Trident maple group planting

[Seahunter15]

Today I worked on this trident group planting. I pruned to improve taper and wired some branches. I started the group from seedlings that sprouted under my landscape tree around seven years ago.

Here is the tree in 2020

So far I’ve basically let growth extend and prune back to one or two sets of leaves repeatedly through the growing season. I’ve also pruned some late winter/ early spring, removed buds from elbows. I’ve been thinking about when to start pinching new growth and or defoliating. Probably when I’m more happy with the basic structure and roots. I’m hoping to post more as things progress.

 

[Seahunter15]

From last November to today. Out of the grow box and into a bonsai pot. I’m letting a sacrificial branch grow out of a lower branch on the middle tree for another year. Trimmed and partially defoliated it today. This one has been fun to grow

 

[catfish chapstick]

nice project. makes me want to plant a trident in the yard to get seedlings from.

the composition seems a little bit uniform in size and spacing. what if you added more trees to the composition?

 

[Seahunter15]

Thanks, I totally agree about the spacing. Ultimately I’d like to start taking cuttings for the purpose of adding 3-5 or so small trees to the group