10 ways to thicken your Bonsai Trunks

penumbra

Imperial Masterpiece
Messages
9,377
Reaction score
15,841
Location
Front Royal, VA
USDA Zone
6
Thanks for sharing this very down to earth video. There is something here for everyone.
 

Daniel_UK

Sapling
Messages
30
Reaction score
42
Location
Essex, England
USDA Zone
9
Funnily enough I watched this a few days ago and took a lot away from it. Thanks for sharing.
 

Mr.Dr.K

Sapling
Messages
38
Reaction score
16
Location
United States, Oregon
USDA Zone
8b
Curiously, what are the maintenance requirments for ground growing Maples? Pot-grown plants require root prooning and repotting. Do ground grown trees need to be plucked periodically and root pruned, or left alone until ready to go into a training pot to recover before being moved to a Bonsai Pot?
 

Deep Sea Diver

Masterpiece
Messages
4,412
Reaction score
9,121
Location
Bothell, WA
USDA Zone
8b
Curiously, what are the maintenance requirments for ground growing Maples?
Pot-grown plants require root prooning and repotting. Do ground grown trees need to be plucked periodically and root pruned, or left alone until ready to go into a training pot to recover before being moved to a Bonsai Pot?
There are several threads here on ground growing maples. They would be well worth the time it takes to seek out.

Here’s @Brian Van Fleet ’s contest thread for starters.
….. and @Shibui ’s post to summarize.

Can’t say much more…. We pretty much follow these techniques.

cheers
DSD sends
 

madvillain

Seedling
Messages
17
Reaction score
43
Curiously, what are the maintenance requirments for ground growing Maples? Pot-grown plants require root prooning and repotting. Do ground grown trees need to be plucked periodically and root pruned, or left alone until ready to go into a training pot to recover before being moved to a Bonsai Pot?

I’m still a novice but what I’ve gathered from countless hours of research is that you should periodically root prune field grown material to prevent tap roots from getting too large or rogue nebari roots. Although some opt to let their trees run free to the size trunk they desire and then deal with nebari at a later stage. Really up to the grower to decide on the strategy
 

Baku1875

Shohin
Messages
414
Reaction score
590
Location
Southeast Florida
USDA Zone
10b
I’m still a novice but what I’ve gathered from countless hours of research is that you should periodically root prune field grown material to prevent tap roots from getting too large or rogue nebari roots. Although some opt to let their trees run free to the size trunk they desire and then deal with nebari at a later stage. Really up to the grower to decide on the strategy
I agree, and it's one of those things that can 'run away' in terms of scope if you dont do it often enough. If you let a tree depend on a taproot and deep deep roots for too long, it will be a greater shock when you remove that tap root.

I have gone full circle from *plant it in largest container possible with fast draining medium and high CEC*, to *using appropriate sized container for the phase of the tree's development and doing progressive training, even if it 'slows the tree down'*. For a lot of the stuff that I propagated this year, my first spring task will be to remove each from their pot, conically delete roots around the taproot, and repot in same container or move to shallower container ie- 12 inch terracotta saucer with holes drilled for 'radial training'.

I'd much prefer arriving at a well crafted small shohin or even mame with a great root flare, taper, ramification and a thoughtful design than have a much bigger tree that is missing those key ingredients. With larger trees that have not been root pruned often, the adaptation time from strong tree with deep taproot to a bonsai potted tree will be much longer, and you will have less control over details when compared to a more gradually and frequently manicured tree.
 
Top Bottom