Trident Query and help

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I've noticed a few small leaves on my trident are really struggling to grow, is there any common reason for this?
This is the growth without any fertilizer, is that the reason maybe?
or has it been focusing on the outer foliage and almost skipping these smaller leaves?

They are a similar green colour to the rest of the older foliage and you can see a few of the other new leaves for comparison.


Also I know the tree looks a bit of a mess at the minute my plan is to learn its growth habits before I start any serious work, all i've done is wire branches and balance one of the thick lower branches. (ill show the cutting I took, its putting out new growth as I type!)

If anyone has any ideas on where to go next with the tree id appreciate it a lot, I also wouldn't be totally against starting over and putting it in the ground. (taper is alright but it could be better)
 

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I'm curious why you're giving it so much shade, especially this time of year.

I'm new to tridents so i'm still figuring out the best position. This one had a fair amount of leaf scorch last year when I bought it so i'm being a bit protective at the minute.
I can see a few scorched leaves already and i've been keeping on top of the watering.
 

River's Edge

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I've noticed a few small leaves on my trident are really struggling to grow, is there any common reason for this?
This is the growth without any fertilizer, is that the reason maybe?
or has it been focusing on the outer foliage and almost skipping these smaller leaves?

They are a similar green colour to the rest of the older foliage and you can see a few of the other new leaves for comparison.


Also I know the tree looks a bit of a mess at the minute my plan is to learn its growth habits before I start any serious work, all i've done is wire branches and balance one of the thick lower branches. (ill show the cutting I took, its putting out new growth as I type!)

If anyone has any ideas on where to go next with the tree id appreciate it a lot, I also wouldn't be totally against starting over and putting it in the ground. (taper is alright but it could be better)
Have you checked the substrate for free drainage, have you checked the root condition? Do they look healthy? Are they staying too wet or is the centre of the root ball compacted and staying too dry? What is the situation in the pot! Type of Soil? last time it was repotted. Have you used any fertilizer? If so what kind and how often?
 
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Have you checked the substrate for free drainage, have you checked the root condition? Do they look healthy? Are they staying too wet or is the centre of the root ball compacted and staying too dry? What is the situation in the pot! Type of Soil? last time it was repotted. Have you used any fertilizer? If so what kind and how often?

Straight akadama, been in this pot a year now. I can see a lot of the old compacted akadama around the base though so it could be staying a little too wet there.
Should I use a thin piece of wire and poke a few holes through the old akadama to help with drainage?

The rest of the substrate is free draining and the water runs right out.
Roots look healthy to me.
I did notice when I leaned the pot over water ran out of one of the holes more then the others so there might be a water pocket on one side.

Not fertilized yet but I was recommenced this one.
 

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River's Edge

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Straight akadama, been in this pot a year now. I can see a lot of the old compacted akadama around the base though so it could be staying a little too wet there.
Should I use a thin piece of wire and poke a few holes through the old akadama to help with drainage?

The rest of the substrate is free draining and the water runs right out.
Roots look healthy to me.
I did notice when I leaned the pot over water ran out of one of the holes more then the others so there might be a water pocket on one side.

Not fertilized yet but I was recommenced this one.
I would poke some holes in compacted areas with wire. Monitor your watering as follows! When you water do thoroughly until water drains freely out the bottom. Then allow the substrate to dry out on the surface and down about 1 inch into the substrate. Repeat only when required.
The fertilizer should be fine. I would begin with 1/2 the recommended strength once per week when watering. When the tree is showing signs of healthy growth then I would switch to full strength once every two weeks, stop in August. Resume for a short time in September before leaf drop.
Feel free to reduce fertilizer if growth is too strong for you liking! Shade cloth should only be needed after the beginning of June in most climates. Too much shade can also inhibit growth. If you were noticing leaf scorch in cooler, shadier conditions then I would suspect watering issues affecting the roots. Perhaps an area that was staying too dry for a period of time. This can be an issue if the bottom central core of the rootball has not been addressed with fresh substrate in repotting.
The tree looks strong enough to take off with proper care from this point. Best wishes
 

chansen

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I'm new to tridents so i'm still figuring out the best position. This one had a fair amount of leaf scorch last year when I bought it so i'm being a bit protective at the minute.
I can see a few scorched leaves already and i've been keeping on top of the watering.
Scorched leaves at this time of year in/around Manchester? Highly unlikely. I'd guess more likely to be fungal especially at this time of year. If you're referring to the small, blackened leaves - that's more likely drying out when the tree started pushing early or damage from the cold. There is a larger leaf in the background of the 7th image that has some leaf damage on it. Anthracnose is a common fungus on maples, and can be mistaken for leaf burn. Leaf burn doesn't originate in the middle of the leaf, but starts at the outer margins and goes in from there. You should be treating for fungus at this time of year, probably with some kind of chemical (not sure what's available to you there), but also good sun and air movement.
 
