Melbourne Autumn Colour: a Japanese Trident Maple

[daiviet_nguyen]

The photos below were taken on 19/April/2009.


View 2 - 1


View 2 - 2


View 2 - 3


View 2 - 4

*
* *

The photos below were taken on 04/October/2008.


View 1 - 1


View 1 - 2


View 1 - 3


View 1 - 4

This three was from a cutting. I cannot remember how long ago. But it
must be more than eight years. There was a time when the roots were
on the ground for an entire growing season.

The measurements:

• Pot length: 47 cm.
  
  Pot width: 35 cm.
  
  Pot height: 6 cm. Including the feet.
  
  Tree height: 80 cm. Measured from the soil surface in the pot.
  
  Trunk diameter: 5-6 cm. Measured right above the roots.

The pot is Japanese. I am not sure from what region. It is a mass
produced pot. The marked price was $200.00. I did not pay for it.
I traded it with several of my trees, some were fairly "completed",
in Chinese pots. This was one of my attempts to reduce my collection.

*
* *

I feel that this tree suffers several faults. The surface roots are too
exposed, and unevenly distributed.


View 2 - Root 1


View 2 - Root 2

This was due to my own inexperience. To address this, this spring, I will
plant it in a deeper box, grow new roots closer to the surface; using the
ring-bark method, or the wire-method. So that I can eliminate the old roots.
The root base will then be shorter.

I am not comfortable with the sling-shot in the middle either. But I can
not make up my mind on what to do with it yet.

[Bretts]

Nice colour Daiviet. The trident has many options and should be fun to work on.

[Elias]

Daiviet,

Really nice colour on this one. I have looked at the tree and if it were my tree I'd probably repot into a larger pot and air layer before the slingshot and make a twin trunk tree out of it.
I have seen several air layers on one single tree but I dont know if it would be too adventourous to try doing both the skirt layer above the roots and air layer on the slingshot at once....Maybe someone more experience could shed some light on this...?

Also what will happen if you leave the roots exposed, will they put out new groth after the layer is removed....?

BTW nice pot, and I like the this tree in it and once the roots are sorted, it should look stunning

Elias

[daiviet_nguyen]

Hi thank you for commenting. I thought I would wait until it is naked

The following two photos were taken on 26/04/2009:


View 3 - 1


View 3 - 1

Hi Elias,

Thank you for the suggestions. I think I will layer it at point you indicated.
But I will just regrow the roots instead of another layering at the trunk.

In the past, my father had successfully done two layerings on the one trunk
of a trident maple. But it was in a very big pot and it was very healthy.

I will post progression on this when something has been completed.

Best regards.

[kcpoole]

I have done 2 Airlayers on a JBP at the same time, so would have no worries about doing the same on a maple
Ken

[anttal63]

viet great to see that colour mine are turning too. thanks for sharing.

[anttal63]

I have done 2 Airlayers on a JBP at the same time, so would have no worries about doing the same on a maple
Ken

you so inspire me ken!

[avpslayer]

What were you doing with the wire ?

[azx]

pardon my ignorance (and derailing the topic) but how would you make a twin trunk from air-layering?? I just can't imagine how it would be done!

Oh and great tree, I really need to get a nursery stock and start doing something with it but haven't found any yet

[daiviet_nguyen]

I thought I would wait till I have done something

Hi avpslayer,

The wire is for holding the tree to the pot. The roots are lanky, the pot
is shallow, the wind could blow it out of the pot

Hi azx,

Please see the picture below:



It is taken today (12/July/2009), and the layering is today as well.

Next week I will repot it into a big plastic pot to correct the roots.

Assuming that the layering strike roots, and it lives, hopefully it will
make nice little twin-trunk.

Best regards.

PS: I would be great to see you guys back again.

[stymie]

That is an unseasonal air layer but is just where I would have put it. Don't stress the tree any more until the top has been separated from the bottom. The lower tree, complete with the exposed roots will make a much more powerful image. In fact two nice trees out of the one. When the top half begins to leaf up again, consider removing the longer part of the left hand branch as we look at it, down to the fork. This would result in a delightful mother and daughter, with the daughter mimicking the mother's movement - or should I say attitude.

[daiviet_nguyen]

Hi Don,

Thank you for your advice. Regarding repotting, I used the wrong word, I meant
just lift it out of the bonsai pot and put into a big plastic pot.

Even though we are still winter, but we have decent hours of sun shine and
it hover around 13 to 15 degrees during the day. So I think it is safe to do
so. I did it on the 18/07/2009. I had to cut a bit of roots off.

I have to fix the roots Don. They are twisty and ugly. I cannot bear looking
at them.

I like your suggestions on the layered "tree" -- I will try to follow that.
I hope it will live

Thank you and best regards.

[kcpoole]

pardon my ignorance (and derailing the topic) but how would you make a twin trunk from air-layering?? I just can't imagine how it would be done!

Oh and great tree, I really need to get a nursery stock and start doing something with it but haven't found any yet

Hi Az
If you tqake the Airlayer immediately below a Branch or V in the trunk like Viet has done here you can get really nice twins out of them

Ken