Suggestions for aesthetics. trident maple

[Shills]

Hi guys,

I was told by some of you guys near the end of the last growing season that I should be wary regarding my trunks taper, and possible issues with reverse taper. I have been letting it grow without any pruning at all since the start because I've been wanting to get a nice big trunk and good nebari. But now it is maybe time to think more about the branches and how they effect my aesthetics. Can you guys give me any suggestions on what to cut off, if anything? plans for turning one of the branches into the trunk? how to increase the nebari? That sorta thing...

And I guess the kind of aesthetic I am after is a broom or broad informal upright style, but open to suggestions.

Thanks in advance!

[Daluke]

I'd apply a few air layers then chop above the first branch.

I saw this article -

https://www.google.com.au/amp/s/bonsaia ... ent=safari

Hopefully it's useful.

Luke

[kcpoole]

Why not post links from the wiki as we have great howto on trunk chopping and creating taper?
https://www.ausbonsai.com.au/wiki/index.php?title=Layer
https://www.ausbonsai.com.au/wiki/index. ... eate_taper

[Shills]

Hi guys. Thanks for the tips. I'm not sure if ill do any air layering as I'm not confident doing anything that complex (i forgot to mention Im a beginner!).

I am more interested in pruning back stuff that you guys think might be worth removing. I want to avoid reverse taper and get some movement in the trunk (which one should I make as the main leader??) and also continue increasing the nebari (my understanding is that by having long whips that blow in the wind, this encourages radial roof growth for purchase, and I also have a waterproof plank under the root base).

I'm kinda stumped and fairly anxious about my next move so any help on this is appreciated.

[Naimul]

I guess the most crucial thing you need to determine is where your 'front' is, as that will ultimately lead to where you will need to make your major cuts.

hypothetically, if i were looking to shape this as my own, i would make the major cuts where i have shown red (assuming that angle and side is the best 'front') to define the trunk and then cut the rest of the branches back hard and begin the initial branch structure to get that broom style. only issue with this 'front' is that the reverse tape issue is considerably dominant, compared to the other photos you have shown.

[delisea]

Hi shills,
Peter warren has just posted a similar tree in development see the link below:
https://www.facebook.com/Saruyama-Bonsa ... 778658518/
Try his book it gives a step by step guide to developing material like this.

BTW I grew up where you live...
Cheers,
Symon

[Shills]

Thanks for the suggestions guys.

Naimul, I cut most of the stuff you mentioned but I left 2 main fork branches intact because I thought that maybe this is necessary if I want my trunk to get a bit fatter. For me, the main reverse taper issue is caused by all those horizontal branches below your red lines, so I chopped them all off pretty much (except I left about 3 inch of the largest horizontal one because it has already caused a bulged/reverse taper, and maybe I can regrow it to be a nice low branch).

Out of curiosity, do you guys think my trunk needs to get fatter before I start shaping the tree? It is about pingpong-to-squash ball diameter.

I took off some of the moss around the trunk and my nebari looks pretty good I think.

Cheers, for thoughts guys.