Totally agree with all your points here. I tend to do big trunk cuts as late as possible in Winter/early in spring just as the tree is coming out of dormancy. 👍 Nice trunk developing on that trident at around 11:00. In fact, trunk on them all looking great. 👍
Very nice trident mapeles 👍 i like the second ! Nice Flow in the Trunk ❤. I wont to craft Next year an branch of an trident Maple too . I wish you luck 👍 cheers 🍻
Xav I am really enjoying all your videos lately big stars big info and beautiful trees what more can you ask thank you for your time in saving me wasting mine
Since jelle visited I have managed to change things up a little so i do appreciate you letting me know whaat you think. More of Corin next week and of course the big visit to Jason's garden too :)
I do all of my pruning, including heavy stuff, around about this time of year. I get his point about the wounds not healing as efficiently, but I still think late autumn/winter is a great time to do this work. I've never had any serious issues.
They will be fine - this was more cautionary for those hobbyists who are still ucnertain or new. I have been chopping mine back quite hard because I also have a cold frame.
I also prune hard without any issues on most my deciduous but I did want to put out a message to some people who are less experience that there is nothing wrong with waiting until Spring. Some of the messages we convey on RUclips can sometimes get a little misleading to a beginner :)
Super video Xavier, clarified my previous query nicely. Although now I have another one! I'm a bit surprised you say trident maples are hardy in average UK winters... I thought they would struggle in anything sub-zero! Thanks, Mark
Not at all. The vulnerable time is normally the end of winter when we get a false spring followed by a cold snap. This is the time when all the leaves have just opened up but are still very delicate...the frost will destroy that growth. So...keep an eye on the early spring weather and be ready to cold protect if we get a freezing snap after leaves have just opened. I did a video on this in 2022
Hi Xav your are dead right withnot overdoing structure prunning in the autumn or early winter. My thought about using cut paste on a dead stub is wasting cut paste, critters will not bother with dead parts of the tree, unless by cutting you have gone into live wood ( thats my opinion ) its your tree my friend do what if you feel is right, its what is known as an advantageous bud, great when they pop in the right place, just to frustrate us they pop in the wrong place. All good pruning advice, I have just done some of mine. Done the wash last week. All the best xav.
What a lesson 😍❤️👍 My little trident needs me having exactly those inputs, to become a beautiful tree sometime 🥰❤️ My little one, much cheaper than yours as you know. Although bought from a bonsai nursery, it has some unpleasant structural issues. This video makes me feel quite confident I‘ll resolve those. Thanks a lot 🙏😘 Cheers 🙋♀️ Martina
Definitely true - I am really trying to send out a generalised message beased on some of the questions that came back after my Jap maple pruning video.
I keep this rule of thumb for pruning deciduous in autumn: use only scissors or a small concave cutter to prune that thing. Leave a stub, but seal it and you should be oké next spring.
Awesome advice on pruning strategy! I've started to use your bud selection method on some trees this autumn. I've stuck to trees that grow in my zone and will be winter protected. I like to leave some trees unpruned to see how next year's growth comes out. Should be a fun spring!!
Hope it isnt a bad time for pruning just cutback a forsythia hard (non bonsai). 😅 You're so funny Xavier, clearly know your stuff but you like to have a laugh. Enjoyed watching you and Jason as so much contrast between you both. Such nice people do Bonsai!!
Forsythia will be more than happy. I should be releasing my visit to Jason on Saturday. I delayed it because he put two similiar videos out in the meantime. A little 'healthy' competition :)
@XaviersBonsaiRetreat oh btw the guy at Savin remembered you, he says they had loads visit mentioning you. Grabbed a larch Forest, a very large Larch, a Chinese Elm large, then some starter yews, a thuja and a couple of maples. Gave me an unexpected discount. It's like Temu of the Bonsai world that place. I was tempted by more but decided against it.
