Trident Maple Advice Needed. Novice

choumi

I bought this trident from a local nursery close to Valladolid, Spain. I Know it is not the best bonsai, but it was cheap (30 dollars) and I desperately wanted a trident. The condition of the tree was not the best. It almost had no soil, it has very thick branches almos strait up with long internodes, and the roots turn arround the pot.
The first thing i did was to lisft it and added more soil, after this just water and fertilice a couple of times with a very weak concentration (1/4 full strengh). It recovered very well with new grouth.
Next year I plan to transplant it and work on the root system.
But at this moment I am not sure what to do with the upper part.

Any suggestions? Virtuals?

I will post a foto in a couple of weeks when leaves fall since Autum has begun arround here.

I have uploaded 2 fotos of my growing benches in the gallery

Thank you all in advance.

Attached Images

arce tridente1-1.jpg (34.4 KB, 438 views)

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salix

It might be helpful if you could give a general idea about the size of the tree. It looks like it has some potential.

Carl_Bergstrom

Hi Choumi, and welcome!

Partly, it depends on what you want to do with it. Right now, it's styled more or less in the broom style, which is fine, and in fact looks pretty nice on this particular tree.

Here's a very rough sketch of how you might proceed with a different design, namely, an informal upright. I've rotated the tree to the left, and highlighted what I'd use for the trunk line and the primary branches (you'll also need a back branch, of course).

Best regards,
Old Mister Crow

P.S. I like that ginkgo on your growing bench!

Attached Images

trident.jpg (23.7 KB, 413 views)

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DavidN

Choumi
I like your tree and think it has some very good potential. OMC has given you what the tree should look like.

You need to pick the trunk line that you want. You need to look for good movement in the trunk. From the picture I can see you have some heavy branches that are at the top. These need to be removed now or in your growing season. If you have thinner branches for your No.1, 2, 3 branches then leave them and train them into place.

The essential thing is the removal of those larger branches that are pointing upwards. You only need to keep the one that you want to use for the trunk line. The tree will look bare for a little while but trident maples are very strong growers and it will recover well.

David

choumi

For Salix, the tree is about 50 cm tall and the trunk is around 6 cm in diameter.
I like OMC´s idea so there is a rough virtual I did a week ago. There is no tilt to the left, but I will probably do it.
I will also chop the big branches that point up and try to redo the branches.

I also have a question. There is a thick branch at the back with some wire left that has cut in very hard, so hard that the bark has already engulfed morst of it. What to do, cut the branch, cut through the bark to take the wire out, or leave it there so it gets completely into the branches bark? If I do the last, will the branch del¡velop correctly, will it grow?

Attached Images

arce tridente2.jpg (19.3 KB, 378 views)

Carl_Bergstrom

Nice virtual, Choumi!

It seems that we're thinking along the same lines.

Two suggestions.

1) The apex should probably be moving in the same direction as the trunk where it emerges from the ground. If you tilt the tree to the left as in my sketch, then the apex should also move to the left.

2) Your virtual shows the tree styled much as one would style a pine. While this certainly works for maples and has been done for a long time, more and more we are starting to see maples styled as maples in the wild - with more upward movement in the branches and without the tighly defined foliage pads. Take a look at some of Walter Pall's or Wolfgang Putz' work, for example.


I don't know the answer to your wire question for maples - hopefully someone else can help out here.

Best regards,
Old Mister

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DavidN

choumi
I am wondering how important that back branch is to the overall design of your tree. I find that my tridents bud well for wounds where I cut branches off. Personally I would remove the thick back branch as I would be confident that the it will bud there with and you can have a smaller back branch.

There should be no ill affect on the tree if you leave the branch as is. I just prefer smaller shorter branches at the back. And branches without wire scars too.

David

choumi

As promised before hera are some pictures of this Trident without leaves.

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triden front.jpg (40.0 KB, 288 views)

choumi

Here is the top view.

David here you can see the back brach with the wire.

I will pos a picture with the branches I intend to cut.

Thank to all.

Attached Images

trident top1.jpg (32.5 KB, 279 views)