Trident Maple Suggestions

John Dixon

JDL,

Your enthusiasm makes me smile. It's always nice to see someone on the forum who seeks out advice and proceeds in a positive manner. Good for you.

John

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John Dixon

Si vis pacem parabellum

Stay off the trails of others, that's where the booby-traps are.

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bisco_bonsai

One more quick question and then I'll leave you guys alone. If I go ahead and remove most all the branches, will a repot be too stressful for the tree? The growing box still drains just fine; the penetration and percolation rate is plenty fast. However, the roots have filled the box completely and some are poking out the bottom. I think it could go another year or two without a repot, if it will be too stressful for the tree. Now, come to think of it, I've always been told that if you're going to reduce the foliage, you must also reduce the roots. Any thoughts?
Thanks,
JDL

JLDoggett

I would leave it in suto until the tree has recovered from the extensive reduction in branches. It sounds like you have a very healthy root systen now and this will enable the tree to bounce back better.

Jim

bisco_bonsai

Thanks for your advice Jim; it makes perfect sense. Also, I love your quote at the bottom. I think I'm still at the "weak" and "striving" end, but continually learning. Also, would you be related to Agent Doggett from the X-files? Sorry I just couldn't help myself.

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John Dixon

JDL,

Jim is giving you some good advice that probably is best for you in your specific circumstance.

Having said that, now let me expound a bit. Caution: only consider the following when you have some experience with the trident. You are dealing with a trident maple, probably one of the more prolific root growers in bonsai. You can actually take a massive amount of root ball off of one and it won't miss a beat. I have taken 1/2 (and more) of the root ball off many times with no ill effects. If you have a box filled with roots now, you need to repot next year for sure (it needs it this year, but in the interest of safety, hold off for now). Two years more in that container without a root reduction is not going to be helpful for that acer. Once a trident has become rootbound, you need to make a reduction the next spring. The roots grow extremely fast.
In all honesty, You COULD repot this year. Tridents that have been cut back hard in dormancy can be repotted immediately (look at how collected stumps are treated). The "only top or bottom in one year rule" is more aimed at species like pine (specifically) although it is a rule of thumb to follow on anything when in doubt. Tridents cut back hard during dormancy will be using "stored" energy to bud-back, and the loss of foliage is not a detriment since it is starting to awake for its winter slumber (less area for the energy to have to support). But being you are having, I assume, one of your first experiences with a trident, you should err on the side of safety. Follow Jim's suggestion and you'll be okay. Next year, re-pot it though.

Take care,

John

__________________
John Dixon

Si vis pacem parabellum

Stay off the trails of others, that's where the booby-traps are.

rockm

John's advice on the apex of the tree is right on. I would suggest the same approach.

As for repotting, think of things this way--every repot and root pruning removes resources the tree needs to grow and reduces the rate at which it does so. While that may be fine if you're only trying grow out tertiary twigs on the final frame of a tree, it's not great if you're trying to get massive growth to heal big scars, push a leader, etc. on a new trunk chopped tree.

Roots are the engine that drives the vehicle. Remove three or four of the cylinders and the truck doesn't pull as hard.

In other words, if you're growing out the top, keep repotting to a minimum--once every three or four years or until the soil is so clogged that water stands on top after watering--whichever comes first.