Large Field Grown Trident

[dlayton]

Picked this up last night on the cheap. Got it home and I know why...

I lifted it out of the pot just check the roots and holy cow, there aren't any! Well, that's an exaggeration but you get the point. Then, after playing around with it today, the top of each trunk was completely rotten and there were little white worms living inside. They had bored holes through the wound seal. I didn't notice any of this yesterday because of lighting and the fact that I was in love with this thing.

Anyway, this is my first post...

But help! Anything will do!

 

[Mike Westervelt]

A picture, and your location will help people give more effective answers/solutions

Welcome!

 

[dlayton]

I just realized pics didn’t load!!! Pics are coming now!

 

[dlayton]

Sorry. Didn’t know pics hadn’t loaded. I am located in north east Georgia, USA.
I went ahead and chopped the trunk because I was worried about the roots, worms, and rot. I hope it doesn’t die!!!

 

[dlayton]

Here’s after the chop. I also cleaned the trunk with vinegar and water to remove the moss and cleaned around the other chops to check for more rot.

 

[Dav4]

Seal those chops!!

 

[BobbyLane]

That was a little drastic considering you had all those live branches to work with. the rotten wood you could have nibbled away at with knob cutters then treated the wood, or even carved.

if you go the bonsai route, its going to take many years to get taper in this stump...
well unless it goes back in the ground

 

[dlayton]

That was a little drastic considering you had all those live branches to work with. the rotten wood you could have nibbled away at with knob cutters then treated the wood, or even carved.

if you go the bonsai route, its going to take many years to get taper in this stump...
well unless it goes back in the ground

You think I'm going to loose it? And I was debating putting it in the ground. You think that's what I need to do?

 

[BobbyLane]

i think the material/stump is suited to a more naturalistic style.

yeh if you have ground access the process could be sped up

see this one
Post in thread 'XXL Trident' https://www.bonsainut.com/threads/xxl-trident.17506/post-236199

think it will need some carving too at some point, i would be less inclined to worry about healing and scars and focus on developing a rugged natural tree. when it sprouts it might be better to carve V cuts into the large sub trunks

 

[dlayton]

Any idea on how to fix the lack of roots? Other than just putting it in the ground and letting nature do its thing?

Thanks for the pic, I was about to ask what v cuts meant!

 

[BobbyLane]

ive not seen the roots, you didnt show us. tbh just leave it in the pot to recover.

 

[dlayton]

ive not seen the roots, you didnt show us. tbh just leave it in the pot to recover.

I got to get better at taking pics of the process! Sorry!

 

[leatherback]

Lesson 1 in bonsai. Go slow.

You had a nice base. You said you fell in love with the tree. Yet, you come home and within hours you pull it out of the pot, you cut all off and you get concerned. Go slower. Next time, maybe, post a few pictures and wait for a response before taking such drastic steps.

Put it outside. Let nature do its thing. Assuming this tree had a good hear of leaves last summer, it will start pushing buds and grow and re-grow roots.

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

Those chops will heal much faster if you plant it in the ground for a few years. Arrange the roots well first. If you grow it in a pot, it’s unlikely those chops will close in your lifetime.