New Trident Maple

[Miguelito's Blade]

Just acquired this Trident Maple from Matsuyama Nursery in Sacramento. Any guess as to its age or any other information or advice would be welcome. This is my eighth tree. Going by some advice in another thread, the thing to do with it is put it in shade for a couple of months and water it. Should I feed it at all for awhile?

 

[Shibui]

Not sure if you picked this up in person or had it mailed. Best placement is with similar sun as it has been used to. Too much sun will burn leaves but shade is not good for bonsai either. You will need to monitor water closely for a while to learn how much it takes to keep the soil and the pot size properly hydrated. Going into fall water requirements will probably drop.
Looks healthy so it has probably been fed reasonably regularly. While it has leaves you should continue to feed it every 2-3 weeks

There are a couple of weeds at the base of the trunk. May look pretty initially but it is a real pest and endemic in most nurseries now. My advice is get rid of those now while you have the chance before they take over.

 

[Paradox]

You got good advice in the post above.

Water it when it needs it, not on a set schedule.
For a trident that means water it just as the soil starts to be dry. Don't let it dry out completely.
As was stated, the time between watering will vary with season and changing temperature.

If this was grown in California, I would estimate it to be around 6 years old.

Very nice starter tree

 

[Miguelito's Blade]

Thank you both for your help. I picked it up in person from the nursery about eight or ten miles from where I live.

 

[Shibui]

So you know how much sun/shade it is accustomed to. That's what you should try to replicate if possible. A little more shade would be safe but straight out into full sun would cause burnt leaves if it has been growing in a shaded place.

It is almost impossible to estimate and age for bonsai. Growth rates vary depending on the area and how well the tree is cared for. The one you have could be anywhere between 3 and 25 years old. Probably toward the lower end given it was grown by professionals who want a quicker turnover and presumably know how to get best growth out of their trees.

 

[Paradox]

I agree it's very difficult to estimate age which i
I should have said in my post. That is why I stated "if it was grown in California".

It was a somewhat educated guess. If it had been grown in NY the estimate would have been much higher.

I bought a trident from growers in Mississippi that they told me was 10 years old and has a bit thicker trunk.