New Field Grown Trident

I just got this last week and potted up in 2:1 Turface/Lava. (after first using a little of my normal mix with grit, I realized it was way too heavy and didn't need the grit. So I scooped what you see in the third pic and then changed to the 2:1 mix) It's about 20"T, 6" trunk and 8-10" nebari. I've got a long way to go but I'm happy with my choice. My first and prob. only Trident.

Plan is to let it grow untouched for a year, and if healthy enough, pick a new leader and start working on taper. The nebari is fantastic on 3/4 sides. I may stick a Trident seedling on the one side lacking a root as I don't think that'll stress the tree out at all this spring.

[img][/img]

Your graphics program should have in the Menu Bar an item that says "Image" (could be some other word, I suppose). If you click on that one of the choices in the drop down menu should be "Rotate." So look though the menu bar items and see what you find.

Now, for your tree. Who did the first chop? Seems odd to me that that chop did not create some new leaders/branches in the new area above the diagonal chop. Anyway, that still seems too long and too straight. I think I'd chop that straight upper section in half and hop that this time you get some new sprouts up there.

That does seem odd...unless that more recent chop was just done this winter or spring. Are there any signs of buds on that section of trunk? If that chop was just done, maybe the best thing to do would be to leave it and see where the tree grows...then chop again later when you have a definite new leader to work with.

[img][/img][img][/img]

I think from the first pic that the long straight trunk was left to heal the scar and they left the smaller ones for who knows? They are also too straight and thick to be used as a new leader. The second pic is a cut that is mostly healed. I had thought of letting it go this summer, than chop off the entire straight trunk above the scar by about an inch or so, and then letting it go again to pick a new leader.

I don't think I should make the chop now as this was just dug up and planted about 10 dys ago.

Chris, so far, only buds have appeared on that one side you see them. I believe the chop on the straight trunk was done last fall.

FORE,, Very nice !! You will make a good tree with this one.. keep it posted please..take care john

Thanks John. Now it's a wait and see game as to where the new bud sites sprout. If I had to do it over, I think I would've chopped that straight trunk to 1-2" (not sure of how much die back occurs on Tridents. Much more familiar with JMs) and let grow this next year. Pick a leader when it's about 1/4" thick, add some initial movement to it and let it grow ~10' long all season, chop and repeat.

I think that's what Jim was thinking. UNLESS, you all think I should chop it now??

FORE,, I Have a ouestion... IF your tree has just been potted,,would it not be better to chop the trunk now??? Then when it sprouted growth it would be maybe at the top so you can pick a new leader to grow out.. i don,t know but that would save cutting it 2 times on the big trunk.. just thinking..take care john

I'm not sure. I was hoping Jim or Chris might jump in and share their opinions.

Fore wrote:I'm not sure. I was hoping Jim or Chris might jump in and share their opinions.

I can give you plenty of opinions! Unfortunately, I am new enough at this that I don't have the experience to offer any useful opinions. Given the warm weather we've had, I'm surprised there aren't more buds showing on the trident. I only have 1 trident and it is a young, small plant (trunk about 1" max) so I haven't really worked with them. I just chopped it down this spring and the buds are starting to open. I chopped it back to a side branch which might serve as the next trunk segment. There are plenty of active buds on that branch but not too many showing on the trunk itself. So I'm learning as I go...maybe more will pop with time.

Thanks Chris. I appreciate your honesty I just decided to leave it alone this year. I got this tree from Ak., so I too am surprised by the lack of new buds. But they are coming. Just last night I noticed sev. bud sites on the straight section of the trunk. Maybe b/c it was in the ground that slowed it down? I don't know. But it's healthy, putting out new buds so I'm happy with it now. With a tree this large, I know it's going to take many yrs to get it to the point I want, so I'm prepared to be patient.

fore where did you find your lava. Ive never been able to find it in any large bags at a garden center or even an online store. Im sure shipping would be high. I have found drystall which is a gray pumice but it seems like it breaks down more than lava would.

