Acer buergerianum

[Andrew Legg]

Andy,

I think something that you can take from this thread is that there is more than one way to skin a cat, and it has a lot to do with personal preference! When it comes to this trident, you need to ask yourself what your vision for this tree is. It is tall and elegant or shorter with a lot of movement? The ansewr to that will determine how you chop it. I'd say (IMHO) that either way it is going to need a chop to get rid of those two steps. That said, if you want a tall tree, you may choose to chop higher up. Of course I'd qualify that with two statements. One; if you like it as is, then leave it as is. What you like is the most important thing. You may be perfectly happy with a tree that has 'flaws'. Two; once it is chopped it is chopped. Get some help from people who can see the tree in the wood and make practicle suggestions based on what we may not be able to see in the pics posted here. Any person who cannot offer you a couple of potential solutions and help you with how to attain them is probably not the kind of person you need to talk to. You can always work on the rooting structure while you decisde what to do with the tree. Just don't chop on a whim and live to regret it!

Cheers,

Andrew

PS: Most importantly, enjoy your tree!!

[Andew09]

Lots and lots of good information and points of view here. I wish to thank you all for your views.

The trunk in it's current form was always something i intended working on, hence teaching myself along the way. How the scars heal up, how to cut back, how to ramify and so on. For now i'm very cautious and not leaning towards chopping the thing to a base as, and it's been mentioned in a few responses, i'm very new to Bonsai and would/will buy another tree for that if i choose to experiment that path.

I guess how i see it, is that this is my first major tree i'll have worked on and in any instance for any 'artist' and i use that term loosely as i'm far from that in the form of Bonsai, that you'll only even get better with time and lots and lots and lots of practice and probably most importantly listening to those teaching you. I'll be getting down to the next BSV workshop day with this and will be doing plenty of research and thinking of how/where i would like too attempt to style this tree. If the thing turns out to be a dogs breakfast, the relatively low outlay for what seems to have plenty of potential (going by the comments throughout this thread, whether it be because of hard wood cuttings or just plain persistence and so on) i'll be just as happy, IF along the way i learn and translate this into a. developing my eye and creating/teaching myself my own style as an 'artist' and b. using my developed, practiced and taught skills in developing my other trees i have purchased and will purchase along the way.

To me i've always had the idea in my head of a very strong and upright form for my first Trident. A more masculine and powerful tree. If i continue to work with this tree over the next few years and do not see the progression i am imagining, and presuming i'd have been taught and taught myself some better skills and understanding, i'd attempt the larger cut back. This being said i hope to have plenty more trees over this period of time which are worked on and purchased as a result of what i learn with this one, so it may be easier for me to do such radical changes to it as it subsides in personal/sentimental value into my collection.

I'll ensure to keep the conversation going here and post images and thoughts on the techniques i want/will use and it's progression, because all the points have led me down different paths and has really boosted my knowledge/awareness and understanding of the differrent techniques that could be applied. It has consumed my weekend as all i've been doing is reading and researching the techniques being discussed here and it's really helped me out in my first developments.

Now it's just time to wait for spring and start having some fun!! So please keep the thoughts, comments and opinions coming and if anyone has any images or ideas i'd love to hear them. I've really enjoyed reading it all. Although please no, well not too much bickering

Thanks again,

Andy

[Andew09]

Guys,

Here are a few more angles for your comment.

Love to hear more feedback/criticism on the tree. There are a few larger roots which aren't of any use to the tree anymore which i'm going to remove come spring and when the tree has had time to settle into it's pot and i've cut back some of the upper branches to the last buds to help show the top of the tree. I've also thought of the possibility of cutting down the second leader/trunk to create a new apex lower down to avoid the sharp angles going up the trunk.

I'm thinking about a better front angle with the tree before/if i cut the thing down in the next few years so any opinions would be great in helping me decide...

Andy

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[Waltron]

Gday Andy,

I just read through the thread and have to say I agree with the V-cut idea. If you want to keep the tall trunk you can always V-cut to a couple of branches higher up. The V-cut doesn't have to be symmetrical. You may be able to create something like these crude virts:

009-1.JPG

009-2.JPG

But because the trunk is so straight up to the cut it may be hard to achieve a natural look. Food for thought.

[Dumper]

since this post has going on for so long. i decided to add in my contribution.
Most ppl suggest to do is to do a big chop and start from scratch. which is what i do to. if i dont think the tree is good enough.
without the chop. i do think the tree has it's potential to be a very nice tree..
I understand that some ppl are afraid to do a big chop or do not want to wait for a long time to re develop a bonsai. cause that is our nature.

so here's my take for a virtual of the tree from pic 014 without doing a major chop. or v cut.

[Dumper]

with foliage..
im crap in doing virt with foliage. but here it is anyway

[kcpoole]

since this post has going on for so long. i decided to add in my contribution.
Most ppl suggest to do is to do a big chop and start from scratch. which is what i do to. if i dont think the tree is good enough.
without the chop. i do think the tree has it's potential to be a very nice tree..
I understand that some ppl are afraid to do a big chop or do not want to wait for a long time to re develop a bonsai. cause that is our nature.

so here's my take for a virtual of the tree from pic 014 without doing a major chop. or v cut.

Niiccee Dumper!!

I love the virts

Pretty much exactly like I would envision this tree to be in a few years, Tall, Full and Quite elegant to me.

Ken

edit, Maybe I would change the t left lower branches with just one 1/2 way between them, the top one looks a little like a bar branch.

[Dumper]

arigato kcpole

just a virt. the final result might look different a little.

Andrew. give it a go at doing something like that. if you dont like it down the track. u can always do to V chop later.

[Andew09]

Thanks Dumper/Ken,

This is exactly where i want this to go... Thanks for the input. Once the tree has settled in the pot i'll give it a good solid crack at getting the shape to somewhere along the lines of what's illustrated. A friend of mine has done a very quick sketch of what he invisages for the tree and it's very close to what both of you have said.

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I'll put pen to paper and come up with something which takes it all into account and post it up!

Thanks again guys...

[Dumper]

cool.

good luck