Trident maple

[Timothyd4488]

Hi i am new to here. And trying to find out info on a trident maple. Can anyone tell me the best way to root a cutting that you all have has success from a trident maple?

 

[KiwiPlantGuy]

Hi i am new to here. And trying to find out info on a trident maple. Can anyone tell me the best way to root a cutting that you all have has success from a trident maple?

Hi Timothy,
Try the search function on this site, and you will get a huge amount of info.
As per trident and other maples, use rooting hormone and misting with semi hardwood cutting early to mid Summer.
Charles

 

[Timothyd4488]

Hi Timothy,
Try the search function on this site, and you will get a huge amount of info.
As per trident and other maples, use rooting hormone and misting with semi hardwood cutting early to mid Summer.
Charles

Thanks so much. just new to here and haven't figured out the site very well yet

 

[Deleted member 21616]

Hi i am new to here. And trying to find out info on a trident maple. Can anyone tell me the best way to root a cutting that you all have has success from a trident maple?

Welcome to the forum!

Can i ask, what are you taking the cutting from? Also, are you new to bonsai, or just new to this forum?

I am asking because, although i personally find it very interesting to grow deciduous trees from very young cuttings, many people--much more experienced than i am--are going to tell you that starting off with a cutting is probably not the best thing to do (if for no other reason than, the results or progress might depress you).

The popular recommendations are: find a local bonsai nursery, join a local bonsai club, buy a tree suitable for your climate, keep the tree alive for 1-2 years. During those 1-2 years, you will learn SO much on this forum. Every 6 months I look back and I am completely blown away by how much I did not know just 6 months ago.

Once you've kept a tree alive for 1-2 years, invest in 'better' bonsai material than a cutting. A tree of 10-15-20 years old often makes sense. Depending on where you are, these can still be fairly inexpensive. In Quebec, 1-3 year old cuttings are $30 CAD, while 15 year old trees are $100-120 CAD (i'm talking tridents and standard palmatums of course, which are very good, reliable cultivars for beginners and experts alike).

To a lot of people, that $70 difference is worth saving the 10-12 years of growing if what you are interested in is actually growing trees that will look like 'well developed' bonsai within your lifetime. Then again, to a lot of people spending $500 or more on even better base material is an even better idea.

After 3-4 years, I'm still very aware that I do not have the vision, so to speak, to refine a well developed tree in order to get it look like a bonsai you'd see at a show. There is an artistic element that I just haven't acquired yet at a level at which I would want it to be before operating on valuable material. I therefore buy material in the 3-5 year range, for $30-50 CAD, knowing that these will never be my show pieces. I do this despite the fact that people on this forum have encouraged me and other newcomers to begin with 'better material' than a very young cutting.

Learning how to keep these trees alive throughout the summer, and indeed the winter, has been an extraordinary learning experience and requires developing a certain routine. Watering my trees in the morning is like walking a dog - you can't skip a day. It may be 5 years or more before I can comfortably buy a $200-500-1000 base material and turn it into something interesting.

I've assumed you're fairly new to bonsai, so as somebody with only a few years of experience, I thought i'd share what i've learned. The most important lesson i've learned is to always know where you are in your learning. It will be equally important for you to hear from people with 10-20-30 years of experience, and make judgements for yourself based on your interests and needs.

For example: once you have your cutting, there are variety of options available to you. This thread is an interesting place to start because it will reveal to you how technical bonsai can get, but is by no means your only option, and bonsai need not be that technical:

https://www.bonsainut.com/threads/ebihara-maples.18215/

 

[JudyB]

Welcome to the site, please take a moment and put your location in your profile so good advice can be given for your climate. If you can do an airlayer instead of a cutting on your donor tree, you may be able to get a larger tree to start with. There is plenty of information about how to make one of those here on the site.

 

[Timothyd4488]

Well thank you all so much for all the info. I just updated my profile and added all info there. I have only been into bonsai since the start of this year. Been learning a lot have a few trees and constantly learn new stuff..love it and have seen my trees change so much this year. Just been trying to learn more all the time.

 

[Timothyd4488]

Welcome to the forum!

Can i ask, what are you taking the cutting from? Also, are you new to bonsai, or just new to this forum?

I am asking because, although i personally find it very interesting to grow deciduous trees from very young cuttings, many people--much more experienced than i am--are going to tell you that starting off with a cutting is probably not the best thing to do (if for no other reason than, the results or progress might depress you).

The popular recommendations are: find a local bonsai nursery, join a local bonsai club, buy a tree suitable for your climate, keep the tree alive for 1-2 years. During those 1-2 years, you will learn SO much on this forum. Every 6 months I look back and I am completely blown away by how much I did not know just 6 months ago.

Once you've kept a tree alive for 1-2 years, invest in 'better' bonsai material than a cutting. A tree of 10-15-20 years old often makes sense. Depending on where you are, these can still be fairly inexpensive. In Quebec, 1-3 year old cuttings are $30 CAD, while 15 year old trees are $100-120 CAD (i'm talking tridents and standard palmatums of course, which are very good, reliable cultivars for beginners and experts alike).

To a lot of people, that $70 difference is worth saving the 10-12 years of growing if what you are interested in is actually growing trees that will look like 'well developed' bonsai within your lifetime. Then again, to a lot of people spending $500 or more on even better base material is an even better idea.

After 3-4 years, I'm still very aware that I do not have the vision, so to speak, to refine a well developed tree in order to get it look like a bonsai you'd see at a show. There is an artistic element that I just haven't acquired yet at a level at which I would want it to be before operating on valuable material. I therefore buy material in the 3-5 year range, for $30-50 CAD, knowing that these will never be my show pieces. I do this despite the fact that people on this forum have encouraged me and other newcomers to begin with 'better material' than a very young cutting.

Learning how to keep these trees alive throughout the summer, and indeed the winter, has been an extraordinary learning experience and requires developing a certain routine. Watering my trees in the morning is like walking a dog - you can't skip a day. It may be 5 years or more before I can comfortably buy a $200-500-1000 base material and turn it into something interesting.

I've assumed you're fairly new to bonsai, so as somebody with only a few years of experience, I thought i'd share what i've learned. The most important lesson i've learned is to always know where you are in your learning. It will be equally important for you to hear from people with 10-20-30 years of experience, and make judgements for yourself based on your interests and needs.

For example: once you have your cutting, there are variety of options available to you. This thread is an interesting place to start because it will reveal to you how technical bonsai can get, but is by no means your only option, and bonsai need not be that technical:

https://www.bonsainut.com/threads/ebihara-maples.18215/

Thank so much for all your info.. and yes i still consider myself new to bonsai...i am still with in my first year. And been trying to learn all i can.

 

[Timothyd4488]

This is one of my trees i got at the beginning of the year.
And this is now it now.