Shohin trident progression

[Teacup bonsai]

Just wanted to start posting progress of my trident as I keep forgetting and then another year goes by and I can’t remember what it used to look like.

I’ll post each progress photo I do have separately.

Tree roughly as I got it summer 2020 as pre bonsai from Bonsai West:

Potted it up to a large plantar to grow for the year and gain strength


Brought it to New England Bonsai Gardens for some styling advice and planning that fall

 

[Teacup bonsai]

February 2021:
I took a decent amount of the roots off to fit into a 3 in deep pot



Feeling confident for some reason, I went straight ahead and cut off an equal amount of the trunk :

At this point I wasn’t sure if I should wire the leader or keep the chop and grow going…

 

[Teacup bonsai]

April 2021:

Spring growth going strong on lower branch

 

[Teacup bonsai]

February 2022:



Started to like the look of it, but didn’t yet understand trident trees always seem to dry to the last viable node…

 

[Teacup bonsai]

April 2022:

Was trying a trick I saw somewhere to tightly wrap a cut covered in cut paste to encourage smooth callous (didn’t really work, probably all it did was promote fungal growth, do not recommend)

 

[Teacup bonsai]

Late May 2022:

Should have balanced energy better, bottom left branch never really pushes and does the next winter

 

[Teacup bonsai]

September 2022:

Moved to Charleston, much different climate, trees were in for a shock…

You can see the branch mentioned above drying out

 

[Teacup bonsai]

April 2023:

The moss was intended to help keep the tree from drying out during a hot spell.

Worked too well, as you can see, and had to spend 2023 fighting fungi.

 

[Teacup bonsai]

February 2024:

Wasn’t happy with the angle of the bottom branch, lowered it a little with a small wedge cut while fully dormant, foliage seems to be responding fine and pushing like normal. Will have to do something about the top bar branch, but will hold off until later this year.

 

[WavyGaby]

Hello from NC. Have you considered a repot? It doesn't look like it has grown much in the last two years and the fungal issue is a bad sign likely not caused just from the moss on the top.
I suspect the soil is mush and the roots are struggling. A wider but shallower pot would be suitable.

 

[Teacup bonsai]

Hello from NC. Have you considered a repot? It doesn't look like it has grown much in the last two years and the fungal issue is a bad sign likely not caused just from the moss on the top.
I suspect the soil is mush and the roots are struggling. A wider but shallower pot would be suitable.

Hello! Yes, I agree. This tree will most certainly end up in a wider, shallow pot soon. Although not pictured Ive checked the roots every winter, and last year swapped out the old substrate for fresh akadama. It wasn’t mush yet, but it was getting close.

The roots appear to have done better since, when I looked a month ago there had been better growth to fill out pot but still not root bound. Used dormant spray this winter and that seems to have helped with , no blackened tips or curling on the new growth so far.

 

[Dabbler]

Looks very very weak - should be in the sun and the planted in a large training flat - then left alone to grow. It might have been loved to death, I don't know

 

[MHBonsai]

Agreed to the above concerns - I'm not sure what's slowing your progress exactly but this tree's limping along much much slower than it could be.

You really haven't asked for advice, so feel free to tell me to shove off if you like

Is it in full akadama now, no field soil at all? How's your fertilizer plan for it? How's it get watered? And are you able to keep it in full sun?

Cool little shohin trunk!

 

[Teacup bonsai]

Agreed to the above concerns - I'm not sure what's slowing your progress exactly but this tree's limping along much much slower than it could be.

You really haven't asked for advice, so feel free to tell me to shove off if you like

Is it in full akadama now, no field soil at all? How's your fertilizer plan for it? How's it get watered? And are you able to keep it in full sun?

Cool little shohin trunk!

It’s got a mixture of peat, pumice and akadama.
I typically hold off on fert until it has its full first flush and use the fert cakes.

It used to only be watered by can with tap water, but this year has gotten rain pretty exclusively since it started pushing.

It’s in full sun for the next month until the big tree in the yard leafs out and then it’ll be partial shade south facing.

The growth I’m seeing so far is much cleaner and stronger than last year so it seems to be beating whatever fungal issue was affecting it last year. It’s actually had some more growth than pictured last year, but was trimmed back to keep the apex from running like crazy.

No major plans for it this year other than continuing to return its health.

 

[Teacup bonsai]

Seems to have bounced back well this year, a few good branches where some were needed. Growth looks healthy in ~2” deep box. Plan to wire a few branches for grafts next year, no major pruning right now.

 

[Teacup bonsai]

Nothing crazy has been done this year, just wired a few branches and protecting tree from the predicted historic flooding in the lowcountry this week.

Even with all the rain this summer no real signs of the fungus I’d dealt with the past few years on second/third flush leaves. Keeping sacrifice branch at top thinned to not shade out smaller/denser growth near where I want the apex to be.

 

[bonsaiwood]

Keep a close eye on the wire. It will bite in before you know it. I have learned the hard way, however, you will likely end up chopping and growing out new extensions next year that it should not be a problem… definitely has a semi-cascade vibe going with that curvy branch.