Melted cheese nebari

Dr.GreenThumb

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Hey folks !

I am trying to find out how to create very large nebari that look like melted cheese.
I found some links (grafting roots, tourniquet) but I'd like to be aware of all the possible solutions.

Here is the link to see what kind of nebari I am talking about:
http://samedge.wordpress.com/2010/12/03/incredible-nebari/ (amazing pictures)

img_4806.jpg


Do you guys know how to do this kind of things (with details) ?

Thanks...
 
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bonsaiTOM

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Sorry, I do not know - but....melted cheese? I'd rather think of lava flow - more......organic? ;)
 

bonsaiTOM

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Quick follow up to say that that is one awesome tree. Where does the photo come from?

I'd guess that the tree is the result of an extremely good air-layer, and then spent many years growing on a tile or other very flat stone. Just my guess. Any other opinions out there?
 

Bonsai Nut

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This reminds me (somewhat) of a long thread discussing nebari development techniques for tropical bonsai in Vietnam. In that case the focus was dramatic taper versus the flat "melted cheese" effect, but the general approach is the same:

(1) Let upper tree grow strongly for strong root growth
(2) Remove all downward growing roots
(3) Grow in a shallow tray, or on a tile, to force roots to grow laterally
(4) Constantly trim large roots that grow laterally, so that you develop a perfect fringe or "crown" of very fine roots

You have to watch the energy balance carefully until the tree has been trained to grow this way because you will be creating a lot of stress.
 

Dr.GreenThumb

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Sorry, I do not know - but....melted cheese? I'd rather think of lava flow - more......organic? ;)

I am a french guy. So I guess cheese is best for me :)

In the link on top of the picture it is a brief description of the technique:
3 days to repot the tree; he puts the roots in some kind of slots to make them grow together to merge them.

I understand it but I wanted to know if some of you knew a bit more about it.
I am currently trying something similar with ficus as the roots grow much faster. Actually I'm trying many technics to unlock this beautiful secret :)
 
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This is Mr. Ebihara's tree from Japan. He was the premier maple grower in Japan (probably the world). I say 'was' because he was diagnosed with cancer and has had to sell off all his trees and does not do bonsai anymore. I am friends with his former assistant who told me there were many innovative techniques that he developed, many had to do with the careful positioning of roots at transplanting, grafting roots to the tree, etc. He also planted the trees in very shallow pots and would water them 5+ times a day - very sparingly - so as to encourage and promote surface roots. This was also very important.
John
 

Dr.GreenThumb

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Thanks that's a good start.

Do you think his former assistant could share his knowledge about it ?
Or if he did in a book or ... ?

It would be great to get aware of all these "many innovative techniques" (if possible).
Let us know.
 

rockm

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Main ingredient is time, lots of it...
 

Dr.GreenThumb

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I knew that, however you can spend 30 years doing the wrong things.
You need to know the technique if you wanna achieve such a thing...
 

Concorde

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Beautiful green leaf maple. The nebari, in my opinion, is overkill. Simply put, "It does not look natural".

Art
 
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There is also a nice post on that same blog about Ebihara when Jonas visited. I visited Mr. Tsukada in November in Japan. He is an azalea specialist who also works with Japanese maples. He previously shared a growing field with Mr. Ebihara and they were bonsai friends. Mr. Tsukada has utilized some of these same techniques as well. Here is a photo of a couple of Mr. Tsukada's maples (I did not ask if he purchased these from Mr. Ebihara or they were his own, but he had many like these). Mr. Green Thumb, I will see my friend in June and can ask him about some of the other techniques. He does not use the internet much.
John
 

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Dr.GreenThumb

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Thanks for the link Satsuki.

Mr. Romano, that a really great news! I really hope he will tell us these secrets.
Please, don't forget to tell us :)

You said he is an Azalea specialist, any tips to grow large trunk a bit faster (except being very patient) ?
 
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Getting BIG trunks is attained by first growing the the tree in the ground - that is the best way to do it.

Mr. Ebihara is someone who did things the right way for 30 + years. Learning proper technique and experience are the only way to lay the proper groundwork. There is no easy way to get to that point. Here is one of Mr. Tsukada's azaleas that was grown in the ground for about 7 years before putting it in this training box a few years ago to then work on branch development.
 

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sfhellwig

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The original picture reminds me of a procedure in Bonsai With Japanese Maples. The tree is tied to an upside down plate. The plate has been pre-drilled with holes around it's perimeter. Once planted in a flat or the ground, roots will grow outward because of the plate but also down through the holes for better water and food. Once you lift it you cut all of the downward roots and break the plate, left with a flat, outward growing root system. I think there was also a way of growing a seedling through a hole in the middle of the plate. Once it grew so fat the plate would tourniquet the tree and force it to grow a new root system along the top of the plate. The results would be a very radial system, much like a ground layer. It's been a while since I read the book, need to reread.
 

satsuki

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Getting BIG trunks is attained by first growing the the tree in the ground - that is the best way to do it.

Mr. Ebihara is someone who did things the right way for 30 + years. Learning proper technique and experience are the only way to lay the proper groundwork. There is no easy way to get to that point. Here is one of Mr. Tsukada's azaleas that was grown in the ground for about 7 years before putting it in this training box a few years ago to then work on branch development.

Nice tree!!!
 

John Kirby

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THe "ebihara Technique" is very well covered in KInbon Magazine (May, 2001). It is not for the faint of hearted or lazy, looking for a quick fix, type. It frequently tok several days to repot each maple, as the roots were individually positioned. I want to thank John Romano for lending me his copy of this Kinbon, I had read it at Boon's , but having time to go back to it was really nice. Thanks John, now I need to get it back to you.

JOhn
 
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Hi John this is Sam the blogger that posted this photograph. You are correct. He indicated that it typically takes about three days to repot each of these trees. He indicated that he took an extreme amount of time arranging the roots of the tree. You are also correct on the amount of watering. He also indicated that he fertilized the tree at least 3-4 times per week.

I also believe he did numerous root grafts to increase volume and to fill in the areas where the tree's natural roots were not growing. I will be posting a photo in the next few days that shows this technique as it was being performed at Shinji Suzuki's.

It is very sad to know of his illness. He was incredibly brilliant in his approach to his trees and especially so in that he described that he didn't have formal training. I enjoyed having dinner with him in 2008 shortly after these photographs were taken. Best to you.
 
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