Don Blackmond
Omono
That's exactly what I thought. "I’d like to pull the branches down a little on the left side, but I know what you are shooting for."
Pigletts Progress
- Thread starter JudyB
- Start date
JudyB
Queen of the Nuts
Actually your exact words. Great minds.....
I'll post a new pic soon.
MACH5
Imperial Masterpiece
Great stuff Judy! Sorry been traveling and just catching up on BNut affairs 
I agree that I would also like to see lower branches pulled down. I envision a big and full rounded canopy on this tree.
I agree that I would also like to see lower branches pulled down. I envision a big and full rounded canopy on this tree.
JudyB
Queen of the Nuts
Well here you go, I think the image is starting to solidify. Waiting on a few buds to pop a little lower on some of the upper branches to cut a bit back as some are too long right now. But I think it's coming on...
Don Blackmond
Omono
much better
LanceMac10
Imperial Masterpiece
Agree. Awesome improvement.
coh
Imperial Masterpiece
Looking really good, Judy! That Brian guy seems to know what he is talking about...
Les
Mame
I usually don't care for trident maples but yours makes me want one. Awesome!!!
JudyB
Queen of the Nuts
It is a process for sure. Grow cut wire. You have to cut back harder than you think. I've figured out a few things about D trees. They take a loooong time to really make them correctly.
JudyB
Queen of the Nuts
LOL, heavy tree!
I've been watching your repots on FB, it was nice to see my friends the tubbies today. Hope you are well David.
Smoke
Ignore-Amus
haha I would take a juniper anyday. When it comes to bending branches, junipers and pines are tops. Up to 1/2" no problem. They don't lose their leaves so things that ought not show stay hidden forever.
Not on a D tree. It has to be special every stinkin day of the year. Especially in winter! There's a reason why junipers seem to show up at every demo.
Actually been doing no repotting yet--just trimming and wiring larches. I am so worried about the weather and can't justify buying a Cool bot and a brand new LARGE AC( did not realize it had to be a modern digital one so an old one can't be used-darn)--the company actually suggested I put in two. Its slowly climbed to 38 degrees at chest height--there are still blocks of ice on the floor though but with these unseasonable(its 58 right now) temps and no snow pack I am doomed--argggg!
JudyB
Queen of the Nuts
Have you ever thought about giving up on trying to keep it winter, and getting lighting and heat enough to make an early spring stick? I've found that with my lights and heat mats, and heater, that I gain about a month every year.
Actually what I need is a brush chipper and unceremoniously throw a 100 plants into it--Bbrrrr--Bbrrr--Bbrr! then all things would be possible and easier. It has become too big and my energy has become smaller and smaller. Distraction and emergencies seem the norm. Everything sucks. God has abandoned the world. It will be 12 degrees on April 16th and everything will be froze back--again. Human sacrifice, dogs and cats living together... mass hysteria! GGGaaaaa!
Judy, you've done very good work with this tree.
Now, let's step it up a notch!
You've cut back on it pretty well. I can't see it close up, but when doing the "hard" cut backs, it's best to cut back to a pair of "up/down" buds. You know how they alternate: side by side, then up/down, then side by side, the up/down, etc? If possible, choose an up/down set.
Then when they start to grow out, if the top one is growing, rub off the bottom one. Then, let the new twig grow out until there are 6 or 8 years pairs of leaves. Then, wire. Yes, wire the new soft shoots. The up bud will be growing up, but since it's young and pliable, you can bend it down so that its growing in the same direction as the branch. Yes, it will make a little hump. When you wire, wire out to the tip if you can, and put movement into the branch. Up, down, side to side. The little twigs are soft, you can put n a lot of soft movements in.
Oh, the leaves? Yeah, they're in the way, but wire around them. Use aluminum wire. It can be pretty thin, the branches bend easily.
Now, let it grow about a month. By this time, the branches will have set (lignified) where you wired them. The wire may even have cut in a bit. Remove the wire. The curves you put in have set.
