New trident maple

[Rod]

I’m getting this new trident maple this spring. It has a 3-4” trunk with a 7” nabari. I’m wondering if I should put it in the ground or in a grow box to grow a new leader any advice would be appreciated pictures show possible fronts.

 

[Wires_Guy_wires]

I would work the roots and fix the uneven base before anything else. So a grow box for a year or two for sure.

 

[Rod]

I would work the roots and fix the uneven base before anything else. So a grow box for a year or two for sure.

Just curious what you see uneven on base. So I can take care of it.

 

[bwaynef]

I won't speak for WGW but the right side of the root base (in picture 1203) is one ginormous root. Assuming enough roots elsewhere, a sloped cut may can eventually split this one into two. It may never look convincing but likely better than it sits now. Still needs grafts. May can work on add'l roots all around while trying to sort out this ginormous one.

 

[SeanS]

I think what @Wires_Guy_wires may be trying to say is based on the photos there seems to be a very strong root coming off the one side, and a few thinner, very long looking roots off the other side. Usually when roots are long and exposed like in the photos there are very few fine feeder roots present except for on the very ends where they enter the soil. This is problematic as we tend to favour fine, even rootage around the trunk in bonsai, as this tends to create a better balanced nebari. Getting large, long, bare roots into a bonsai pot is difficult and will require some work to possibly add fine roots around the trunk via root grafts and cutting the current roots back hard.

This is likely what you’ll be working with once you lift it from the ground



This would be preferred

 

[Shibui]

This sort of rootage is what we get when tridents are not root pruned regularly. Sure, you get a thick trunk quick but not great roots. You also get a straight pole trunk with little taper and very few opportunities to prune for taper and trunk bends. That usually means many more years of growing to develop taper and movement. Suddenly the quick trunk thickening is not quite as attractive as it seemed.

So far we've only seen the base of the trunk. How to proceed will also depend on the trunk and branches - or lack of branches, and how big the chop will be.
Based on the roots and no visible taper in that lower section of trunk, my guess is you will be making a large chop. That means growing a new leader to replace a large section of trunk then developing some branches. Replacing the trunk could be a ground grow job, depending how low you plan to chop, but branches are definitely grow box, as is the last section of the trunk and apex.