Trident Forest Planting

[Raging Bull]

Hi All,
I have a number of trident maples which had been growing in a styrofoam grow-box since July 2017. In July this year I root pruned and repotted them in a shallower basket, roughly grouping them in preparation for planting into a bonsai pot. They are now growing vigorously and look healthy.
My question is;- is it too soon to repot them again into the bonsai pot, or should I do the prudent thing and let them recover for this growing season and repot next winter.
I know they are very hardy, but don't want to risk losing them because I've been impatient. All advice on this would be welcome.
Cheers, Frank.

[MJL]

Ok - amateur view follows:

If it was me - I'd now wait until next season, probably spring but you could do autumn if you're really impatient. Poor little trees were root pruned and re-planted just a few months ago. Let 'em settle and knit a little.

Next season you'll still be able to seperate and re-arrange if needed but if some knitted - good to keep them that way when you repot next year.

I am sure there are many that would keep them in a training grow bed for much longer, to thicken up the trunks but .... I am not that patient!

In the meantime, keep thinking through the final design and placement and always keep an eye out for additional trees over the next few months as well. For example, if you have a final design in mind; you may come across a more mature tree that is perhaps cheap because it is poorly formed but .... might just fit a space in your forest planting.

I won't be offended if more experienced growers correct my advice. No drama.

[shibui]

Without knowing how hard you pruned those roots I would say leave them be for this year. It is likely there will be new, white roots emerging from the ends of the cut roots. these new white roots are extremely brittle and most are likely to break off while you are unpotting or repotting. As you say, tridents are pretty resilient and would probably just get up and grow new roots but if there's any added stress they might just give up.

I would not describe the tridents in that photo as

growing vigorously and look healthy.

There are 2 on the right that are barely growing and most of the others just have 1 or 2 medium apical shoots and very few buds from lower down. Maybe that's good for QLD conditions? Down here I would expect many more buds to sprout after a trunk chop and repot.

[melbrackstone]

It's too soon...

[Raging Bull]

Thank you for your input. I will let them recover until next spring.
Shibui, sorry the photo is a couple of months old and was taken just as they were breaking out of their buds. Since then I've already given them a light pruning as they were getting very leggy and I wanted a bushier canopy that spreads a bit so they would shade the soil and roots over summer.
Cheers,
Frank.

[Ryceman3]

sorry the photo is a couple of months old and was taken just as they were breaking out of their buds.

That makes more sense! Look forward to seeing what you come up with - nice growth on a few of those bases.