AusBonsai

Mid winter is past so it is time to start digging the trees I have had in the grow beds over summer.
I start with the trident maples because I have never had any adverse reaction to early work on them.

These trees have been growing well over summer They were all dug, root pruned and top pruned last winter so all the tall stems you see here have grown over summer. Digging these is quite easy because they were root pruned last winter so I only have to cut through relatively thin roots.
I've washed the roots so you can see where the old roots were cut and lots of new white roots have emerged from the cut ends. With other species it is not so much of a problem but tridents love to grow new roots just under the surface. Trees that are planted too deep can grow new roots too high on the trunk. If this tree had stayed in the grow bed any longest that high root would have ruined the good nebari and created reverse taper on the trunk.

Does this recent dig mean we can look forward to another fresh update of the catalogue on your website, Neil?

Nice work Neil I need to get out your way again . Are you excepting locals at your place atm ?

I dug some trident fusion trials today.
This is not to promote fusion as a viable method for bonsai. Many of these have failed to live up to expectations and all have taken far longer than expected. I am sure I can grow far better trunks to similar size in the same time frame without resorting to fusion. Pics are for info only.

These first ones are accidental fusions after I left some bunches of seedlings in the grow beds for a year. Only these few were kept as they had possibilities. Note the twine holding this one together. The trunks had not fused properly when I planted them so the twine was intended to hold the trunks together tight enough to force fusion. It appears that bale twine does not stretch as the trunks expand and it has cut off circulation and killed some roots. I will put this one back into the ground and hope new roots will grow next summer.
Early stages of trident seedling fusion project. 1 year from seedlings. Trunks are just beginning to graft together.
Attempt to get a larger trunk to go with the others here.
Nice match between the 2 larger trunks but not sure about the smaller rear trunks. I can always cut off one or both if they don't live up to expectations. From seedlings planted close together and left for a year.
Base of above now well fused together
You can probably pick that this one was planned. The seedlings were given a twist in the hope of producing a trunk with added character. Now 4 years in and still waiting for proper fusion.