AusBonsai

Good to see you posting again Tee. I like the Japanese maple, think it's will be really nice when it ramifys. The tridents new leader grew like that because that oaths nature of them, out them up. The only way to rectify this is to wire the leader as soon as it's hardened off enough to get 1mm wire on it, them push the base of it up straight. It will eventually grow and smooth out but that will mean a lot of growing and a bigger tree.

I got some scarce free time mate Thanks for your comments, so you think the trident issue can be rectified? I'll bring it along to the next meeting so you can have a closer look, if I remember.

I'm looking forward to the Palmatum ramifying, I think it'll look nice then also. Hopefully by then it'll have some good nebari as well.

i can really see where these are going, i reckon there both going to look really great
the japanese maple is looking great, i dont why people get so worried about when a trunk is straight. formal upright trees look great when done properly and i can see that your one is going on the right path

Thanks Grant, I'll do my best to stay on it.

Hi Teejay. I am more concerned about the movement in the new leader on the Japanese Maple than the trident. For such a straight trunk I think it would look better straightened up some. In the second picture of this maple it seems you have improved the carving taper at this point from the first picture. So maybe you could just wrap and wire including wire splints and maneuver it to a straighter positing. (take the curve out) Or you could splint down the tree and gradually clamp it to this over time. Maybe you could carve a little out to make sure it comes over even straighter.
I probably would have gone a little shorter on the trident chop to remove the straight section. It would take no longer to replace the leader and it gives you more room to move as far as the height goes. That is a win win situation I reckon. But I would not suggest that you have to go again. Just carve the trunk for Taper as you have on the Japanese maple and let it grow on nice and strong as I think Jarrod suggested. Still a couple of leader chops to go I reckon before that trunk is finished but it should come up ok.
I would also be hitting the roots hard on the trident as well to start some ramification happening their. Make sure you have plenty of growth going up top when you do this to reduce the chance of the tree stalling. As in lots of shoots means lots of root growth.

Thanks for your comments Brett. I'll consider what you said about the Palmatum once the leaves have dropped.

I have actually thought about chopping the trident back harder after the leader grew so oddly, this is also something I'll consider once it's leaves have dropped and once I run it by some people at the next club meeting.

Cheers

Hi Teejay, I don't see why there would be a problem with upright deciduous trees, I reckon they are often seen especially white beech it probably the most common way they are grown. I think it could be a blessing in disguise that your new trident leader was a failure as its going to be much better cut a little lower anyway, boils down to what we were discussing the other day. Grown too strongly and too quickly.
Craig

I think it could be a blessing in disguise that your new trident leader was a failure as its going to be much better cut a little lower anyway, boils down to what we were discussing the other day. Grown too strongly and too quickly.

I know, after we discussed it I went out to have a look at this trident to see if a further cut back might be necessary, I surmised that it probably was. I have to get some nebari happening anyway so I might as well cut back again while I'm at it.

Thanks.

Lovely Colour there Tee:-)
Wish mine did that.
I agree the Leader needs to be fixed if you want a Straight tree, the sop must be the same as the rest of it.

The Trident, Can you carve out behind it and then Raise the top section up to remove the forward movement?

Ken

Lovely Colour there Tee:-)
Wish mine did that.

It was a terrific autumn here mate, the colours of deciduous leaves this year were the best I've seen since I started taking notice.

I agree the Leader needs to be fixed if you want a Straight tree, the sop must be the same as the rest of it.

Taken on board, cheers.

The Trident, Can you carve out behind it and then Raise the top section up to remove the forward movement?

Maybe. but I'm starting to be convinced that it needs a chop further down anyway, more taper and better branching options if I do I reckon.