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Which trident maple should I keep for my main tree? 3 years 1 month ago #66276

  • SlavTuxedo
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Hey y'all. Long story short, I've a relative at a bonsai store and I've purchased 4 trident maple trees for let's say friendly prices.
I've got 2 major questions:

Out of the 4 I wanna keep the best one and grow the others as well, but then when they look presentable with foliage I would sell them.

So question: which out if the 4 trees looks best? I want my trident maple to look like those classic trident maple bonsai with the nice bushy top. So for that I guess the best one is the one with the most branches?

Second question that ties to the first: These trees are larger bonsai. So the pot is the size of two hands. The tree is easily 20-30cm tall each. For me , they seem to be a little too tall. Since it's the winter time and they're still dormant, it would be best time for pruning because spring is only a few weeks away too...

So, should I prune them? And if yes, how would I prune? Just shorten the branches? Should I prune all or just the one I'm keeping?

See pictures for reference.

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Which trident maple should I keep for my main tree? 3 years 1 month ago #66278

  • leatherback
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These are all young plants. 2-3 years old from seed.

I think you need to make a plan first. What do you want to achieve. There is no recommended strategy without knowing the ideal end-game.

You say you want big trees to grow from these. Then I would plant them out in the ground or vary container, over a tile. Sort the roots. And let it grow big first.

Tridents heal over cuts very well and cuts several inches across can be closed.
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Which trident maple should I keep for my main tree? 3 years 1 month ago #66279

  • Tropfrog
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I think you mean broom style maple?

All theese trees are equally good for that purpouse. What you need is to grow until decired trunk thickness. Then cut it down and start regrow. Some people grafts new branches on the stump and some wait for new branches to sprout.
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Which trident maple should I keep for my main tree? 3 years 1 month ago #66284

  • SlavTuxedo
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These are 5 year old trees. Not sure if seed grown or from a cutting, probably from seed. Which is absolutely fine.

Well, honestly these trees are thick as my middle finger, so they would make decent sized starter bonsai. I could plant them out to make them bigger though. Maybe I'd do that once spring comes....

What I wanna do with them? Well, I want 1 for myself , and make it into a nice broom style with nice canopy. The others? I don't want to keep them for long because I don't have much space in my garden at the moment. So, once they have leaves and are presentable I'd sell them perhaps....
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Which trident maple should I keep for my main tree? 3 years 1 month ago #66285

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Thank you. I'm not sure what the style Is the called. Attached some pictures below for reference.
(I'm aware it will take a decade or more to achieve that thick trunk, but I am focusing on the canopy leafs now)

So I guess my question is, I want to make mine a little shorter because it's too tall for my taste. Not much, just remove maybe about 5-8cm from the top. Question is can I shorten them? I know winter is a good time to prune these because all the sap is down in the roots now.

To achieve the canopy below I guess I'd have to prune each branch to equal height in a spread \/ order, right?

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Which trident maple should I keep for my main tree? 3 years 1 month ago #66287

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The trunk you show there are A LOT older than what you have. If that is your ambition, do not for a second think about branches.

Bonsai are build in the order

Nebari + trunk

Primary branching

Secondary branching

refining.

The two outside trees have trunks 25+ years old, grown in the field. I have one now, on which I am refining the nebari, and have only 1-year old branches. ALL other branches have been cut off at the growersfield., You will not in your lifetime grow a trunk like that in a bonsaipot.
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Which trident maple should I keep for my main tree? 3 years 1 month ago #66288

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This is why I hate any kind of bonsai forums. People are unable to read and spew bullshit.

I made it very clear in my comment that I FUCKING KNOW it will take a long time to achieve the trunk, and I also said ITS NOT MY INTENTION. let me paste it for you, because it seems you are not capable of comprehension?

" I'm aware it will take a decade or more to achieve that thick trunk, but I am focusing on the canopy leafs now"

"I AM FOCUSING ON THE CANOPY LEAFS NOW"

Just to get that basic shape out. Not to develop the trunk, nor to create that exact branch/ leaf structure, only to get that basic shape down.

I am done with trying to be part of any bonsai community.
I'm tired of explaining every word I say because people are incomprehensive and misunderstand/ misread/ or just fail to read at all what I say and go on with their bs.
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