Question #1

[Jaberwky17]

Been doing a fair amount of reading online and some books. Now it’s time for questions. I’ll start with one that fits in the “Explain It To Me Like I’m A 4th Grader” category. I’m interested in the simple plant science of bonsai, leaving aesthetics out of it for now.

The basic idea is in order to dwarf the tree and possibly its leaves/needles, its growth must be controlled. By reducing the root mass, the grower reduces the amount of nutrients the tree can take in. Reducing the foliage and branches, the grower reduces the amount of tree mass that the roots must support. A best case scenario is one in which the grower is able to balance that ratio of roots to foliage/mass. Of course this is also affected by a myriad of things such as species, soil, feeding and watering, climate, and potting.

If this is the case, a new bonsai enthusiast - who has been advised to keep their first specimens in nursery pots and ignore the root techniques in favor of pruning and other design aspects – will then be working with a tree which has a larger root mass than more advanced bonsai. This root mass will encourage more growth than a more mature tree and require more attention. Again, species and other factors will affect this as well.

Am I on the right track?

 

[Poink88]

Sorry but no, in so many levels.

After horticulture...concentrate on the main structure of the tree (trunk, main branches, exposed roots, etc.). Once you reached your ideal trunk & main branch size; root mass reduction, leaf size reduction and ramification can follow.

This is why some actually put their plants/trees back in the ground...to help the tree grow faster.

It is a lot more than this but it is a start.

Good luck!

 

[Poink88]

Read these.

http://www.evergreengardenworks.com/bonsaibe.htm
http://www.bonsai4me.com/bonsai_basics.html

Enjoy!

 

[jk_lewis]

If this is the case, a new bonsai enthusiast - who has been advised to keep their first specimens in nursery pots and ignore the root techniques in favor of pruning and other design aspects – will then be working with a tree which has a larger root mass than more advanced bonsai. This root mass will encourage more growth than a more mature tree and require more attention. Again, species and other factors will affect this as well.

Am I on the right track?

Yeah, but I don't get your point. Unless you're richer than King Midas, a beginner most likely has a fairly immature tree. These are the trees that you WANT to have a good top growth. so it can get bigger and start to look at least a bit more mature sooner.

Besides, that advice to not work on the roots only applies during the heat of the summer. In the cooler half of the fall, in the winter, and in the spring, you WILL be working on the roots.

Otherwise, you won't be doing bonsai -- just manicuring trees.

 

[fourteener]

Simple plant life 101:

Roots store energy for plants to grow, foliage produces energy so roots will grow(4th grade simple, not not college biology, cut me some slack.) In the life of the plant it's always about more. More roots, more foliage year after year.

Bonsai is really the act of stepping into the cycle and disturbing that. Clipping foliage will mean less root development, less root development will mean weaker growth.

The struggle is found in weakening and strengthening the tree. Cut off too much foliage too many years in a row eventually the tree will weaken and die. Leave it to grow out and you have anything but a bonsai.

Root health is the other issue. Roots are like batteries. They contain the energy the plant has for growth that year. Every time you make a tree backbud, strip off leaves your stealing away energy from the roots. If the roots are healthy this is to your advantage. If the roots are not healthy, every act done to your foliage is stealing more energy from the roots. The battery runs out, your tree is toast.

This is the reason you just let your trees grow freely the year you repot it. The new growth of foliage is providing new growth of roots which is storing energy for next years growth.

The more health you bring to the tree through good free draining soil and fertilizer the more you can work on it. The less healthy you get your tree the less you should work on it and let it recover. This is the number one problem with people new to bonsai. Unable to identify a tree ready to work and a tree ready to be left alone for a year(or two-three) to recover and be ready to have the cycle of "more" get disturbed.

 

[marcosolo]

Simple plant life 101:

Roots store energy for plants to grow, foliage produces energy so roots will grow(4th grade simple, not not college biology, cut me some slack.) In the life of the plant it's always about more. More roots, more foliage year after year.

Bonsai is really the act of stepping into the cycle and disturbing that. Clipping foliage will mean less root development, less root development will mean weaker growth.

The struggle is found in weakening and strengthening the tree. Cut off too much foliage too many years in a row eventually the tree will weaken and die. Leave it to grow out and you have anything but a bonsai.

Root health is the other issue. Roots are like batteries. They contain the energy the plant has for growth that year. Every time you make a tree backbud, strip off leaves your stealing away energy from the roots. If the roots are healthy this is to your advantage. If the roots are not healthy, every act done to your foliage is stealing more energy from the roots. The battery runs out, your tree is toast.

This is the reason you just let your trees grow freely the year you repot it. The new growth of foliage is providing new growth of roots which is storing energy for next years growth.

The more health you bring to the tree through good free draining soil and fertilizer the more you can work on it. The less healthy you get your tree the less you should work on it and let it recover. This is the number one problem with people new to bonsai. Unable to identify a tree ready to work and a tree ready to be left alone for a year(or two-three) to recover and be ready to have the cycle of "more" get disturbed.

I have always had a problem explaining this without the use of big botanical words.....You did it perfectly......