I just got this trident and was looking for some suggestions on cuts. Just got it in its box and waiting for spring to get it out of the garage and growing.
I would probably cut the upright trunk back to create a transition to the large branch. This means that the slanting trunk will need to be cut back to about 1/2 of it’s current height.
However, it looks like this has been repotted fairly recently. If that is the case, the tree needs to recover with a year of unrestricted growth. If it explodes with growth, you could cut back new growth above your intended cut spots to about 6 pairs of leaves to encourage the ones below the cut points to grow stronger.
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Hi Rod,
very nice material but the ratio of length to thickness of the trunks is still not right. You should create hierarchies with the next big cut (not before the end of next year).
But you can only do this if you know where you need branches.
In my experience, it is much more important to wire this year’s shoots as early as possible. Ideally while they are still green. In the fall they are already to brittle to achieve good movement.
But you have to be very careful and the wire has to be removed before it bites in to much.
This is the only way to get nice transitions to the branches and the top of the trunk.
Otherwise, leave all the shoots to grow into the fall.
I also would take a photo where you can see the thinnest trunk and post it in the QA forum. You can then use Ryan’s tips to choose exactly where you need branches and how they should be wired.
In the fall, you can remove excess branches. But only if the tree has grown vigorously.
good luck
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Hey rod
I would add more soil to encourage finer roots in the gaps of the large roots and I would not touch this trees branches until the fall and maybe not trim them at all at that time but wire. I remember Ryan saying maples most flexible at leaf drop. There will be time needed for branches to thicken to allow for visually appealing transition from the chops. Hierarchy is important but we don’t know what the tree will push and your trident has been chopped enough. Good luck. Tree. Has great potential. Best gary
Nice material I agree with the previous cut back location advice. I think at this point you just focus on trunk heiarchy I would also support the additional soil over the nebari to encourage a better long term nebari…which is one of the hardest things to do in bonsai for me but it’s worth putting under for a couple years
Curious did you pick this up locally or online if you don’t mind sharing?
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I got it from Skyler Clark. He has a Utube channel called small trees. He has some great trees. A good friend also.
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nice job getting it on the right path forward. great material must be a good friend