Any suggestions for this Trident.

I have this Trident Maple and would like to see what suggestions any one has for it. I got it last year and it didn't grow very well in the compacted soil it came in. I repotted it last autumn into this big box with free draining soil. I plan to leave it in this for a few years to get some strong growth. It is looking healthy this spring and not going to do any thing to it this year but just grow.

I want to grow some branches out and then graft on to the right side.

The question is whether to shorten ,whether to make three trees .Do I make the first branch the one on the left. Any suggestions.

Sorry about the background.

You've got some reverse taper high in the trunk. I think I would air layer (parallel lines), then chop (single diagonal line) and try for two trees -- maybe even three if you could get the middle piece to sprout as a cutting.

Nice one Jim. I really hadn't thought of that one. I think if i went down that road I might even be patient and air layer the middle piece off the next year.

Jim said exactly what I was thinking.
Paul

Hope you don't mind me butting in but I thought the angle of the air layer could be improved. By changing the angle you will get a fatter nebari and a more upright planting position

The more butts the better. That works very well also.That would leave a nice bottom trunk.

The airlayer is a good suggetsion.

With regard to the chop for the base, I would go farther down to where you have the best taper. You would then be growing a smaller shohin tree from the stump. Make sure to let the tree grow unchecked though, you'll have much better results.

oh yeah.......I forgot to mention the reason to go lower on the chop is that at the first bend to the right, there is NO TAPER, lots of movement but its contrived. Go for the shohin hiding out below that bend.

Will, do you not think the airlayer there a bit tight to the branch? I think the angle about right, but if you were down a bit further, there would be more trunk before the first branch. Even if there were a bit of reverse taper before the roots 'took', it would quickly be grown out [I think within a year of being potted up]. Or am I totally naive on this?

Hello Gordon. The reason for the airlayer at this point serves a number of future options. Firstly being the thickest point of the tree. Airlayering at the point of inverse taper will slow the trees progression as you wait for taper. Putting the airlayer under the branch and letting that branch grow freely will also give a rapid thickening to the nebari, removing the banch when thick enough. Leaving the branch will give other styling options like a raft or twin trunk.

Save your self a lot of trouble,,,send that tree to me!!!!! I like it the way it is.. really you have some good ideas but trees in nature have inverse taper.just a thought john

moyogijohn wrote:Save your self a lot of trouble,,,send that tree to me!!!!! I like it the way it is.. really you have some good ideas but trees in nature have inverse taper.just a thought john

i'm enjoying all the ideas for this tree. i'm not going to do anything to it for a year and will just let it grow for this year and get some strength. My wife likes the tree as it is and thinks it should stay as it is. I will take it to the workshop also to get more input and for people to see it in real life.
It wasn't really the inverse taper that was making me think it needed to change but that the branches low down wern't very strong for its height.
I had wondered on using the branch on the left as the first branch and creating the tree above that.
I am really undecided so I'm glad of your input .


Here is a tree i found yesterday with a bit of inverse taper.I wouldn't chop it down because of it

It looks like a pollard that was left to grow wild again.

I agree with Will about the angle for a possible air-layer.