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@chansen
Yeah I understand it was highly unlikely to be scorched this time of year. I was a bit confused because there was another larger leaf with a similar leaf burn look but on the edge and we have had a pretty sunny week here.
It does look like a fungal issue though I was hoping someone would pick up on that.

I've found one supplier on ebay selling the Bordeaux mixture in the UK, ill get it and read on how to apply correctly.
 

sorce

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Scorch equals dry equals root problems.

I'd Repot.

Sorce
 
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These are a few more of the leaves what concern me, looking online it seems to be not as severe as most examples given for fungus problems so its hard for me to identify.
 

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markyscott

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@chansen
Yeah I understand it was highly unlikely to be scorched this time of year. I was a bit confused because there was another larger leaf with a similar leaf burn look but on the edge and we have had a pretty sunny week here.
It does look like a fungal issue though I was hoping someone would pick up on that.

I've found one supplier on ebay selling the Bordeaux mixture in the UK, ill get it and read on how to apply correctly.

The ingredients for Bordeaux mix should be combined immediately before use. It’s easy to get the ingredients and make it yourself., but I use it and lime sulfur before the tree is in leaf. Bordeaux mix will leave a powdery white insoluble residue all over your plant - that’s what it’s supposed to do. It will take it a full season to fade. Here are the instructions:


In leaf I use Mancozeb, daconil, Copper fungicides and sulfur powder to treat. Don’t prune and take your tridents out from under the shade cloth. They need as much sun as you can give them.

- Scott
 

chansen

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The ingredients for Bordeaux mix should be combined immediately before use. It’s easy to get the ingredients and make it yourself., but I use it and lime sulfur before the tree is in leaf. Bordeaux mix will leave a powdery white insoluble residue all over your plant - that’s what it’s supposed to do. It will take it a full season to fade. Here are the instructions:


In leaf I use Mancozeb, daconil, Copper fungicides and sulfur powder to treat. Don’t prune and take your tridents out from under the shade cloth. They need as much sun as you can give them.

- Scott
This advice is sound. I'm not sure if any of those fungicides are available to you in the UK, but all are good recommendations.

Looking at the other images, I'm still seeing fungal issues and not sun scorch. I guess there could be some, but I think you're largely dealing with fungus problems. Generally I start with dealing with fungal issues in the fall and winter. I live in an amazingly dry climate, but I still deal with fungal problems, though not to the extent that others do. Store the trees in a place with good airflow, don't crowd them together, spray with a dormant oil - do all those things in fall/winter. Spray fungicides as buds start to swell, etc. Bonsai react more severely to things than trees in the ground, so it takes more planning and preparation to get to optimal results.

Tridents can handle a lot of sun if you start them out in the spring in the sun. The more you baby them in the spring, the more you have to baby them throughout the year. More sun now will be much better in the long run.
 
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@markyscott Thanks for the advice and link, it seems I will have to find an alternative to the mancozeb and daconil.

or am I right in saying mancozeb is also sold as dithane M-45.

As for daconil I think its banned in the UK, well Chloro-thalonil (another trade name) was banned by the EU. So I think last season was the last chance I could of bought it here.

Copper fungicides and sulfur powder should be easy to get.
 

markyscott

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@markyscott Thanks for the advice and link, it seems I will have to find an alternative to the mancozeb and daconil.

or am I right in saying mancozeb is also sold as dithane M-45.

As for daconil I think its banned in the UK, well Chloro-thalonil (another trade name) was banned by the EU. So I think last season was the last chance I could of bought it here.

Copper fungicides and sulfur powder should be easy to get.

the active ingredients are a combination of dithiocarbamates,if that helps. It is marketed under various brand names like Penncozeb, Trimanoc, Vondozeb, Dithane, Manzeb, Nemispot, and Manzane.
 
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Wow these prices are a bit skewed.

£45 for 170g

£40 for 1kg
 

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