Trident maple from Brussels

[Arbol]

Hey all.

Just bought a trident maple from Brussels and it appears to be pretty unanimous that the soil the trees come in is “subpar” at best.

My question is: is it appropriate to repot this spring or should I wait a year to let the tree bounce back from the stress of shipping. Or am I looking too far into the actual stress a tree goes through during shipping.

 

[kale]

If dormant the shipping isnt too stessful. I would def repot.

 

[Arbol]

If dormant the shipping isnt too stessful. I would def repot.

Awesome. Thanks kale.

 

[zeejet]

I bought their cheapest Trident offering two weeks ago, which was 52USD. It was essentially a grab-bag pre-bonsai (small and underdeveloped) since you don't get to see the specific tree you're getting nor do you see the soil or pot it comes in.

I'm wondering what you ended up getting. Did you get a specimen bonsai or did you go with the entry-level option like I did?

 

[Paradox]

Trident are pretty tough and Brussel's trees are usually healthy (I've never gotten a tree from them that wasnt). As long as the buds aren't open yet, repotting should be fine.

 

[Shibui]

Shipping won't usually stress a tree. Even shipping during growing season stress is minimal.
As mentioned, Tridents are also tough.
No need to worry about what you can do. It should cope with quite hard root reduction so if the nebari is not as good as you'd like prune hard to get more roots growing where they are needed.

 

[Ruddigger]

I bought their cheapest Trident offering two weeks ago, which was 52USD. It was essentially a grab-bag pre-bonsai (small and underdeveloped)

If it’s possible for you to put it in the ground, tridents grow like crazy. I put a pencil thick whip in the ground 3 years ago and it has a 7” nebari now.

 

[Arbol]

I bought their cheapest Trident offering two weeks ago, which was 52USD. It was essentially a grab-bag pre-bonsai (small and underdeveloped) since you don't get to see the specific tree you're getting nor do you see the soil or pot it comes in.

I'm wondering what you ended up getting. Did you get a specimen bonsai or did you go with the entry-level option like I did?

I ended up getting a specimen tree. I’ll post a picture when it arrives. I have many trees in early development and wanted a further along tree to start getting experience with some more refinement techniques.

 

[Arbol]

If it’s possible for you to put it in the ground, tridents grow like crazy. I put a pencil thick whip in the ground 3 years ago and it has a 7” nebari now.

Unfortunately it not an option for me as I am in an apartment but I plan on doing the ebihara technique for the nebari.

 

[zeejet]

I ended up getting a specimen tree. I’ll post a picture when it arrives. I have many trees in early development and wanted a further along tree to start getting experience with some more refinement techniques.

Would love to see a photo and if you don't mind, what the cost was. I'm interested in how much tree you can get with a higher price tag.

 

[Paradox]

If it’s possible for you to put it in the ground, tridents grow like crazy. I put a pencil thick whip in the ground 3 years ago and it has a 7” nebari now.

They grow like crazy in your climate.
I put some in the ground 5 years ago and they are much slower here because of my much shorter growing season

 

[Arbol]

@zeejet i paid $160 total with shipping included. Very impressed by not only the size of the tree but the ramification of it. Tree is about 17 inches tall and came very well packaged.

 

[zeejet]

@zeejet i paid $160 total with shipping included. Very impressed by not only the size of the tree but the ramification of it. Tree is about 17 inches tall and came very well packaged.

Really nice tree! And thanks for sharing.

Does appear to be a major upgrade from what I got for 52USD although I plan to treat mine as pre-bonsai and stick it back into a larger container for a few more seasons to grow it out.

 

[Arbol]

Really nice tree! And thanks for sharing.

Does appear to be a major upgrade from what I got for 52USD although I plan to treat mine as pre-bonsai and stick it back into a larger container for a few more seasons to grow it out.

sounds like a good plan! Excited to see what you turn it into in a few seasons time!

 

[Arbol]

So the plan for this tree is to repot it in the spring into more appropriate, well draining soil.

I would also like to remove the two branches circled in the summer. Is this an appropriate timeline or will waiting longer between repot and branch pruning be more appropriate?

 

[RoadManDenDron]

I would see how many roots you take off at repot,

If you take quite a lot off, after the repot cut a small branch at the top of one of the ones you want to eventually lose,

Leave it 15 mins or so and see if it 'bleeds' if it doesn't bleed i would not hesitate to take both of those branches off now.

 

[Kanorin]

Can confirm that the soil brussels uses is not great. If the tree hasn't leafed out yet, I would not hesitate to repot it. Perhaps don't be aggressive in the root rediction - but try and chopstick out as much of their soil as you can. Tridents are such strong growers that I don't expect a repot to be an issue. If it has leafed out already you could do the same, but being even less aggressive with the roots. Or you could wait until next year.

 

[Arbol]

I would see how many roots you take off at repot,

If you take quite a lot off, after the repot cut a small branch at the top of one of the ones you want to eventually lose,

Leave it 15 mins or so and see if it 'bleeds' if it doesn't bleed i would not hesitate to take both of those branches off now.

So you’re recommending to do root work and prune the branches at the same time?

 

[Arbol]

Can confirm that the soil brussels uses is not great. If the tree hasn't leafed out yet, I would not hesitate to repot it. Perhaps don't be aggressive in the root rediction - but try and chopstick out as much of their soil as you can. Tridents are such strong growers that I don't expect a repot to be an issue. If it has leafed out already you could do the same, but being even less aggressive with the roots. Or you could wait until next year.

It has not leafed out yet. Will be doing a repot this spring. More wondering if branch pruning will be appropriate at same time as repot or waiting until summer or waiting a year to let tree bounce back between repot and branch prune.

 

[Kanorin]

It has not leafed out yet. Will be doing a repot this spring. More wondering if branch pruning will be appropriate at same time as repot or waiting until summer or waiting a year to let tree bounce back between repot and branch prune.

I think you should be fine to prune a small handful of branches at the same time as the repot. I'd probably think twice about removing more than 50% of the branches though...at least until I saw how vigorous the tree was growing in my care.