Trident development

[Neli]

This is a tiny trident from SA...bought 2013...April.


The first thing I did is to wire some movement in it...Can you see how sharp the bends are? It seems they were not shart enough...if this tree is grown big this bends will be gone...Lesson one for me.

This is the tree in January 2014.

[Phoenix238]

Wow, I see what you mean, they're much softer now

[Neli]

Decided to check the roots today...But it is in full leaf now so it will not be good to do a full repot...so decided to wash just on top and see how the nebari is progressing...Discovered I had planted it over a plastic, which acts like a tile...so no roots going down...I am so happy I did that...

I just did a minimal arranging of the roots radially....

Can you see how shallow the root system is....ones the roots thicken, I will just uncover the nebari on top a bit and cut one root short...and then do the same every 2-3 month untill all the roots are cut and start forking near the trunk...for a dinner plate nebari...he he he

I deided to plant it now in a very large pot in a mix on soil manure pine bark and sand...stones are put at the bottom over the holes to assist with drainage.


The wedge method will be used to heal the trunk chop faster....the blue part will be cut off.

Any mistakes? I know I am doing it the fast and lazy way...but lets see what the results will be.

[Neli]

Maybe I should have wired the sacrifice branch sideways>???

[kcpoole]

Maybe I should have wired the sacrifice branch sideways>???

Just cut off and grow another, That way the scar will not be as large

Ken

[Boics]

Interested in this "wedge technique" Neli. Can you elaborate more for us?
I am not familiar with this.

[Neli]

Maybe I should have wired the sacrifice branch sideways>???

Just cut off and grow another, That way the scar will not be as large

Ken

There will be no scar Ken....that does not worry me, with the wedge method and being a trident...scar will be gone very soon...want to fatten that lower trunk fast.

[Neli]

Interested in this "wedge technique" Neli. Can you elaborate more for us?
I am not familiar with this.

Boics,
I posted it here some time ago...

wedge method.png

Basically you carve half of the trunk above the part you want to heal...it heals it much faster.

[fredman]

Neli I cant find anything here about a wedge method.
I love it and it makes perfect sense. After the final removal their is much less left to heal over.....

[Phoenix238]

Fascinating idea, you're basically breaking it down into 2 smaller wounds for the tree to heal over. Seems logical to me

[Boics]

That was what I assumed you were referring too Neli.

Thank you so much for the additional information - Clearly I have missed the previous post on this topic.

This does seem very logical to me...
I'd love to see some real examples and understand what tools are being used to achieve the result.
The actual cutting of the wedge/s strikes me as the difficult part as one might risk some breakage, splintering or accidents.

Perhaps even start a new topic on this Neli? I think this is one for the Wiki too.

Great stuff.

[JaseH]

I've also read about this technique, in a Bonsai Today magazine I believe? I cant remember the species of tree it was used on but basically removing a large branch in one go on this particular tree would have caused die back on the trunk, so they reduced the branch at the junction a little at time to keep it alive and continue sap flow past the wound.

[Jow]

The 'wedge' technique is commonly used on satsuki in Japan but it works equally well on other species. It has appeared in numerous magazine articles and was recently in bonsai focus (not sure the number off hand).

[Jow]

Found an example:

http://bonsaitonight.com/2012/10/16/ebiharas-maples/

And

http://bonsaitonight.com/2011/08/02/big ... pe-myrtle/

[Jason.S]

Fascinating. I've not come across this technique before but it makes sense and one worth noting.

Worth a try next time I have the opportunity.