First shohin Trident maple and some questions...

[Katie0317]

Thank you for sharing that. It's hard for me to know when to let them run and when to cut. Per this info I'll remove any shoots that are obviously out of place and let others run.

Also, I've read a lot about trident maples and how quickly their roots grow and the need for root pruning. How do you prune the roots without essentially repotting?

I've never read that pinching new shoots with large leaves is anything but a good thing to do on many tropical trees so this is new to me.

I understand that any missteps are more pronounced on a shohin tree. It's the reason I'm trying to get it right while it's young.

Thank you for taking the time to share this information. I'll use it.

 

[dbonsaiw]

Also, I've read a lot about trident maples and how quickly their roots grow and the need for root pruning. How do you prune the roots without essentially repotting?

I don't believe you can. And they don't grow so fast as to require root work more than once a year, at most.

 

[Shibui]

Also, I've read a lot about trident maples and how quickly their roots grow and the need for root pruning. How do you prune the roots without essentially repotting?

This seems to pre-suppose that root pruning is a bad thing?
All my trees grow better and faster in the season following root pruning so I have assumed that root pruning is a good thing for bonsai. Annual repotting and root pruning seems to be a vital part of growing good shohin bonsai. These small pots fill up with roots in a single season. The second spring and summer it becomes ultra difficult to water and the trees decline noticeably. Annual repotting keeps my shohin trees healthier.

Check out this little trident.

After just one summer the new roots have pushed the tree up out of the pot by more than 1/2 inch - about half the pot depth.

When you get your head around the fact that repotting and root pruning is good it becomes much easier.

I've never read that pinching new shoots with large leaves is anything but a good thing to do on many tropical trees so this is new to me.

Not sure that pinching new vigorous shoots is the issue? maybe problem with miscommunication of terminology or concept?
My previous comments relate to excess shoots where branching is already adequate. Even tropicals suffer from thickening where too many shoots grow close together though it happens far quicker in some species than others. Japanese maple is the worst for this by far with tridents not too far behind but I have also experienced unwanted thickening in ficus sp too.

 

[Katie0317]

That looks like a nice little tree. Maybe you'll show the whole tree in a pic?

Those are some healthy looking roots. This is my first shohin too so it's good to know that repotting yearly is a necessity. Do you continue to reduce the size of the pot in the beginning?

Wondering what substrate you're using?

 

[Shibui]

Do you continue to reduce the size of the pot in the beginning?

I'm having some problems understanding FLoridian. How can anything continue in the beginning?

All my bonsai and even developing trees are in the same potting mix. Using a known mix in all pots makes it easier to manage watering. I use several cubic metres of potting mix each year so I get a commercial supplier to mix a custom mix for me. Around 70% fine composted pine bark/ 30% propagating sand with a little diatomite thrown in + the required fertilizer and other additives to give a healthy soil mix for pots. The mix has great properties for my conditions but the bark component does break down after a few years so I'm finding I need to repot larger trees every 3-5 years.