Trident maple, 7 month progression.

Treebeard

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(or more accurately, a 216 day, 19 hour, 26 minutes and 38 seconds progression)

Hello to all,

Here is a trident maple I picked up on January this year (2009). At the time I was just coming back into bonsai after an 18 month layoff, with hindsight I suppose I could really have spent my money more wisely.

The first photo is a montage of two photos taken on the 17 January. I can't believe I didn't take a full frontal, but I didn't, hence the photoshop montage.

The second photo dates from the 20th February, and shows a heavy prune and repot. I scared myself with how much I took off, but I could and should have gone further. A couple of days after I took this photo I decided that I really hated the pot so I put it back into the original.

The third photo was taken on the 22nd of August. I get lots of growth from this tree, my feeding regime seems to really work wonders. Thanks to Al Keppler for the pointer in the direction of Humic acid.

There are big areas that need filling in, particularly round the back. The long whips will be used for thread grafting new branches there (and elsewhere).

I have done my best to give an accurate timeframe in which this work has been done, but if anyone spots an error or discrepancy then please speak out.

Comments and suggestions regarding the tree are welcomed but if you want to talk about the photo set-up or the pot or Humic acid or anything else then that's cool.

Chris.
 

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irene_b

Omono
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Chris how tall is it?
Irene
 

Treebeard

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Hi Irene, I keep forgetting to give dimensions of trees I post online... this one is 24" from the rim of the pot to the top of the crown.

Chris.
 

Martin Sweeney

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Chris,

Good work to date. I look forward to seeing it after the leaves drop and seeing where you intend to thread graft.

I have that brown pot's sibling. I have yet to find it a good match for any of my trees either. I think it sits in the shed empty as I type.

Regards,
Martin
 

irene_b

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Chris,

Good work to date. I look forward to seeing it after the leaves drop and seeing where you intend to thread graft.

I have that brown pot's sibling. I have yet to find it a good match for any of my trees either. I think it sits in the shed empty as I type.

Regards,
Martin

I happen to like that pot!
(Texas Cedar Elms look sooo good in them)
Irene
 

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Treebeard

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Chris,

Good work to date. I look forward to seeing it after the leaves drop and seeing where you intend to thread graft.

I have that brown pot's sibling. I have yet to find it a good match for any of my trees either. I think it sits in the shed empty as I type.

Regards,
Martin
Thanks. I will probably end up using the pot for an alpine garden... :)

Chris.
 

Treebeard

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Irene, great bark on your elm, I like it.

Chris.
 

grouper52

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Hi Chris.

Nice tree, and great short-term progression. I like your use of guy wires - well done, and a technique many could use more often.

You mentioned humic acid, but I don't recall it from reading the post. I take it you're a fan? I've recently stared to use it, and so far it seems to present no problems, and perhaps a slight additional vigor to the foliage this summer. What's your experience, especially with this tree?

Will
 

Treebeard

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Hi Will,

thanks for your comments, much appreciated.

I find myself using guy wires all the time, they are such a simple way to achieve major re-alignment. I use them a lot to pull branches down, and also to move branches sideways, across and even up.

I feed with balanced fertiliser every week or so, sometimes two, and with rootsafe, a humic acid supplement, every two to three weeks. I understand that humic acid increases a plant's ability to take up the regular fertiliser, amongst other things.

Regarding humic acid, I am a fan, and I use it in conjunction with standard fertiliser on all my trees. This is the first year I've used it, but to slightly confuse the issue it is also the first year that I have really kept up with fertilising regularly. Added to that, it is the first year that all my trees have been in 100% inorganic.

I have noticed increased vigour in all my trees, but this one seems to be more vigourous than the rest. I'm not really in a position to do extensive randomised double-blind trials on humic acid :), so I'm afraid all I can offer is anecdotal evidence :). but, like you say, it seems to present no problems, and other respected growers say it has a positive benefit so I will continue to use it.

Chris.
 
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