Kiwi’s Tridents

[KiwiPlantGuy]

Hi all,
I thought I would start a thread, even though it will be many years until these achieve bonsai status.
I bought these 2 tridents as nursery stock and my best guess is they are probably 3-4 years old. Last winter I built lots of boxes and 2 large ones for these. I think they are 15 inch by 6 inch deep. I have made them this deep so they can grow lots and be in these boxes for the next 5 plus years including repots. Then I plan to build shallower boxes of say 3-4 inch deep to go from then. If I should put these into 3-4 inch boxes at next repot then tell me so.




I am hoping to gain some more trunk girth over next few years so my 1.5 - 2 inch plus (covered) nebari will increase.
I am looking for some advice/comments from @Smoke and others as to whether I should chop to the lowest new growth, which is about 1 inch or so above nebari and grow them again for another year from there? Or just chop in half, eg. New growth on top etc, given they are 6 foot or so now.
No better material available, and cuttings/seedlings are possible, but a few years behind these.
Also I show this clump I have started from last Winter (7-8 months ago) planted through a CD, although needs to be potted on into bigger pot and deeper so I get roots growing happily above CD.

Thanks to all for you help.
Charles

 

[Shibui]

You currently have 3cm telephone poles. Next year you will have 5cm (or thicker) telephone poles. After cutting the trunk you will have a stump with a 5 (or more) cm scar that will take many years to close.
Many years ago I moved to more frequent pruning to give multiple leaders. Multiple leaders still give good thickening but have added advantages: smaller wounds that heal in far shorter time even though there are more of them; options for both trunk movement and taper that are far superior to stump bonsai. Initial chops are usually best around the height you hope for first branch or first bend in the trunks (lower is better).
For my 2c Cut sooner than later.
Also consider planting your grow trees at some angle initially unless you are aiming for formal upright (broom). Initial movement of trunks is far superior in most bonsai styles.

 

[Gary McCarthy]

Many years ago I moved to more frequent pruning to give multiple leaders. Multiple leaders still give good thickening but have added advantages: smaller wounds that heal in far shorter time even though there are more of them; options for both trunk movement and taper that are far superior to stump bonsai. Initial chops are usually best around the height you hope for first branch or first bend in the trunks (lower is better).

This makes sense to me. I'm giving it a try this year with a group my younger trees in development.

 

[KiwiPlantGuy]

You currently have 3cm telephone poles. Next year you will have 5cm (or thicker) telephone poles. After cutting the trunk you will have a stump with a 5 (or more) cm scar that will take many years to close.
Many years ago I moved to more frequent pruning to give multiple leaders. Multiple leaders still give good thickening but have added advantages: smaller wounds that heal in far shorter time even though there are more of them; options for both trunk movement and taper that are far superior to stump bonsai. Initial chops are usually best around the height you hope for first branch or first bend in the trunks (lower is better).
For my 2c Cut sooner than later.
Also consider planting your grow trees at some angle initially unless you are aiming for formal upright (broom). Initial movement of trunks is far superior in most bonsai styles.

Hi,
Thank you for your comments and growing theory. Another point of view is greatly appreciated. And thank you for your comments on my other threads.
Small question about these tridents -
Would developing one of these as a twin trunk be contrived (slingshot)? To add variety to my future bench. That or broom and cut off one of these low trunk chop option?
Charles

 

[Shibui]

Twin trunk bonsai generally diverge as close as possible to ground level. Higher forks are really branches rather than 2 trunks. With young trees almost anything is possible given some time but opportunity to convert any of these to twin trunk is probably past.
tridents are quite fast growing and they do fuse together quite easily so planting 2 of these very close together would probably yield a twin trunk. Note that twin trunk is nota s easy as it sounds. Getting a single trunk with the right bends and branches in the right places to look attractive is difficult enough. Adding a second trunk does not just double the difficulty, probably quadruples it. Not only does each trunk have to have good branching and bends in appropriate places, they also need to compliment the other trunk.
I can see one tree with a fork part way up that might develop as a broom style - straight, vertical trunk with very good nebari for broom. If you cut back the main trunk you would probably also get new shoots breaking on the trunk that could help to alleviate the slingshot style. Other tree would probably bud up if pruned as well. These are tridents after all.
All are currently very straight and quite vertical. Not really my idea of bonsai tridents. You do have some lower shoots to cut back to on the one with your finger. That will give good taper and add some bends to the trunk. probably looks like a step back to cut there but in reality is a giant leap forward if you are willing to take it.
Pruning adds taper. Pruning adds movement to the trunk. Pruning is important when developing trees for bonsai.