AusBonsai

Hi Shibui , its looking the goods , I cut a couple back hard but they aren't fairing too well , bit like myself . Do you have any Sumo's Tridents for sale ? Looking for another field grown JBP also . I have got a Family member coming up just after Christmas he will be bringing me over to check your stock out hoping you have something along these lines .

Cheers Alpine

Hi Alpine, Theres a few field grown black pines left but always plenty of tridents in all shapes and sizes.

Look forward to when you can get here - Look after the leg.. and the back..

About to throw this guy:

in one of these:

to get some good growth.

Thanks for the info on watching the lopsided root growth. Surprised how quickly they can take off, but again, they are Tridents.

Follow the progress here: http://www.frankenbonsai.wordpress.com

Time for an update on this tree 2 years on. You can see how the new roots have grown from where the original roots were cut.

Looking good, makes me want to drop back and see your collection.

shibui wrote:Time for an update on this tree 2 years on. You can see how the new roots have grown from where the original roots were cut.

trident 2012 6 1 - Copy.JPG

Wow, i was offered a bunch of acer palmatum whips the other day, i declined. Lets hope they are still on offer.

Thats impressive.

Well done Neil !!!

You are creating an excellent foundation Neil The base spread is wonderful. Do you always do your tridents at this time of year?

Thats an impressive result for only 3 years in the ground Neil. Have you thought about shortening that top section of the tree ?
Craigw

Neil you and craig are the guys when it comes to grown grown material. I agree with craig that id like to see some height redution and a stouter trident from this tree but thats just me and my taste. Im thinking of lifter my grown grown stuff too in the next week as ill be flat out next month or so. I think it should be fine as there all dormant just see what neil thinks?

Hi Shibui
What an achievement You sure know how to grow triidents

craigw60 wrote:Thats an impressive result for only 3 years in the ground Neil. Have you thought about shortening that top section of the tree ?
Craigw

As per usual, I couldn't sleep last night so I played around with Paint.
I didn't post this then as a) you didn't ask for it, and b) you certainly don't need any advice!
After reading Craig60 and Mathew's comment, I thought I would now post it....hope you don't mind asI am just trying to learn more about bonsai. I only reduced the trunk by a little bit to try to continue the taper and movement on what is a supreme base.
I realise you are still in the process of growing it.
Cheers, Dario.

That looks great Dario.
Matthew, I have started root pruning but only plants which have plenty of fibre so the root reduction work is not too intense. Any thing which needs major cutting back will be left until later in the season so the roots shoot back pretty quickly, the soil is very cold and wet here this year and I don't want large scars sitting in it all winter.
Craigw

Thanks Craigw60, I hope Shibui feels the same way!
Cheers, Dario.

VelvetSicklid, that trident was not grown from a bunch of seedlings grafted together. Check back to the start of the thread for initial pics. The 'whips' was someone elses pic. This tree was a single seedling threaded through a hole drilled in a piece of aluminium to force it to grow radial roots. This method also makes the trunk base flare out quite a lot as well.

Dario, CraigW, I have noticed the excessive trunk and agree it needs to be reduced but have not found the right buds to cut back to yet. Its a little more complicated in real life than in paint but thanks for the concept Dario. If I can get it to look like that I will be well pleased.

Bodhi, Matt, I'm happy to start repotting and lifting ground grown tridents any time after they have lost leaves. I started this when I noticed how early commercial growers lift trees to get them bare root into the nurseries. Most nurseries have already had stocks of bare root trees on sale for a few weeks so these were dug probably a month ago - very few losses with those so why can't I do it with my field grown trees??? Anyway I now know it does work. I don't necessarily do all the tridents at this time, just enough to take the pressure off in spring and allow time to do all the other spring repotting. So far I have rootpruned a bunch of JBPs, a few tridents and a tray of chinese quince seedlings and last seasons elm root cuttings.
Trees that are bare rooted at this time are either potted up straight away like this one or heeled in to either a poly box of mix or into the ground. My soil here is quite well drained so no problem with constant wet feet Craig. It was actually a bit dry when i dug a few from the growing beds to check progress a few weeks ago.
I do prefer to leave Acer palmatum until the last because I have had losses with them when repotted early winter. They seem to get a fungal attack if kept wet while they have fresh cuts - symptoms show up when they come into leaf - new leaves wilt and die and bark turns black below ground and just above. Not certain if early root pruning is the cause but still play it safe until I know more.

Looking fantastic. To my unskilled eyes, looks like really wonderful progress from the pictures showing when the roots had just been cut, to this latest picture. Obviously you know what you are doing, as that nebari now is wonderful. Thanks for sharing with us all.