Hi Willem

Willem Carstens wrote:

Hi All

I have a trident maple with a really nicely tapered trunk, however all my
branches are currently
on the top third of the trunk.How do i go about encouraging lower branches
or do i have
to cut all branches off and start from scratch.

put it in a container a wooden box 4 fingers deep and the size to
contain comfortably your tree probably 50 cm x 40 cm drill some holes
for drainage and put the trident in it with a good soil eitehr akadama
or a regular soil 1/3 clay sand and black loam and leave it tehre
for 2 years the third clip a little bit the roots and leave 2 more
yares in the box

during this time keep control of the apex but leave theh lower
branches grow from spring to autumn & cut them in autumn the size you
need and leave thehm grow again the follwing year same , business
and you'll have the low branches thicker more furnished and the
trunk still tapered and thicker as well

you can do the same making instead of a wooden box a round box t
just with metallic grid 3x3 mm holes, roots will not get over the
holes and you will not risk to have rot rots , an excellent drainage
and air circulation but of course according your climate survay
evaporation it is higher than in a wooden box or pot

Regards
Willem Carstens
Johannesburg,South Africa.

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