Trident Maple #1

[dbonsaiw]

This is a Trident Maple I picked up last year from Green Thumb Bonsai and just let it grow. At around 2.5" at the base and 25" inches tall, the tree needed to be reduced at some point and this was the year. I pruned the trunk itself down about 4", thereby removing the canopy and bringing the tree to about 14". The tree is backbudding and I will leave it alone for the remainder of the year. Not sure at this point if I want to reduce it further.

How should I proceed going forward? My plan is to get some lower shoots (either through backbudding or grafts) to use as sacrifice branches to increase the thickness of the base and taper. I also plan on reducing upper branches next year to begin growing the actual branches of the tree.

The tree was repotted this spring and root system was reduced to one lateral plain. My plan is too repot again next spring and continue to work the nebari.

 

[Johnnyd]

If it was my tree...
Wire a whip in place for a thread graft in late winter. When the graft takes chop at 45 degrees Red line. Also changing the planting angle so the tree emerges from the soil at an angle. If you place that grow box on the ground it will expedite things. Good luck!

 

[dbonsaiw]

Good call. There are a few growing from that lower branch on the left that I can wire now for a graft next winter.

 

[dbonsaiw]

Quick update. I have my fair share of developing small trees and, at least for now, plan to grow this one a bit larger - about 18" tall. Lots of work to do before we get there. JohnnyD had a good call, and I wired two branches for potential thread grafts next year. Instead of creating a new leader, however, I will use these as sacrifice branches to fatten up the bottom of the trunk a bit more. I spent a fair amount of time studying other bonsai for inspiration, especially the Walter Pall type trees, and realized that I will need to start over with the branching - the ground grown tree had branches in bad angles/directions that were too large. So with limited exception, I removed the existing branching from the tree. The prior leader was on a pretty sharp angle and I want the leader to basically grow straight up, so some choices for a new leader are growing. The tree is back budding all over.

 

[dbonsaiw]

And the pic.

 

[dbonsaiw]

The tree back budded nicely. I cut the trunk on a bit of an angle and the new leader is growing quite vertically. A little guy wire to bend a branch down and maybe some more wiring later, but otherwise work on this tree is done for the season.

 

[dbonsaiw]

A quick update - Roots grew like crazy and so I repotted early spring. I thought the tree was a little too tall so also chopped it back a few inches and will grow it out from here. All growth on the tree is from this season. I know this isn't exactly recommended, but I am trying a little experiment and planted this tree in a giant box - approx 30X30X5 and the tree is sitting pretty high. My thinking is that the more room it has to grow the bigger/faster it will grow, and it's shallow enough that I am betting against the creation of an anaerobic environment in mostly course soil. In fact, I believe the roots will colonize the box enough to prevent this. There's over 20 gallons of soil in there, so I mixed in some additional potting soil to keep the costs down and, contrary to my past opinions, to add more organics. At least for this season I am finding that the extra organics is assisting in growth and the soil is course enough (and box has so many holes) that the water runs through (I even tried to get the soil to float by flooding it with water and I couldn't as it drained right through).

I'll wire later in the season and otherwise don't really plan on cutting anything more this year. Just grow out the new leader as large as possible and get the tree strong.