Hi Xavier lovely to meet you today at Greenwood’s my first time visiting certainly will not be the last amazing and I mean amazing.another informative no nonsense advice approach especially for us newbie’s to bonsai I purchased a trident maple recently from the internet unfortunately when it arrived one of the main branches had broken off so made a clean cut with my concave pruners and sealed the wound the piece that broke off I took a fair few heal cuttings dipped them into clonex planted them now in my greenhouse fingers crossed they take well that’s the hope 😂
Xav have you considered ring barking THE BRUTE TRIDENTS roots all the way around. There is an interesting you tube video on it by a Japanese guy that you might check out.
That has definitely beenmentioned by someone before but i couldn't find the video. I am going to be doing something radical with it next spring to try and sort the root mess out :)
I would let them in the ground until repotting season when you can. (Repotting season=when the buds start te swell) after taking them out off the ground make sure to give them protection when it freezes!
I would definitely wait until spring and be certain that they may not prefer another year in the ground. i have a video next spring based on putting trees baack into the ground for thickening. After chatting with Jelle I am now keeping them in the ground for another couple of years.
Only have one Trident. And it's lost all its leaves, but most other maples I have are full of leaves . Strange I never noticed this before is this common?
Yes - you will see it across most deciduous trees. It amazes me that you can have 7 trees in a forest and two of them will still be green whilst 5 are brown :)
Hi Xavier, wish I did know this sooner. I did an air layer and literally did a trunk chop to remove the air layer. The lower trunk which will be destined for bonsai does not have any branches nor it is branching at the moment. Is there any chance that it will survive? The upper part of the air layer is where all the branches are and it is living well. I am concerned about the lower trunk. I mean it has all the roots there so my intuition is that it will survive and backbud on spring. What are your thoughts about it.
Without seeing it I woudl suggest that if it has healthy roots it should be fine in the spring. We often cut baack tridents to just the bare trunk and they sprout new leaders for us the following year. Just make sure the wound is properly sealed. Let mee know how it responds next year :)
just found your channel so thought id subscribe.. ive been on a mission contacting youtubers that bonsai and so far noone is willing to help me. all i want is a professional to have a look at my acer bonsai. i dug it up out of my orchard at the end of may this year . would love to have a mentor so to speak. if you fancy having a look id be really happy :)
I have no problems with having a look at some pictures or video of the maple BUT I am definitely not an expert. Just someone who has been playing at bonsai for 20 years :)
@@XaviersBonsaiRetreat that will make you the only one willing to look at it. ive uploaded 30 or so pictures. youtube is limiting what i can say on here mate
Great horticulture and very good pruning advice!
Now that is a first! I've never been accused of 'great horticulture' before :) Thanks Dave
Totally agree with all your points here. I tend to do big trunk cuts as late as possible in Winter/early in spring just as the tree is coming out of dormancy. 👍
Nice trunk developing on that trident at around 11:00. In fact, trunk on them all looking great. 👍
Thanks jason
Boxwood is another one that is happy to back bud. All ya gotta do is wait, you can get a branch to grow just about anywhere ya want!
Definitely agreee with you on that. I have a couple of box stumps that are loads of fun to work with.
Awesome stuff Xav! Great timely tips as always. You're sitting on a nice little trident nest egg there mate
I think I might have to agree with you - unless the markets do a trident maple value reset :)
Very nice trident mapeles 👍 i like the second ! Nice Flow in the Trunk ❤. I wont to craft Next year an branch of an trident Maple too . I wish you luck 👍 cheers 🍻
Thanks Tom
Xav I am really enjoying all your videos lately big stars big info and beautiful trees what more can you ask thank you for your time in saving me wasting mine
Since jelle visited I have managed to change things up a little so i do appreciate you letting me know whaat you think. More of Corin next week and of course the big visit to Jason's garden too :)
Oops! I already pruned mine, Hope they survive!
I do all of my pruning, including heavy stuff, around about this time of year. I get his point about the wounds not healing as efficiently, but I still think late autumn/winter is a great time to do this work. I've never had any serious issues.
