Trident - Crazy Spring Growth

[one_bonsai]

Have this Trident which has gone crazy with spring growth. My goal is to begin creating primary branches for an informal broom, but the growth is so thick I don't know where to begin.

Somehow I need to find shoots that will become primary branches in amongst hundreds of shoots and leaves, then somehow wire them, but the growth is so thick, I can't see anything.

 

[Warpig]

You just missed the ideal window. Doing structural pruning is typically done at the vary start of spring as the buds are starting to swell but before they open. The two main reasons for this are for one as you know it is lot easier to see the tree itself. The other big advantage is you want to use all of the trees engery to get the growth where you want it. The tree spent alot of its first flush of growth on a branch that you are going to remove. If the branch was removed all that engery would have gone where you wanted it.

 

[one_bonsai]

You just missed the ideal window. Doing structural pruning is typically done at the vary start of spring as the buds are starting to swell but before they open

I couldn't do any structural pruning because there were no branches, just a trunk

 

[BobbyLane]

if you want to do structural pruning in spring, summer or autumn its fine. im saying this because i do this myself.
to see whats going on i would put the tree up against a plain background and partially defoliate, start by removing larger leaves on the perimeter. reducing to two where there are three. theres loads of threads on here on partially defoliating maples and on structural pruning, check out the search engine.

ps anyone see Ryan neil's recent stream on trident autumn pruning, what a lovely tree

Leaf Drop Deciduous Pruning

Deciduous • Mid Fall

Fall: the color shift and shedding of leaves marks a pivotal time in deciduous tree work. Pruning at leaf drop is paramount for species that may bleed water in early spring. In this stream, build your skills in the pruning process; explore ways to correct ramification structure, taper, and flaws, and learn to maximize the growth put on during the year to build the best branching possible for your deciduous material. Ryan neil !!

 

[one_bonsai]

...to see whats going on i would put the tree up against a plain background and partially defoliate, start by removing larger leaves on the perimeter. reducing to two where there are three.

Yeah this is what I was thinking of doing, but I feel like I need to thin out the shoots as well.

 

[BobbyLane]

yeh when i say reduce to two where there are three, im talking about the shoots/branches. you can grasp some of the basics by watching the G potter vid mate.

 

[one_bonsai]

yeh when i say reduce to two where there are three, im talking about the shoots/branches

Great thanks

 

[TN_Jim]

These photos....looks like a bunch of leaves. Hey