AusBonsai

It was a miserable day here today but I need to get on with repotting.
This is one of my tridents in training.Plenty of roots around the edges and underneath.First I cut around the edges to remove the matted new roots. Use root shears or an old pruning saw.Then remove the layer of tangled new roots from the base of the rootball.Now it is a little easier to comb the old mix out of the remaining roots. Use a root rake, a hook or the point of the root shears.Work from the trunk outwards. This will help arrange roots into a radial arrangement and improve nebari in future.Now the remaining roots can be shortened to leave room for new ones to grow. Cut larger roots back quite hard under the rootball. This will encourage lateral roots and inmprove nebari in future. Finally, pot it back into the pot.

Excellant tutorial. Even a very good reminder for us older exponents. I'm off outside now to commence work on one of mine, I just need to inspiration.

Thats a good set Neil, Nice tree too !!!

gr8 post Neil!

Thank you for sharing Neil, ripper trident!
In some of the pics (especially the last one) I can see some shoots at the base. Are these approach grafts to aid in the root growth/spread...or are they serving another purpose?
As I am a beginner, can you please inform me of their purpose and function?
Cheers, Dario.

Thanks to all for positive comment.
Dario, you are correct about the approach grafts at the base of the tree. There are gaps in the rootage that mean the nebari is not as good as it could be so i am attempting to add roots in the spaces where they are lacking.
in the last pic you can see that i have cut the tops off 2 that had united well last year an added one new one in another space. The other one has not yet grafted properly so I'll give it another chance this year. I'll find some time to put up a separate post showing the process I use.

Thanks very much for explaining what the shoots are for Shibui
I very much look forward to learning more about how you go about this process when you address this technique in a thread as you mentioned
I hope the remaining graft takes this year.
It really is a lovely trident and I hope that in the distant future after many years of learning and practising, I can grow a trident that is a tenth as good as this one .
Cheers, Dario

Here's the new post showing how i add roots to a bonsaiviewtopic.php?f=7&t=12263

How are the Tridents coming along?

Its a bit early for any movement yet where I am. Only the very earliest species are showing signs of life yet but I expect all these maples to power away this season as they have for the last 20 or more.
Since this post I have been repotting quite a few more bonsai. Tridents, japanese maples and a few chinese elms that needed repotting this year. Still a few to do as well. i'll try to remember to update as the season progresses.