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large trident top rebuild

Posted: May 29th, 2010, 11:39 am
by Matthew
im starting this thread alittle early but this is now my biggest trident after selling a monster awhile ago. The top was cut off by the previous owner last winter i think and a new leader regrown . i have since cut to induce more taper into the top. A few centimetres below my chop is a bud which shoud become the new apex next spring. I think this tree has good promise in a few seasons. the bark is nice and flaky with that orange tone and the base will be well inside the 1-6 ratio when im finished. final height just under 600mm i hope. Ill continue to update as the new top develops and branches grow. since moving south ive fallen in love with them. :D ( dont tell my GF that :o :lol: )
last trident leaves 2010.JPG
big trident base.JPG

Re: large trident top rebuild

Posted: May 29th, 2010, 12:12 pm
by bodhidharma
Whoa...this WILL be a lovely tree in the future. It has all the ingredients Noah. If you ever want to swap it................ :D see me first.

Re: large trident top rebuild

Posted: May 29th, 2010, 12:14 pm
by hugh grant
That has a great trunk! It's going to look really good in a couple of years. All my tridents trunks are about 1cm wide at the most so I have I while to go before there like your one :D

Hugh

Re: large trident top rebuild

Posted: May 29th, 2010, 12:18 pm
by MelaQuin
Nice one!! Can I suggest you consider a more shallow oval pot. I know without the foliage the look is different but the pot is very dominant and the trunk is so deliciously round I think the softer curves of an oval pot with less depth would suit the tree better. But this is really a nice bonsai.

Re: large trident top rebuild

Posted: May 29th, 2010, 12:24 pm
by Matthew
MelaQuin wrote:Nice one!! Can I suggest you consider a more shallow oval pot. I know without the foliage the look is different but the pot is very dominant and the trunk is so deliciously round I think the softer curves of an oval pot with less depth would suit the tree better. But this is really a nice bonsai.

I completely agree. I havent repotted this tree yet so im not sure how shallow the rootmass is or how much i can reduce but going off who the previous owner was im pretty confident i can get it into a shallower oval pot next spring. ill just have to find one now .......... :)

Re: large trident top rebuild

Posted: May 29th, 2010, 12:52 pm
by chrisatrocky
great looking trident mate. however, your leader still seems a little too long and strait to me. I know when its in leaf you probably want see it but in winter it will be noticable. just my opinion from the pic.

chris

ps I reckon she already knows matt, she is a lot smarter than you.

Re: large trident top rebuild

Posted: May 29th, 2010, 1:21 pm
by Matthew
chrisatrocky wrote:great looking trident mate. however, your leader still seems a little too long and strait to me. I know when its in leaf you probably want see it but in winter it will be noticable. just my opinion from the pic.

chris

ps I reckon she already knows matt, she is a lot smarter than you.

Chris

the pic is alittle decieving. it does have some flowing movement through it , the previous owner made sure of it as part his reason for chopping in the first place. i think with the new bud site once i get small side branches going to the apex it should fit the overall design well. i will however be thinking about it before spring. And yes im sure she knows :lol:

Re: large trident top rebuild

Posted: May 29th, 2010, 3:29 pm
by Jamie
gday noah :D

this is a sweet trunk, everything you could ask for! if it were mine i would be tepted to take it back to the second level of wire down from the top, it just looks a touch long i think someone may have mentioned that though ;)

great tree this will come up trumps in no time aswell mate!

Re: large trident top rebuild

Posted: May 29th, 2010, 6:21 pm
by craigw60
Hi Noah, I reckon you need to shorten the leader more. One of the mistakes I made so often in the past was growing my trees too tall too quickly. Its much better to grow and cut and grow and cut.
Your tree has such a beautiful trunk it would be well worth spending some years getting the rest of it right. Each time you make a cut and take up a new lead you will improve the taper and create a bump in the trunk which adds to the illusion of age.
Craig

Re: large trident top rebuild

Posted: May 29th, 2010, 6:45 pm
by Matthew
craigw60 wrote:Hi Noah, I reckon you need to shorten the leader more. One of the mistakes I made so often in the past was growing my trees too tall too quickly. Its much better to grow and cut and grow and cut.
Your tree has such a beautiful trunk it would be well worth spending some years getting the rest of it right. Each time you make a cut and take up a new lead you will improve the taper and create a bump in the trunk which adds to the illusion of age.
Craig
craig you and others have convinced me :D ill give it a few weeks to go fully dormant cut to a bud or small branch i can wire up and go from there. yes the trunk and lower primary branches in good positions was the reason i bought it :) again thanks to all who commented. any ideas on a glazed oval shallow pot feel free to post :D

Re: large trident top rebuild

Posted: May 29th, 2010, 6:49 pm
by Jamie
hi noah :D glad you have decided to lower it some ;) i will do a few virts for you, what colours are you keen on for it? creams, blues, greens?

jamie :D

Re: large trident top rebuild

Posted: May 29th, 2010, 6:53 pm
by Matthew
jamie,

i find blues and creams work well , not sky blue but lighter tones are always a good match to tridents . feel free to go your hardest. Not sure if ill transplant to a shallow pot this season as the deeper pot will allow better growth for my new top when i chop again :D

Re: large trident top rebuild

Posted: May 29th, 2010, 7:14 pm
by anttal63
Well and truly inside 1:3 by the looks of things! ;) Lots of greatness possible here. I too think a bit more off. 8-)

Re: large trident top rebuild

Posted: May 29th, 2010, 7:59 pm
by Jamie
little bit rusty mate :oops: :D
noahtrident.jpg
noahtrident2.jpg

Re: large trident top rebuild

Posted: May 30th, 2010, 1:42 pm
by craigw60
Hi Noah, you should leave it in a deeper pot for a couple of years while you are re-growing the top, then use a more shallow pot once the structure has been laid out a bit more.
Craig