Sapling Division: SeanS’ Trident Forest

[SeanS]

Late Southern Hemisphere entry.

Unfortunately I don’t have a photo of these tiny trident seedlings pre assembly, @Kanorin please let me know if that puts me out of the running. I collected about 40 tiny 1 year old trident runts from my girlfriend’s mom’s garden in late August of this year and assembled them in early September.

I call them runts because they were the smallest 1 year old trident seedlings I’ve see . They were growing amongst the shrubs below a larger trident and got little to no direct sun and only the occasional spattering of water. They were really pitiful!

Here’s the earliest photo to the forest I can find, a screenshot from a video of my benches in spring.



Another screenshot from October 1st 2021, starting to extend.



October 24th

 

[Kanorin]

I think these are small enough that there is no possible way that this forest was assembled over a year ago. Approved!

 

[SeanS]

I think these are small enough that there is no possible way that this forest was assembled over a year ago. Approved!

My runt tridents thank you!

 

[leatherback]

ohw, another trident seedling forest. THe heat is on!

Nice start!

 

[SeanS]

Here’s my forest today. Roots have started to poke out the drainage holes so I’ll put the pot on top of a bigger pot filled with perlite to let the roots run a bit and maximise top growth. I want to slow grow these and have full control. The central trees are already the clear winners and are putting on the most growth, I got lucky when putting the forest together.




This trident forest from Kinbon magazine is my inspiration

 

[Yamabudoudanshi]

More tridents!

Cool. I'm following along.

 

[SeanS]

Did some major work on my forest over the weekend…

Put the pot inside another pot

 

[ibakey]

Did some major work on my forest over the weekend…

Put the pot inside another pot

View attachment 414603

Whats the rationale for this if you don't might me asking? allowing the roots to grow into the larger pot?

 

[SeanS]

Whats the rationale for this if you don't might me asking? allowing the roots to grow into the larger pot?

Yes exactly that

 

[SeanS]

Just over 12 months since my last update, hope I’m still in the running

 

[Dragon60]

Wow! Very impressed. Those little guys have really thickened up.

 

[Gert]

Looking good Sean! This one's gonna be a contender

 

[SeanS]

Time for a fall update! Still aiming for shohin size. The central tree is going to have a really broad, high canopy.

 

[SeanS]

And we’re off!

 

[SeanS]

3 weeks later and it was time for a cutback. Some interior buds had started to weaken and the structural wire had started to bite in on some of the trunks. Hoping the tiny shoot on the left side of the main trunk will strengthen so I can start building the next section of trunk. Strong shoot on the 2nd biggest trunk wired.

 

[SeanS]

Time for another trim. This one is getting dense! Next section of trunk on the main tree still needs some thickening, will let it run for a few more weeks.

 

[SeanS]

Partial defoliation and cut back time
No before, but just imagine it bigger and bushier with more leaves.

 

[SeanS]

Final round of defoliation for the season. I’ve been fertilising a bit more than usual so I expect a bit of a stronger push than ideal but I want to try increase the vigour a bit before next spring’s repot.

The main trunk’s leader was cut back, I’m quite happy with the movement I’ve managed to create. Time to start building some finer growth up top on the main tree.

 

[leatherback]

Going places!

(Which, to be fair, is odd for a forest. Trees normally do not move)

 

[SeanS]

4 weeks later