BVF's US National Bonsai Exhibition Entry

[Brian Van Fleet]

Thanks Greg, you're right on all counts, but the tree left town for Rochester this morning. I'm hoping the accent will be spaced a bit further from the tree, but for the photo, it was all the room I had on the bench. I did trim the accent plant down quite a bit.

The next phase for this tree will be to develop pads and a bit of space between them. I'm also planning to thread graft some roots to improve the nebari. The work necessary will mean a better tree, but will also mean 3-4 years where it won't be showable...which is actually very exciting. By then, maybe it will have a lighter colored pot!

 

[Smoke]

I have terrible luck with thread grafts and find approach grafts easier for me. You have luck with thread grafts?

 

[garywood]

I have terrible luck with thread grafts and find approach grafts easier for me. You have luck with thread grafts?

Al, not saying this is your problem but most failures i've seen on other thread grafts is not enlarging the hole a little on the side that doesn't get the graft. Another problem I've seen is drilling in the wrong direction. The drilling will leave one clean side and one ragged on the exit side. The graft site should be the clean side and the exit side enlarged a little with a knife so the graft doesn't "take" on the wrong side first. I have practically %100 success with thread grafts and more control of the angle in which the roots emerge.
Wood
http://thingsofwood-gary.blogspot.com/

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

This tree is an air layer from the one going to the show, and all the thread grafts took within a couple months. Branches may be different than roots, but it's hopeful. It seems thread graft roots emerge naturally and have less scarring to heal over, wonder why your success rate is lower? It's critical to get the scion out away from the shade of a canopy so it grows, but that has to be the case either way.

I have some cuttings going from the Shishio improved for thread grafting roots, trying to keep it pure. Kathy rolled her eyes at me when I told her this, but can't help but think it will also help success rate.

 

[fore]

Ive heard the opposite, that thread grafts leave a knob of scar tissue vs. approach grafts do not.