Naka repotting Goshin!!

[D'Angelo]

had to share http://networkedblogs.com/Rh2sT

 

[md4958]

Thank you for sharing that. Nice to see Mr Naka in action.

Does anybody know what he used the nails for?

 

[chansen]

Thank you for sharing that. Nice to see Mr Naka in action.

Does anybody know what he used the nails for?

They're likely there to add iron and help prevent chlorosis. I prefer adding chelated iron as needed.

 

[lordy]

That was very cool indeed. Two of the helpers (John (Jack) Cardon and Dave Garvin) were members of the club I am in. If I'm not mistaken, both were actually past Presidents. Quite likely they were both instrumental in the early days of the National Bonsai Foundation, also formed at that very location, the US National Arboretum. That's nearly 40 year old history, and the video was almost 20 years old. Good stuff.

 

[DougB]

Thanks for sharing. Truly has a special place in our memories and history.

 

[lordy]

I was just talking with a friend who was instrumental in the formation of the National Bonsai Foundation (responsible for the Arboretum's bonsai and penjing museums) and was telling stories of John Naka and how he was a fun guy to be around. Most, like me, have the impression that Mr. Naka was a very formal and proper gentleman, when he was evidently quite the cut-up. The friend said that later in life, Mr. Naka was losing his hearing and would mess with people by not responding, or continually asking people to repeat themselves. I wish I was there to experience his nature and life.

 

[lordy]

They're likely there to add iron and help prevent chlorosis. I prefer adding chelated iron as needed.

Naka (and Stanley Chinn) used bits of ferrous metal in their soil to add iron. In this case, the nails were it, as Chansen stated.

 

[PaulH]

John Naka had a great sense of humor and silliness. The annual GSBF Convention often falls on Halloween and John had some great costumes. One year he was Charlie Chaplin and another he was Mae West and he really hammed it up.

 

[DougB]

50th anniversary for the forest Goshin. Naka had been working on individual trees for several years. BUT

"Goshin first took shape as a forest planting around 1964. Inspired by a forest of Cryptomeria japonica near a shrine in Japan."

Goshin's, and American bonsai history is very rich and interesting. Wikipedia has an interesting history of Goshin http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goshin

 

[Neli]

I could not figure out how he did the root rduction. At one point it looked as if he cut wedges out of the root ball like on Azalea. But I have already have a jar of nails on my repotting station and did the first 4 airlayers with nails.