Little Mame Trident

[swatchpost]

Hi All— got this little mame trident last week. Very excited to develop this one. Has good buds and small shoots to develop branches this coming spring. It's about 4" high from soil-line right now. Need to develop the apex. Attached photo is what it is now and then what I was generally thinking. What do you all think?

 

[Pitoon]

Hi All— got this little mame trident last week. Very excited to develop this one. Has good buds and small shoots to develop branches this coming spring. It's about 4" high from soil-line right now. Need to develop the apex. Attached photo is what it is now and then what I was generally thinking. What do you all think?

Looks good, I like it! What you plan to pot it in?

 

[swatchpost]

Looks good, I like it! What you plan to pot it in?

Thanks! It's got great nebari, too.
So for its development I'll put it in a pond basket. But someday I was thinking it'll go into something like this:

 

[swatchpost]

Looks good, I like it! What you plan to pot it in?

Something like this:

 

[Pitoon]

I think it would look good in a straight round too.

 

[swatchpost]

I think it would look good in a straight round too.

Just like regular round pot? Straight sides you mean?

 

[Pitoon]

Just like regular round pot? Straight sides you mean?

Yeah, I picture a 1" tall walled straight round, no lip in deep red.

 

[swatchpost]

Yeah, I picture a 1" tall walled straight round, no lip in deep red.

Haha you've got a vision! I can see it.
Now, it'll just take time: grow out the leader and primary branches. Cut back. Grow them out. Cut back. Grow them out. Cut back. Hopefully in the meantime I'll get some nice trunk and nebari thickening!

 

[Pitoon]

I have some ROR Tridents I will look over this upcoming spring myself. They've grown quite a bit since I planted them up.

Tridents over Seiryu rock

So after seeing a few threads on root over rock I decided it was time to do some of my own. I had these Trident cuttings growing out in this pot for a couple years waiting to figure out what to do with them. Now they'll be put to good use. Here's the cuttings. They've been in this pot about...

www.bonsainut.com

 

[swatchpost]

I have some ROR Tridents I will look over this upcoming spring myself. They've grown quite a bit since I planted them up.

Tridents over Seiryu rock

So after seeing a few threads on root over rock I decided it was time to do some of my own. I had these Trident cuttings growing out in this pot for a couple years waiting to figure out what to do with them. Now they'll be put to good use. Here's the cuttings. They've been in this pot about...

www.bonsainut.com

That's a fun experiment! You found some nice crevices for those roots! Question though: you mention something called NAPA 8822. Couldn't find anything that seemed to be right via a Google search. What is that?

 

[Pitoon]

That's a fun experiment! You found some nice crevices for those roots! Question though: you mention something called NAPA 8822. Couldn't find anything that seemed to be right via a Google search. What is that?

It's a dry sweep some of us frugal folk use as a substrate.

https://www.napaonline.com/en/p/NFD8822?__cf_chl_jschl_tk__=SmUDYPyMItWAqq_KYNZ_PL41422OgQjRBFdxdfJMR4Y-1636397367-0-gaNycGzNCeU

 

[sorce]

I think this is deceivingly "almost there", but that would make for just an ok tree.

It has a lot of potential for a longer term project which could make a much better tree IMO.

The interest of movement beyond the first branch kinda dies with the lack of taper. If you wish to keep it, I would grow the first branch heavy as a sacrifice to thicken the base, while keeping the "Apex" barely alive.

Seems you can cut a lot of mass from that apical section anyway, relying on whatever is on it's first piece of green to regrow things from, perhaps lower down too if it sprouts.

But then I wonder if it shouldn't have a branch grafted to that first curve, and the whole top chopped off, in favor of that first branch as a new apical section, since it is headed in the right direction anyhow.

I think you should start starting this thing, rather than try to start finishing it.
The base deserves it.

Sorce

 

[sorce]

Sorce

 

[HorseloverFat]

View attachment 407113

Sorce

THAT’S almost EXACTLY what I was gon’ say!

I’ve been on a “get real” kick lately with taper and scale... better to get moves like this outta the way early...

Better off “bein real” with your scale and taper.. and conversely.. yourself.

 

[leatherback]

I woul dbe carefull not going too small. The smaller the tree, the larger the leaves!

 

[AlainK]

THAT’S almost EXACTLY what I was gon’ say!

Sorry mates, I wouldn't

I think @swatchpost 's first idea is kewl for a "mame". I would take the same path.

Anyway, he should concentrate on reducing the roots before pruning the top. One step after the other...

 

[sorce]

taper and scale

scale and taper

We smoking green...
You Nance with that Vapor.
Advance with the tree...
The ultimate Caper.
Don't ask it of me...
My trees are all paper.

Go get yourself some....
Scale and Taper.

Taper and scale....

Don't wait for the Veil...
To be lifted.
Don't wait for your soil....
To be sifted.

Nifty is his tree...
If it contains...
Live veins of this mystery,

hail...

Scale and Taper.

The entire art is in this idea.

Sorce

 

[HorseloverFat]

Can we see a picture of this Tom Bergeron next to something? ... like a lighter... or similarly-recognized small, personal item?

 

[HorseloverFat]

We smoking green...
You Nance with that Vapor.
Advance with the tree...
The ultimate Caper.
Don't ask it of me...
My trees are all paper.

Go get yourself some....
Scale and Taper.

Taper and scale....

Don't wait for the Veil...
To be lifted.
Don't wait for your soil....
To be sifted.

Nifty is his tree...
If it contains...
Live veins of this mystery,

hail...

Scale and Taper.

The entire art is in this idea.

Sorce

I played bongos while I read this the second time... it helped with the delivery.. I wanted “coffee shop” but the hip-hop came through real strong regardless! Win/win

(People who DIDN’T know me would think I was kidding. )

 

[swatchpost]

Can we see a picture of this Tom Bergeron next to something? ... like a lighter... or similarly-recognized small, personal item?

I'll take some better photos of it. I think once you all see how the trunk curves it'll be apparent that cutting it down might not be the best way to go. It's really got a killer cool curve at the top where (I think) the apex should start to develop. I'll also get a pick of it with something familiar for size comparison, and the nebari.