How to increase nebari (or even that big outside roots)

RJG2

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The root cuttings should be all under the substrate or leave a tip outside to grow ?

Tip outside to grow - up to you how much you want to expose really.

The biggest thing to watch out for is how much reverse taper there is above soil level.
 

BobbyLane

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Heres a thread on some root cuttings i took from an English elm shohin tree, look up that thread too...

they do root very easliy and this one has become extremely vigorous in a matter of a season. the raft im building is the only one that survived tho
 

mapleX

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To get better nebari with more than just a couple of thick roots the few original roots need to be chopped ruthlessly to promote more lateral roots from the trunk and to get ramification on the few existing roots.

In this type of situation, would not a layer be more convenient and not risk the life of the tree?
 

giventofly

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Shibui

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The root cuttings should be all under the substrate or leave a tip outside to grow ?
Root cuttings will often grow no matter what you do to them. you'll see that if you make the mistake of digging near a Chinese elm tree or other species prone to root suckering. I've even had some grow after planting the roots upside down but generally best results from planting the roots vertical with around 1/2" to 1" of the top (part which was closest to the tree) above soil level.

Some pics of Chinese elm root cuttings:
elm root cuttings 2017 2.JPGelm root cuttings 2017 3.JPGelm root cuttings 2017 5.JPG
Even quite thick roots will strike if you have them and that's a good start on your next Chinese elm trunk!
elm root cuttings 2017 6.JPG
Root cuttings planted. These are thicker so I have a little more than usual above soil level.
P1170548.JPG
12 months later:
Chinese elm root cuttings 1yo 01.JPG
The 2 long shoots have grown from the top of the root cutting and roots from the bottom. What was once a piece of root is not the first part of the new trunk.
Chinese elm root cuttings 1yo 02.JPG
look close to see the join between old root and new shoot (quite low this time). The difference in thickness gives a good start to trunk taper.
Chinese elm root cuttings 1yo 05.JPG

A couple of years later:
P1170546.JPGP1170547.JPG

And after a few more years:
This one is English elm but similar response to Chinese elm. You can probably pick out the change in diameter from the original root to the new part of the trunk. This one has also grown a new, thinner branch part way down the original root - bonus.
P1170545.JPG

A couple more really small Chinese elms grown from root cuttings:
Start with a straight piece of root and keep several of the new shoots for broom style
IMGP8644.JPG

Use a long, bendy root for a literati style shohin Chinese elm
IMGP8638.JPG
 

giventofly

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Root cuttings will often grow no matter what you do to them. you'll see that if you make the mistake of digging near a Chinese elm tree or other species prone to root suckering. I've even had some grow after planting the roots upside down but generally best results from planting the roots vertical with around 1/2" to 1" of the top (part which was closest to the tree) above soil level.

Some pics of Chinese elm root cuttings:
View attachment 450037View attachment 450038View attachment 450039
Even quite thick roots will strike if you have them and that's a good start on your next Chinese elm trunk!
View attachment 450040
Root cuttings planted. These are thicker so I have a little more than usual above soil level.
View attachment 450041
12 months later:
View attachment 450034
The 2 long shoots have grown from the top of the root cutting and roots from the bottom. What was once a piece of root is not the first part of the new trunk.
View attachment 450035
look close to see the join between old root and new shoot (quite low this time). The difference in thickness gives a good start to trunk taper.
View attachment 450036

A couple of years later:
View attachment 450043View attachment 450044

And after a few more years:
This one is English elm but similar response to Chinese elm. You can probably pick out the change in diameter from the original root to the new part of the trunk. This one has also grown a new, thinner branch part way down the original root - bonus.
View attachment 450042

A couple more really small Chinese elms grown from root cuttings:
Start with a straight piece of root and keep several of the new shoots for broom style
View attachment 450047

Use a long, bendy root for a literati style shohin Chinese elm
View attachment 450046
awesome trees!

Having root cuttings all so near each other don't make them entangle in a way it can be hard to separate them ?
 

Shibui

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Having root cuttings all so near each other don't make them entangle in a way it can be hard to separate them ?
Not sure why so many people are concerned about roots. I guess it comes with experience. We can cut roots no problem. We can untangle roots no problem. Just look at the size of the roots I started with. They came from other Chinese elm bonsai as a normal part of root pruning which means I have cut off some quite large roots and I fully expect the donor trees to survive and thrive after.
While the clump of 1 year root cuttings above may look impossibly intertwined with a bit of shaking and gentle persuasion the roots slide out from the cluster reasonably easy. Even if a couple break off that's no real problem, in fact there's another root cutting already!
 

Cajunrider

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awesome trees!

Having root cuttings all so near each other don't make them entangle in a way it can be hard to separate them ?
Check out my thread on how I sorted out two Chinese elms largely ignored in a pot for 2 years. The roots were all intertwined and had to be sorted out. I wound up make 6 new trees out of 2. I even have a couple example of how I splayed out the roots on boards and grew 2 trees out of root cuttings.

 
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