They will be fine - this was more cautionary for those hobbyists who are still ucnertain or new. I have been chopping mine back quite hard because I also have a cold frame.
I also prune hard without any issues on most my deciduous but I did want to put out a message to some people who are less experience that there is nothing wrong with waiting until Spring. Some of the messages we convey on RUclips can sometimes get a little misleading to a beginner :)
Super video Xavier, clarified my previous query nicely.
Although now I have another one! I'm a bit surprised you say trident maples are hardy in average UK winters... I thought they would struggle in anything sub-zero! Thanks, Mark
Not at all. The vulnerable time is normally the end of winter when we get a false spring followed by a cold snap. This is the time when all the leaves have just opened up but are still very delicate...the frost will destroy that growth. So...keep an eye on the early spring weather and be ready to cold protect if we get a freezing snap after leaves have just opened. I did a video on this in 2022
Hi Xav your are dead right withnot overdoing structure prunning in the autumn or early winter. My thought about using cut paste on a dead stub is wasting cut paste, critters will not bother with dead parts of the tree, unless by cutting you have gone into live wood ( thats my opinion ) its your tree my friend do what if you feel is right, its what is known as an advantageous bud, great when they pop in the right place, just to frustrate us they pop in the wrong place. All good pruning advice, I have just done some of mine. Done the wash last week. All the best xav.
Thanks for the reminder on the correctt term - the last time I heard that was on one of Ryan Neils videos :)
What a lesson 😍❤️👍 My little trident needs me having exactly those inputs, to become a beautiful tree sometime 🥰❤️ My little one, much cheaper than yours as you know. Although bought from a bonsai nursery, it has some unpleasant structural issues. This video makes me feel quite confident I‘ll resolve those. Thanks a lot 🙏😘 Cheers 🙋♀️ Martina
I know that tree of yours is going to look great.
Really enjoying your video's Xavier lots of tips and good quality information on a variety of trees. Love it keep em coming my friend . 👍👍
I will do my best but the grip of cold days are definitely curtailing much work for me :)
If the trees are protected over winter, eg cold greenhouse this can affect your choice.
Definitely true - I am really trying to send out a generalised message beased on some of the questions that came back after my Jap maple pruning video.
very instructive, well done and thanks a lot....
Just the way i approach stuff but thank you so much for watching :)
I keep this rule of thumb for pruning deciduous in autumn: use only scissors or a small concave cutter to prune that thing. Leave a stub, but seal it and you should be oké next spring.
I think that sums it up perfectly. I took 32 minutes to say the same thing :)
Great insights Xavier!
Cheers Dave - it's definitely getting a lot wetter here :(
Awesome advice on pruning strategy! I've started to use your bud selection method on some trees this autumn. I've stuck to trees that grow in my zone and will be winter protected. I like to leave some trees unpruned to see how next year's growth comes out. Should be a fun spring!!
That sound slike a perfect plan - it is always best to have comparison trees to help decide if a process actually makes any difference
Hope it isnt a bad time for pruning just cutback a forsythia hard (non bonsai). 😅
You're so funny Xavier, clearly know your stuff but you like to have a laugh.
Enjoyed watching you and Jason as so much contrast between you both.
Such nice people do Bonsai!!
Forsythia will be more than happy. I should be releasing my visit to Jason on Saturday. I delayed it because he put two similiar videos out in the meantime. A little 'healthy' competition :)
@XaviersBonsaiRetreat oh btw the guy at Savin remembered you, he says they had loads visit mentioning you. Grabbed a larch Forest, a very large Larch, a Chinese Elm large, then some starter yews, a thuja and a couple of maples. Gave me an unexpected discount. It's like Temu of the Bonsai world that place. I was tempted by more but decided against it.
@@luigiluigi2098 So happy you had a good experience.
