a very natural feel to it. I made a couple quick adjustments so far, but I'm saving the bulk of it for spring.

Possible Front:

Bit of a scar:

Favorite Front:

Sorry for the picture quality. We can't all be like Vic.

Thoughts? Suggestions? I like the placement of those two lowest branches, even though they're a bit skinny. I figured I'd regulate some growth up top to get some refinement and let those two bottom branches grow wild. There are a couple other possible leaders on the multiple trunks, but I'm waiting a little while to decide. Also, there's that branch that crosses the front. What would you guys do? I kinda like it, but if I keep it, it's going to need movement. Otherwise I might just chop it.

*Edit - I'm also going to chop that scarred root back a bit. Probably not to the trunk, but I'm going to cut it back at least so it will heal and flow better with the base.

 

[bonsai barry]

I don't have much experience with maples so I look forward to suggestions you get on this tree. Love the trunk!

 

[Smoke]

Cool Beans!

 

[Ang3lfir3]

A very nice tree for sure .... was this on his site??? I was eye ballin' a similar looking tree he had.... (doesn't seem to be there now)

The lower right branch needs some thickening of course .... its hard to see the structure in a 2D pic (even when Vic is taking them ) but I get the feeling the crossing branch is doing more harm then good visually .... best advice I really give is to shape the straight parts.... and prune ... wire first then prune (or prune as you wire) ... seems weird but helps till you get the hang of were things end up .... When forming parts of the crown (multiple apices apparent in ancient trees) you want to consider forming each sub-trunk to look like a tree it self... what this means in .. is that you form each of the branches on the thicker sub-trunks so that if it were cut off it would be a pretty respectable tree on its own.... this only goes so far in that you still need to consider things like growth habit .... branches grow out toward the light however on more ancient trees this appears as meandering branches that sort of "wobble" there way outward and they don't all take the same exact path .... (does this make sense ?)

anyways a lot of that is work you will do in the coming years... but you can start now by forming some character into those otherwise straight parts of the branches....

I also wonder if that lower left branch needs to be there.... much of my feeling is that it does not belong and that the space can add some nice drama with the lowest part of the crown being formed by the branch just above it and ending just below its starting point (the one that remains) ....

the focal point of this tree is that nicely textured and massive trunk... it shows good age and the scars have healed well creating interest ... the large chop in the back needs work... as a trident it may heal in your lifetime however you might want to consider options for working with it as is ... I don't suspect the growth rate in MI to be all that fast so it might be prudent to investigate incorporating it into the design ...

an overall crown about the size it has now... maybe a little smaller seems about right .... just need to cram some gnarly into it and grow it into shape...

hope that helps...

 

[Dav4]

Great base, great trunk...have fun!

 

[HotAction]

Angel's advice is good. Also congrats on taking the step to a nice quality piece of pre-bonsai.

I would start by taking out the dremel and cleaning up all the cut marks, don't worry you don't have to be a pro just have fun and add a bit more naturalness to the wounds. Then "without pruning" begin to wire every branch. If you find something that feels awkward while wiring, prune it away. I find that by wiring everything, it starts to take shaoe on its own even without placing the branches. I think it happens because my hands push the wired branches away as I continue to work. By the time your done wiring, you should have a much better feeling for what needs to happen over the coming seasons.

Dave

 

[jkd2572]

I got one from him a couple of years ago. I'm still trying to make it look like the one you bought. Nice tree.

 

[Alex DeRuiter]

A very nice tree for sure .... was this on his site??? I was eye ballin' a similar looking tree he had.... (doesn't seem to be there now)

The lower right branch needs some thickening of course .... its hard to see the structure in a 2D pic (even when Vic is taking them ) but I get the feeling the crossing branch is doing more harm then good visually .... best advice I really give is to shape the straight parts.... and prune ... wire first then prune (or prune as you wire) ... seems weird but helps till you get the hang of were things end up .... When forming parts of the crown (multiple apices apparent in ancient trees) you want to consider forming each sub-trunk to look like a tree it self... what this means in .. is that you form each of the branches on the thicker sub-trunks so that if it were cut off it would be a pretty respectable tree on its own.... this only goes so far in that you still need to consider things like growth habit .... branches grow out toward the light however on more ancient trees this appears as meandering branches that sort of "wobble" there way outward and they don't all take the same exact path .... (does this make sense ?)

anyways a lot of that is work you will do in the coming years... but you can start now by forming some character into those otherwise straight parts of the branches....

I also wonder if that lower left branch needs to be there.... much of my feeling is that it does not belong and that the space can add some nice drama with the lowest part of the crown being formed by the branch just above it and ending just below its starting point (the one that remains) ....

the focal point of this tree is that nicely textured and massive trunk... it shows good age and the scars have healed well creating interest ... the large chop in the back needs work... as a trident it may heal in your lifetime however you might want to consider options for working with it as is ... I don't suspect the growth rate in MI to be all that fast so it might be prudent to investigate incorporating it into the design ...

an overall crown about the size it has now... maybe a little smaller seems about right .... just need to cram some gnarly into it and grow it into shape...

hope that helps...