Now, here comes the hard part: it's time to cut back!
How far? Remember the up/down, side by side stuff? Well, examine the part of the branch you wired, and cut back to the first up/down leaf pair!
Yes, this means you cut off 90 % of the branch, including most of all th branch you wired!
Do it all over.
Let it start to regrow. As soon as you see new growth, rub off the bottom shoot, just as before.
When it get to 6 or 8 pair of leaves, you guessed it, wire it again. Lots of movement.
Let grow. Remove wire when lignified. Cut back.
You might have to do three or four times over the summer.
This builds branches with movement, taper, and short internodes.
Tedious? You bet. Slow? Yes, indeed. But, it's the highest quality way to build trident branches.
Oh, and before someone says it, John Naka was wrong. In his book, he says to use the downward growing bud, not the top one. But that's wrong. In nature, the top bud would be the stronger one because it wold get all the light. The bottom one would eventually get sluffed off and that branch would die. If you go out and look at mature maple trees and their branches, as you follow the branch from the trunk out yo the tip, they have little humps. Little mountain ranges. They curve up, then down, then up and down, in a series of hills. Not: down then up, down then up. That would be a series of valleys. They don't do that.
Judy, I know you don't think I know anything about maples. Not so. I do. I just prefer conifers.
The technique I just described is how to build a great trident maple.
Now, let's step it up a notch!
You've cut back on it pretty well. I can't see it close up, but when doing the "hard" cut backs, it's best to cut back to a pair of "up/down" buds. You know how they alternate: side by side, then up/down, then side by side, the up/down, etc? If possible, choose an up/down set.
Then when they start to grow out, if the top one is growing, rub off the bottom one. Then, let the new twig grow out until there are 6 or 8 years pairs of leaves. Then, wire. Yes, wire the new soft shoots. The up bud will be growing up, but since it's young and pliable, you can bend it down so that its growing in the same direction as the branch. Yes, it will make a little hump. When you wire, wire out to the tip if you can, and put movement into the branch. Up, down, side to side. The little twigs are soft, you can put n a lot of soft movements in.
Oh, the leaves? Yeah, they're in the way, but wire around them. Use aluminum wire. It can be pretty thin, the branches bend easily.
Now, let it grow about a month. By this time, the branches will have set (lignified) where you wired them. The wire may even have cut in a bit. Remove the wire. The curves you put in have set.
Now, here comes the hard part: it's time to cut back!
How far? Remember the up/down, side by side stuff? Well, examine the part of the branch you wired, and cut back to the first up/down leaf pair!
Yes, this means you cut off 90 % of the branch, including most of all th branch you wired!
Do it all over.
Let it start to regrow. As soon as you see new growth, rub off the bottom shoot, just as before.
When it get to 6 or 8 pair of leaves, you guessed it, wire it again. Lots of movement.
Let grow. Remove wire when lignified. Cut back.
You might have to do three or four times over the summer.
This builds branches with movement, taper, and short internodes.
Tedious? You bet. Slow? Yes, indeed. But, it's the highest quality way to build trident branches.
Oh, and before someone says it, John Naka was wrong. In his book, he says to use the downward growing bud, not the top one. But that's wrong. In nature, the top bud would be the stronger one because it wold get all the light. The bottom one would eventually get sluffed off and that branch would die. If you go out and look at mature maple trees and their branches, as you follow the branch from the trunk out yo the tip, they have little humps. Little mountain ranges. They curve up, then down, then up and down, in a series of hills. Not: down then up, down then up. That would be a series of valleys. They don't do that.
Judy, I know you don't think I know anything about maples. Not so. I do. I just prefer conifers.
The technique I just described is how to build a great trident maple.
JudyB
Queen of the Nuts
Adair, I know about wiring during the season. Just because I espouse wiring in the winter, does not mean I do not wire new growth too. I also know how to pick buds to continue the line.
I know all about tedious and slow.
I know all about tedious and slow.
JudyB
Queen of the Nuts
I will send you my yearly hopeful spring email...
