Help with trident

[old_skool]

Hi all, I need some guidance with this maple.

- Firstly I'm guessing I need to cut the tree just below that big scar?
-With the roots there are a few that have snapped off, should i try to get these to grow? if possible? or cut em off and toothpick em?
-lastly 2 of the roots are pretty close, will they look odd once they grow?



Or am i aiming for too many roots?

Thanks for any and all help.

Thanks,
Adam

[shibui]

Hi Old Skool,
First, Never too many roots. When roots thicken they will fuse together and create a wonderful nebari. The more roots you have the quicker this will happen.
Broken roots will usually sprout new roots. Just cut the broken end neat and cover with mix. I cut all roots on tridents quite short initially to get them to sprout secondary roots and have lots of small roots close to the trunk. This creates great nebari.

You can cut your tree wherever you want. My preference would be above the lowest shoot to create better taper but the spot you have marked will be ok. If you cut there which shoot will be the trunk? Might be better to cut at an angle only leaving the more upright shoot. Leaving both might result in a thickened scar.
Your trunk is bolt upright. what style of tree do you intend with this? I think they look better as informal upright with the trunk initially coming out of the roots at an angle. Straight upright trunks

[Bougy Fan]

You should heed Neil's advice he has a lot of experience with tridents (hoping for a discount) Seriously that's good advice. If you have plenty of time you could do an air layer instead of just chopping it, or alternatively strike the top as a cutting.

[old_skool]

Thanks heaps shibui, I was wanting to do a formal upright though

Cheers bougy I didn't even think of trying to grow the bits I cut off

[old_skool]

Actually Shibui, you've got me leaning towards informal now

[kcpoole]

Take shibuis advice and cut low, Regrow a new apex and when you repot, see if you can tilt it at and angle out of the ground.

The formal upright route is a real difficult one, and the existing trunk chops make this one unsuitable as the next section make a side step. This is a no no for a Formal tree. The next setion above a Cut must continue on the same line as the original trunk.

Ken

[makro]

Take Shibui's advice.

Just a thought. What if you air layer the top bit, make a clump style out of it and then the lower bit, like Shibui said, cut to the lowest shoot. this will however delay what you want to do, as, you will typically air layer in Nov and seperate in Jan and then next winter you will cut to the lowest shoot in winter per the previous posts...

[old_skool]

Thanks everyone, informal it is cheers ken
I'll do as shibui says, low and tilt.
thank makro, was hoping to have a crack at this soon though. Are these hard to strike as cuttings?