I'm not entirely sure, but I think this may've been on the site at one point. I know he updated everything a couple months back, so maybe that's when he took it off.

I know what you mean...it's always so much different in person. I think the same thing about that crossing branch. I thought I might give it some time just to see if anything might work with it, but I don't want to wait so long that the scar that is potentially left is large. I've been looking at it a lot and I think I've got some decent ideas in regards to wiring...so I'll probably start on that soon (and pruning, of course). What you said makes sense. That actually gives me a lot of great ideas, and I think I'll need to develop some more branching to achieve it, but I like where it's headed.

My thoughts on the two lower branches are slightly different. If I had to choose between the two, I think the one of the left might look better. It's coming off perpendicular from the trunk whereas the other one seems to bend up a bit. Another thing is that the branch on the right is growing at a point where the trunk is growing back in that direction -- would you call that an "inward bend?" I think that if I wire the branch just above that one down a little bit, it would achieve that dramatic effect you're talking about; just on a different side. Unless, of course, there's something I'm not seeing, which is very possible. Care to elaborate?

Yes, I was definitely thinking about working with that scar to help develop the character. I feel like there might be a way I can scar it more that, even when it's healed entirely, it would give a ton more texture to the trunk. But yes, I agree about the texture/massiveness of it being the focal point. Growing seasons in Michigan really aren't that great, but maybe when I construct a nice greenhouse I can work on making longer seasons (Oh boy, oh boy! I get to play God!).

Yeah, I like the size it is now. I'll be working on getting it back a bit and definitely cramming some gnarly into it. lol

Thank you for your suggestions!

Angel's advice is good. Also congrats on taking the step to a nice quality piece of pre-bonsai.

I would start by taking out the dremel and cleaning up all the cut marks, don't worry you don't have to be a pro just have fun and add a bit more naturalness to the wounds. Then "without pruning" begin to wire every branch. If you find something that feels awkward while wiring, prune it away. I find that by wiring everything, it starts to take shaoe on its own even without placing the branches. I think it happens because my hands push the wired branches away as I continue to work. By the time your done wiring, you should have a much better feeling for what needs to happen over the coming seasons.

Dave

I don't have a dremel...yet. I really do need to get one though. I'll probably be getting one this summer as I have some deadwood work to do on some of my conifer stuff, too. I love your idea about wiring and pruning while wiring! That seems like a great way to, in a way, subconsciously style the tree. I dig it.


***EDIT/UPDATE - I just ordered the "Introductory Special" of various sizes of copper wire from Adams' Bonsai, so once that comes I'll be a wirin' fool. Updates to come.

 

[Alex DeRuiter]

I just had an idea for healing that large scar. Well, it's not an idea I came up with, but I got it from a thread started by Brian Van Fleet here.

Since I have to grow out one or both of those lower branches -- depending on whether or not I keep both or just one -- I will have some extra whips that I can easily graft over that large scar, and that might help accelerate healing quite a bit. This would be very useful considering growing seasons in Michigan are quite short.

There are actually a couple large wounds that could use this treatment, so this definitely might be a project I take on next year.

So, if you read this, Brian, thank you for posting that thread!

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

Sure. Hope it works for you, be sure to post updates. I haven't seen this guy's maple since Kathy did those grafts in '10.

 

[Alex DeRuiter]

So here's the preliminary wiring. This was my first time really wiring a tree, so there's absolutely sure to be some flaws. Everything went relatively smoothly with the exception of a few minor snaps, gasps, grunts, and expletives...but I'm pleased with the results. Thoughts?

I ended up taking that branch off that crossed the front. I saw nothing with that left on, so I cut it.

I'm still having trouble deciding on whether I should leave the left or right bottom branch...or both. I think I'm starting to see what Ang3lfir3 about leaving the right as opposed to the left...but I'm hesitant nonetheless.

(Pardon the mess. . . .)

 

[Ang3lfir3]

A very good start.... starting to look like a tree!!! .... looks much better without the crossing branch ... as you can see that really allowed the design to gain some depth and not be distracting...

re: left or right.... for now.... keep them both.... I'll try and see if I can get a virt-ish done (been years since I did one) to help outline my thoughts more.... it is REALLY important however that you maintain that tiny branch in the area above it for now....

 

[JudyB]

Nice job! I would do even more bending if you can get it, but the crown spread is very nice.

 

[Alex DeRuiter]

Yeah, I think taking off that crossing branch was somewhat of a crossroads. It seemed to look so much better once that was gone.

Yes! I was thinking just last night that the little tiny branch above the bottom left will be extremely important. I'll make sure to nurture that one for quite some time.

Thanks for the compliment! Being my first ever styling, I'm pretty pleased with the outcome. Of course, all the branches were more or less where I needed them, so that certainly helped.

Thank Judy! Yeah, I'm really hesitant now. A couple of the branches broke as they were very fragile. A couple are actually still connected, but I'm not sure if they'll survive. I'm hopeful though. I'm not sure if it's just the time or year or the species in general, but I didn't want to push it.