I bought 4 bags from BonsaiMonk. Shipping was $23?/2 bags. Where'd you find pumice, I thought it was only available out west.

Looks like Bonsai Monk sells pumice as well...

Interestingly, I found I could get it cheaper incl. shipping from Wee Tree

I think you have acquired a very good trident stump and I would not chop it this year. I would wait until you get more roots and also until you see how high up the trunk that you actually get new growth. The actual cutting back of the trunk will also take a certain amount of force and vibration and you could damage the roots you do have. It looks like you used the masons mortar tub to plant this big tree in - my only comment is even when you drill a bunch of holes in these - I don't like the way they drain. I use them to store different types of soil; pumice, lava etc. and the soil always seems damp. It would be better to put it in a wooden box that is only 6" bigger around the root base - then you wait until it fills the box up with roots and you remove, prune and cut back. My concern is that with that amount of lava/pumice - the area around the roots will always be damp. well - damp is good but real wet all the time is not good. You picked a very good piece of material - good lower trunk movement. I think you will be surprised how fast they grow and fill out. Good luck.... Tom.

Thank You Tom, nice to hear I made the right decision. Root disturbance is what I thought would be the most affected too with chopping, and at this point, I just want it to get happy and healthy.

I drilled 16-18 3/4" holes in the bottom of the cement tub, even a row of holes along the rounded part of the tub. I'll watch out though for water retention....Thanks for the warning. A wooden box, 20/20 hindsight, would've been better for only the more rigidity as I really didn't know how heavy this was going to be in the end. Live and learn...

(And I too really like the trunks movement. Could be a really awesome tree if I can do a good job )

Fore wrote:Root disturbance is what I thought would be the most affected too with chopping, and at this point, I just want it to get happy and healthy.

I drilled 16-18 3/4" holes in the bottom of the cement tub, even a row of holes along the rounded part of the tub. wooden box would've been better for only the more rigidity as I really didn't know how heavy this was going to be in the end. Live and learn...

at this point, so the tub wont flex with movement, try making a plywood-like sheet under the tub with several ribs for keeping the tub off the plywood. This will allow you to move the tub by holding the plywood, as well as giving the needed drainage space beneath the tub/above the ribs on plywood.
I have two tridents in the ground in MD, and both are well leafed out by now. Not seeing a lot of new buds on those, but the elms are going nuts.

Sorry I missed you post lordy. And that's a great idea! Cause I know I'll want to rotate this during the summer for even exposure to the sun. I could use 2x2's as the ribs, screwed down into the plywood and have the two end ribs extend by 1' so I could use them as handles. Thanks!!

Chris

I would definitely just let it grow and get healthy this and maybe next.

The health of the tree is the main objective at that stage. By next year you'll probably have multiple budding sites and by year 3 will be an on it's way

to becoming an outstanding new bonsai.

I have a Trident that I chopped from a tree I bought at a Shopko box store, they were marked Acer ginnala Maples. Zelinka nursery sent out a bunch of Tridents up north!

I bought almost all of them.

Tridents aren't completely hardy here yet but the USDA just moved us from 4b to 4a. So it is getting warmer here during the Winter over the last 30 years.

I chopped the one that had the least restraints including it's nebari. That was about 5 years ago.

Now it's coming around so nice this Spring, with a nice nebari and the trunk is completely healed over at the chop. It healed nicely to where

it's hard to see to even see it was chopped from an 8' tree.

Here's to your patience and imagination with this tree over the coming years.

Tridents of all sizes are fun to me!

Thanks Gary! And if you've had them for 5 yrs, sounds like they are tolerating your winters just fine! It's really nice to have a general consensus to leave it alone for now. I just wish I had the forethought of chopping that straight trunk when I still had it bare and before potting her up. But I'm not too concerned, I knew this was going to be a long term project and I agree, the health of the tree is the priority now.

I'm finding myself getting more patient now that I've got some new field grown material, and newly collected material. Knowing I can't touch any of them has really helped me appreciate 'patience' in general. I've noticed it even in my personal life. lol