I needed to literally rip the pot out of the ground on one of my elms earlier this year to repot as the roots totally escaped. Last week, I noticed for the first time that shoots have been growing from the roots left behind. How would one pot these up (the roots could have been growing for over a year into the ground)? Do I use part of the in-ground root as the "trunk"? I was kind of hoping these shoots are all growing from one root (I don't think that's the case) and maybe I could use it for the raft contest?
Surprise - root cuttings
- Thread starter dbonsaiw
- Start date
hemmy
Omono
If it was multiple escape roots from the pot, I don’t think you’ll find much usable thickness. You could dig them in the Spring and twist them together to train as an exposed root style. You’d probably have to airlayer any trunks that you left to develop on their own in the ground. The nebari wouldn’t be very good.
Ininaatigoons
Chumono
The escapees are a bonus indeed. You can train them right there, you can dig em up and train and then throw in the ground after that. The good news is free material maybe exciting material depending on the movements in the roots. Bad news is they are babies and will take time.
Bonds Guy
Mame
Lol I did the same. Now I have 4 chinese elm shoots in my garden. I have been trimming them back when they get too big for my liking, but I have no intention to keep them. So maybe next year I think I will uproot them.
Shibui
Imperial Masterpiece
Elms of all sorts are notorious for roots sprouting. Elms, crab apples and prunus come up all over the grow beds in the year following digging those species.
You can definitely use root cuttings to develop bonsai but be warned, not all are great material to work with.
I typically use the first section of the root as the new trunk because it will be the thickest part of the new tree.
One of the problems with root cuttings is that the roots usually have inverse taper but they often have much better bends that we usually see above ground.
Second problem is often poor nebari. The root will often be long with few side roots to form your new nebari. You may need to chop and strike as a cutting or layer at a suitable spot on the new trunk/old root.
A couple of my trees developed from root cuttings for inspiration.
English Elm
Various Seiju elms
crab apple
You can definitely use root cuttings to develop bonsai but be warned, not all are great material to work with.
I typically use the first section of the root as the new trunk because it will be the thickest part of the new tree.
One of the problems with root cuttings is that the roots usually have inverse taper but they often have much better bends that we usually see above ground.
Second problem is often poor nebari. The root will often be long with few side roots to form your new nebari. You may need to chop and strike as a cutting or layer at a suitable spot on the new trunk/old root.
A couple of my trees developed from root cuttings for inspiration.
English Elm
Various Seiju elms
crab apple
