Trident pre bonsai thoughts?

19Mateo83

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Anyone have thoughts on this trident? I picked it up for cheap along with another one. I thought the base was neat and I know it’s got a lot of work to be something, but should be a fun little project.
 

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I think its great starting material, I know people love to do root over rock with tridents and the current shape of the root system could definitely accommodate that. You also have a couple options regarding styling with a strong trunk you could choose to keep or cut back in favor of using that thick lower branch as a new, more flexible trunk, could be a good excuse to get some air layering pratice if you're interested in propagating.
 

19Mateo83

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I think its great starting material, I know people love to do root over rock with tridents and the current shape of the root system could definitely accommodate that. You also have a couple options regarding styling with a strong trunk you could choose to keep or cut back in favor of using that thick lower branch as a new, more flexible trunk, could be a good excuse to get some air layering pratice if you're interested in propagating.
I was thinking of air layering the top off, contemplating on where to tho. Either #1 and use the thicker leader or #2 and letting those two smaller ones thicken up and going from there. I’d like to try for a short fat tree
 

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I was thinking of air layering the top off, contemplating on where to tho. Either #1 and use the thicker leader or #2 and letting those two smaller ones thicken up and going from there. I’d like to try for a short fat tree
I think in the case of wanting it to thicken as fast a possible the more material you can leave on the tree the better, it does present the possibility of leaving scarring on the trunk in the future, but its really personal preference how to go about developing the material.
 

19Mateo83

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I think in the case of wanting it to thicken as fast a possible the more material you can leave on the tree the better, it does present the possibility of leaving scarring on the trunk in the future, but its really personal preference how to go about developing the material.
I think in the spring I’m going to root prune and repot and change angle of trunk, possibly encourage one of those lower thin leaders to grow in the intended future direction then when it has thickened air layer off the top and give it the chop in a year or two. Hopefully I can accomplish several things at the same time. I also have a few seedlings if I need to attempt a root graft to improve nebari
 

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The reality is that there will always be better tridents out there. Your time, passion and dedication to this little whip is what will make it or break it.

do your thing and be happy with it. The specirs will pay dividends.
 

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Looks like an interesting lower trunk.
Informal upright style looks much better where upper sections of the trunk are shorter than lowest section. Your proposed upper chops will leave a longer second section of the trunk so I'd be considering the lowest branch possible for a new leader after layer and chop.
I would reconsider the proposed change of angle though. Vertical or near vertical initial trunk usually looks boring. When there's a sudden change of angle above a near vertical trunk it just looks wrong. Somewhere near the current angle looks better IMHO and I've found that trunks usually grow straighter as they thicken too so more angle initially gives a better long term result.
 

Nybonsai12

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Focus on building the tree from the ground up and creating a radial nebari first. With this young tree that likely means layering to be in a better position because the roots are not radial. Once the roots start to grow in a radial manner, you should plant it on a tile an put It in the ground To bulk up.
 

19Mateo83

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Looks like an interesting lower trunk.
Informal upright style looks much better where upper sections of the trunk are shorter than lowest section. Your proposed upper chops will leave a longer second section of the trunk so I'd be considering the lowest branch possible for a new leader after layer and chop.
I would reconsider the proposed change of angle though. Vertical or near vertical initial trunk usually looks boring. When there's a sudden change of angle above a near vertical trunk it just looks wrong. Somewhere near the current angle looks better IMHO and I've found that trunks usually grow straighter as they thicken too so more angle initially gives a better long term result.
The angle in the picture isn’t exact, but I would like to change the angle a bit. Thank you for the input.
 

19Mateo83

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Focus on building the tree from the ground up and creating a radial nebari first. With this young tree that likely means layering to be in a better position because the roots are not radial. Once the roots start to grow in a radial manner, you should plant it on a tile an put It in the ground To bulk up.
All I’ve done so far is wired the lowest branch, the roots are going to be worked on first when I repot this spring. I’m going to leave all the greenery intact and trim tips to hopefully encourage said wired branch to become dominate.
 
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