[shibui] trident maple

A continuation of entries in the 2011-2012 and 2013-2014 competition. To take your existing shohin and refine them further over 18 months.
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shibui
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[shibui] trident maple

Post by shibui »

This trident was lifted from the growing beds last winter. It had trunk(s) and roots chopped when it was dug.
New shoots have been trimmed once over summer which may make it ineligible to compete.
2013 shohin comp trident 5.JPG
2013 shohin comp trident 6.JPG
2013 shohin comp trident 4.JPG
2013 shohin comp trident 3.JPG
Species: Acer buergeranum - Trident maple
Original height: 43 cm
Source: Shibui Bonsai
Price $50
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shibui
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Re: [shibui] trident maple

Post by shibui »

I have pruned most of the excess trunks so the tree can concentrate on what is left. there are still 2 shoots at the apex because I cannot decide which front to use yet.
2013 shohin comp trident May.JPG
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shibui
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Re: [shibui] trident maple

Post by shibui »

The leaves are off the tridents now so time to make becisions about the front and which apex to use. Both sides will give a good trunk line and have possible branches in the right spots. Roots are good on both sides. After procrastinating for some time a decision is needed.
Both sides are good but I thought one side showed a fraction better nebari
shohin trident 2013 6 1.JPG
so off with the other apex....... and a few rough wires....
shohin trident 2013 6 2.JPG
Unfortunately no growth for this one for a few months now. Will there be time before the comp finishes :?:
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shibui
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Re: [shibui] trident maple

Post by shibui »

Spring has sprung for maples at Shibui Bonsai. This little tree has lots of new shoots and is looking good.
Shohin comp trident sept 19.JPG
I'll have to thin out excess shoots soon to avoid unwanted thickening.
I also noticed the roots are thick with no taper for the first 2-3 cm then end abruptly. Carving these will make them look much better but that will probably have to wait until after the spring shows.
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shibui
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Re: [shibui] trident maple

Post by shibui »

I had some time today so took the opportunity to do some work on the surface roots.
When I lift them from the grow beds the roots are cut short to develop feeder roots. With small trees like this one the roots cut flat look quite ugly.
shohin comp trident carve roots 1.JPG
One solution is to carve them to make them look like radiating roots so out with the Dremel......
shohin comp trident carve roots 2.JPG
As they heal up they will look like separate roots coming from the trunk and radiating outward. :fc:
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shibui
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Re: [shibui] trident maple

Post by shibui »

I have pinched the new shoots on the branches a couple of times this spring to try to get some ramification in the branches.
The new leader has been allowed to grow freely. The new leader is still not quite as thick as the trunk below so just a little more growth then it can be pruned too.
2013 shohin comp trident Dec 1013.JPG
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shibui
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Re: [shibui] trident maple

Post by shibui »

The new leader was thickening rapidly and I reckon it is now thick enough to cut back.
2013 shohin comp trident Dec 2013 11.JPG
2013 shohin comp trident Dec 2013 12.JPG
2013 shohin comp trident Dec 2013 14.JPG
After a second look I decided to cut it even shorter so there is room for a new leader to develop a bit and because I think the lower bud will give a better trunk line. :fc:
2013 shohin comp trident Dec 2013 15.JPG
The plan is to allow the new shoot to grow a bit but not quite as much as the last time.
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shibui
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Re: [shibui] trident maple

Post by shibui »

This trident has been growing strongly over summer. It has had several trims and a few long shoots again.
2013 shohin comp trident Feb 2014 b.JPG
As well as trimming the side shoots again I decided it was time to cut the new leader which has been allowed to grow since December.
2013 shohin comp trident Feb 2014 A.JPG
I should probably thin out some of the shoots before they thicken the branches too much but it is really hard to see what is in there with the leaves on :shock:
May have to find time to defoliate and see what is there.
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shibui
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Re: [shibui] trident maple

Post by shibui »

My smaller tridents have grown remarkably well this summer. This one has been pinched several times since the last update. Now just waiting for leaf fall so I can see which shoots need to be thinned out and removed.
trident shohin 2014 4 1.JPG
trident shohin 2014 4 2.JPG
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shibui
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Re: [shibui] trident maple

Post by shibui »

Leaves have fallen. Now time to see what has grown over summer.
shohin comp trident 2014 5 1.JPG
Time to take off all sacrifice branches and thin out the new growth to build better ramification on the branches I want to keep.
shohin comp trident 2014 5 2.JPG
Next task - find a pot.
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Re: [shibui] trident maple

Post by Scott Roxburgh »

Really good progress in a little over a year!

This will be one to watch in the finals!

Great work Neil.
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Re: [shibui] trident maple

Post by Watto »

Thanks for the up-date, its coming along really well. How are those roots looking? I am interested if your plan to make them look like seperate roots worked.
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shibui
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Re: [shibui] trident maple

Post by shibui »

Good question Watto. After a light scratch around the surface it looks like the cuts may have healed over, at least closer to the trunk so might be back to looking like it started. :fc: might be better further down :fc: We will all see when it is repotted.
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shibui
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Re: [shibui] trident maple

Post by shibui »

End of another quarter and time for the updates. Watto was interested in how that previous root carving turned out and, of course so am I so it is time to check.
2013 shohin comp trident june 28 2013 11.JPG
While I had it out of the pot I decided to put it into a pot ready for the sprint to the finish line so roots trimmed back -
2013 shohin comp trident june 28 2013 13.JPG
You can see that most of the roots have just healed up over the carved hollows. 1 does look ok (see below) so this time I have split the thicker and straighter roots and wedged the splits open so they cannot callus over this time.
2013 shohin comp trident june 28 2013 17.JPG
I had to cut the roots back really hard just to get it into the pot - a good reminder to cut back roots really super short the very first time the roots are ever trimmed.
2013 shohin comp trident june 28 2013 18.JPG
Now to sit back and wait patiently for spring and new growth then lots of pinching to get short internodes and more ramification.
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Re: [shibui] trident maple

Post by rodm »

Yet another amazing transformation, Neil. Makes me want go out and start working my tridents, bugger, wild weather and storms etc. Maybe Sunday :clap:
Cheers Rod
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