Overdue trident maple

[faker]

I've wanted to get a trident for a long time but never found one in my (low) price range that called to me. This one caught my eye when I was wandering around lone pine a few months ago, though I'm starting to see some issues the more I study it. Planning to do a major chop, cleanup, and repot with root work this winter, and I'm looking for some feedback on choosing a trunk line to chop to. I often suffer from "analysis paralysis" when committing to major work on my trees and love getting your feedback.

I had originally planned to cut off the major "upright" trunk line and have the trunk follow the limb with some movement on the right side as the trunk line and wiring a leader back towards the center to give some balance. More recently, I have also been considering a double trunk layout, preserving both major trunk lines at the bifurcation, or even chopping the right branch with movement and sticking to a more informal upright style up the middle.

Current preferred front:

 

[MrWunderful]

All the trees Ive gotten at lone pines have needed extensive rootwork (esp tridents) so consider a ground layer. Usually they’re not worth saving.

I agree with your plan to ditch the upright trunk portion.

 

[Bonsai Nut]

Whip out your box cutter and cut that nursery pot down to the soil level.

Then, carefully dig the soil out from around the base of the tree so you can see what your surface roots look like. Then you will be able to turn and tilt the tree (and with the nursery pot out of the way) view the tree's potential.

I personally don't like the serpentine branch running to the right. Not enough taper and the bends seem unnatural and artificial. Looks to me like a sacrifice branch that was allowed to run. But I would like to see your roots first

 

[lieuz]

I personally don't like the serpentine branch running to the right. Not enough taper and the bends seem unnatural and artificial. Looks to me like a sacrifice branch that was allowed to run. But I would like to see your roots first

I absolutely agree with you there. Image_0321 shows better prospects by keeping the left trunkline due to the favorable taper. I'd recommend an air layer on the right branch.

 

[BonsaiNaga13]

Air layer the sacrifice branch then you have a trident with some movement

 

[faker]

As predicted, the nebari has some big issues. Gonna have to cut back some funky roots than maybe consider ground layering vs root grafts as suggested. Pictures aren't great as the light was fleeting and there's more to be uncovered, but here are a few angles:

 

[faker]

I do like the air layer idea for the right branch and am leaning towards this type of approach:

Red showing trunk line, magenta as chops, and blue as air layer site

 

[keri-wms]

Don’t chop the air layer top back as it’ll use all the foliage to power root production. On the other hand you would be wise to give the layer a trim or partial defoliation when you remove it but I’d leave it a year AND make sure it’s settled before chopping it or you’ll get dieback instead of healing/new buds.

 

[sorce]

I'm on team "build some taper into that curvy part and keep it".

There may be some easier paths, but the easy path can be made from Any tree.

Sorce

 

[MrWunderful]

As predicted, the nebari has some big issues. Gonna have to cut back some funky roots than maybe consider ground layering vs root grafts as suggested. Pictures aren't great as the light was fleeting and there's more to be uncovered, but here are a few angles:

If you are going ground layer, dont mess with the roots at all (unless they are in the zone of the layer) that way the tree can use the existing roots to power the foliage, to power the new roots as part of the layer.

 

[faker]

Cut back the main trunk line and started the air layer as planned. I don't expect the air layer to do much until spring but figured it couldn't hurt to start early as I don't expect any freezes. Will wait until next season for root work on the main tree.