I did do a couple guy-wires for one of the branches on the left. I connected them to dead stumps that are to be removed. I'm starting to think this is going to be the best way to bend the branches without breaking them. I think that part of the process went the smoothest.

 

[tmmason10]

I don't know how I missed this thread, but thanks for pointing me in this direction. This tree looks very natural and i think it has a beight future. While we're here, maybe some updated pics?

 

[MACH5]

Awesome tree ALex! Reminds quite a bit of some of Walter Pall's trees particularly his European Hornbeams. Has a very nice natural feel to it as was mentioned earlier. Great job with the pruning and wiring!! My only suggestion would be to cut back further into the secondary branches. In a couple of seasons you'll end up with a tighter silhouette without loosing its natural feel. Right now it looks ok but in the next couple of years the tree's design might start to look a bit over extended. I would go more aggressive on your pruning!

Great tree have fun!

 

[mcpesq817]

That's a fantastic trident. I like the natural look to it. I agree with keeping the lower right branch and getting rid of the lower left branch. The latter comes out at an awkward angle relative to the rest of the tree.

I have a big trident that I got from Don a few years ago. He has really great trees and gives great customer service.

 

[Alex DeRuiter]

I don't know how I missed this thread, but thanks for pointing me in this direction. This tree looks very natural and i think it has a beight future. While we're here, maybe some updated pics?

I'll snap some shots of it tonight when I get home from work.

However, let me preface by saying this year is the year I learned the importance of a shade house for both sun burn and wind burn on maples. During a little spurt of unseasonably hot and dry weather, and in as little time as one single day, a good 50% of the leaves on this tree got pretty burnt. It wasn't terribly attractive for a while, but there's a good amount of new growth and it's balancing out. It just won't look right again until next year...but this was certainly an important lesson.

Awesome tree ALex! Reminds quite a bit of some of Walter Pall's trees particularly his European Hornbeams. Has a very nice natural feel to it as was mentioned earlier. Great job with the pruning and wiring!! My only suggestion would be to cut back further into the secondary branches. In a couple of seasons you'll end up with a tighter silhouette without loosing its natural feel. Right now it looks ok but in the next couple of years the tree's design might start to look a bit over extended. I would go more aggressive on your pruning!

Great tree have fun!

Yes! That's what I was thinking when I saw it the first time, and it was definitely a selling point. This tree served as a terrific learning experience...especially in regards to wiring. I learned how terribly fragile Trident branches are, and I learned how important it is to watch my blood pressure as I hear *SNAP* every couple seconds. haha -- But I'm also learning how to deeply observe a large tree like this and find areas that need correcting, and areas where flaws can be used to one's advantage. But let me not get too far into the theory of all this because I'll bore even myself.

I definitely need to cut back harder. I didn't realize how long it would take me to get to know this tree. I bought it in, what, March? and I'm only now beginning to see all of the little flaws it has. There are several areas of reverse taper and bulging that definitely need to be corrected. These areas are definitely less noticeable given the overall look of the tree, but they still need to be corrected. Furthermore, the structure of these primary branches, especially at the base, are irritatingly straight...so I need to put some movement in them. In addition to the straightness and characterlessness (put that one in Webster's!) of the branches, there are knobs everywhere on this tree that need to be corrected.

This tree will go through severe cutback next year provided it's growing vigorously. I'm very much considering putting it in a much larger, fabric pot in an attempt to get it to grow a bit faster so I can heal all of the scars quickly. I've been learning a lot from Matt Ouwinga and feel like I have a good idea of how to get what I want out of this tree, but we shall see.

Thanks for your advice. I'm glad to see we're on the same page. I'm going to let it restore some energy for the rest of this year and chop back hard next summer. I have honestly been considering chopping right back to the three main trunks to see what sprouts. . . . What do you think?

That's a fantastic trident. I like the natural look to it. I agree with keeping the lower right branch and getting rid of the lower left branch. The latter comes out at an awkward angle relative to the rest of the tree.

I have a big trident that I got from Don a few years ago. He has really great trees and gives great customer service.

I totally agree. A lot of these branches are awkwardly straight at their bases. I have really been considering chopping the branches back to stubs to see if any dormant buds pop, and to see how much movement I can work into the branches. I'll have to develop a ton of sacrifice branches on those lower ones since they've got a ways to go before the tree will look balanced...but it's definitely attainable.

Yeah, Don's a great guy -- very friendly and accommodating. I couldn't find his house for a while and he ended up taking his truck to meet me on the main road and guide me in. lol

 

[tmmason10]

You know I have had some leaves get burnt these past week as I thought they were doing so well. I guess it's been hot, but I'm still surprised. It's tough because I literally leave for work at 8 am and get home about 8 pm. I water thoroughly in th morning and quench some thirst as soon as I get home.

I too thought of mentioning that it reminded me of Walters trees. Pretty good compliment if you ask me.

 

[Alex DeRuiter]

Hey Tom, I finally picked up that Peter Adams book on Japanese maples and got to the part about the importance of shade houses. It seems to be absolutely necessary if you want to grow maples since they get burned bad by wind -- especially when it's accompanied by the blazing sun.