Hi Xavier lovely to meet you today at Greenwood’s my first time visiting certainly will not be the last amazing and I mean amazing.another informative no nonsense advice approach especially for us newbie’s to bonsai I purchased a trident maple recently from the internet unfortunately when it arrived one of the main branches had broken off so made a clean cut with my concave pruners and sealed the wound the piece that broke off I took a fair few heal cuttings dipped them into clonex planted them now in my greenhouse fingers crossed they take well that’s the hope 😂
It was great to chat and as for the cutting - nothing gained if you don't ry.
Great show with advice thx Xavier
A couple of those are looking really good for 2025 now.
Thanks xav!
Cheers for joining me :)
Hi, do you need to be worrying about the internode length at this stage of the tree? Thanks
Thanks Xavier 👍
It is a pleasure doing this work :)
Xav have you considered ring barking THE BRUTE TRIDENTS roots all the way around. There is an interesting you tube video on it by a Japanese guy that you might check out.
That has definitely beenmentioned by someone before but i couldn't find the video. I am going to be doing something radical with it next spring to try and sort the root mess out :)
Lovely job, thanks
Cheers for watching Raymond
Front at 10:29
Thanks Kennet
Spring
Brilliant
I have some acer trees in the ground for trunk thickening, should I wait for Spring to dig them up to put in pots?
I would let them in the ground until repotting season when you can. (Repotting season=when the buds start te swell) after taking them out off the ground make sure to give them protection when it freezes!
yes,yes,yes.
I would definitely wait until spring and be certain that they may not prefer another year in the ground. i have a video next spring based on putting trees baack into the ground for thickening. After chatting with Jelle I am now keeping them in the ground for another couple of years.
I definitely agree with you on the risk associated with flase spring frosts burning off new buds. Anything like this I would also do in Spring.
yes yes yes too
Instead of trident maples, you could look for Acer Ginnala. Lovely autumn colours and more robust than the tridents.
I've never heard of that species so i shall look out for one. Thanks
Only have one Trident. And it's lost all its leaves, but most other maples I have are full of leaves . Strange I never noticed this before is this common?
Yes - you will see it across most deciduous trees. It amazes me that you can have 7 trees in a forest and two of them will still be green whilst 5 are brown :)
😊
Always good to see a smile at the beginning of the day :)
Hi Xavier, wish I did know this sooner. I did an air layer and literally did a trunk chop to remove the air layer. The lower trunk which will be destined for bonsai does not have any branches nor it is branching at the moment. Is there any chance that it will survive? The upper part of the air layer is where all the branches are and it is living well. I am concerned about the lower trunk. I mean it has all the roots there so my intuition is that it will survive and backbud on spring. What are your thoughts about it.
Without seeing it I woudl suggest that if it has healthy roots it should be fine in the spring. We often cut baack tridents to just the bare trunk and they sprout new leaders for us the following year. Just make sure the wound is properly sealed. Let mee know how it responds next year :)
Whips are for poking the eyes?
I missed that one :)
just found your channel so thought id subscribe.. ive been on a mission contacting youtubers that bonsai and so far noone is willing to help me. all i want is a professional to have a look at my acer bonsai. i dug it up out of my orchard at the end of may this year . would love to have a mentor so to speak. if you fancy having a look id be really happy :)
I have no problems with having a look at some pictures or video of the maple BUT I am definitely not an expert. Just someone who has been playing at bonsai for 20 years :)
@@XaviersBonsaiRetreat that will make you the only one willing to look at it. ive uploaded 30 or so pictures. youtube is limiting what i can say on here mate
@@XaviersBonsaiRetreat are you on instagram? taken me multiple attempts just to get the reply to you.
@@XaviersBonsaiRetreat just uploaded a 360 of what it looks like atm mate.. 5 pics
@@BenshobbyStuff Where have you uploaded. Just checked your channel and my inbox?
I must be a trident as I’m lumpy too……
😂
😂
Never!! I just think you carry your excess baggage in style :)
@@XaviersBonsaiRetreat😂
👍👌👍
Thanks as always for your support Bruce
jay!
I still need to decide how to approach 'The Brute' :)