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That's where we differ. I find the survival rate much higher if you reduce the soil mass all at once with a saw or knife the first time as opposed to trying to pry the soil mass apart with a chopstick and/or root hook. The later tends to break and tear portions of the root system you may not have intended to disturb in the first place. Once I get to this stage I use the Training Planter to start producing new roots quickly so that the future work can be done with little threat to the tree.

And of course you handle a tree on a tree by tree basis. However if you go into the nursery market here, you will find trees as I have described more often than not. My philosophy: Being able to accomplish the hard tasks, makes the easy ones much more approachable and simple. I don't write things like this to show off, I write them to teach. I have found that in all the years I have done bonsai and all the books I have read, not one of them has a comprehensive approach to this issue. They show little diagrams that issustrate the classic examples and maybe even some pictures. All of which illustrate the ideal situation. None of them deal with real world trees likely encountered in the nursery trade---at least in Michigan.

I believe if one feels confident they know how to do what others would consider impossible then I have taught them something that will allow them to grow in skill and interest. Instead of having bonsai with horrible root systems, because they just don't know how to get beyond the problems that created the paucity they settled for, they now know how to get a root system they don't have to worry about five years down the road.

I have found root systems so totally matted together that this was the ONLY WAY to get things done. I have seen Pines with root systems that were more like a root bound Azalea, they were so closely intwined.

What do you do with these trees?

You said you would not use a saw or knife. My question to you is: Have you tried it this way? I have done it the old, by the book method for years before I developed this system and I find it supperior for a variety of reasons.

14-Aug-2005	#16
Vance Wood bonsaiTALK ArchMaster Join Date: Sep-2002 Location: Roseville Michigan Country: USA USDA Zone: 5/6 AHS Heat Zone: ? Posts: 2,431	That's where we differ. I find the survival rate much higher if you reduce the soil mass all at once with a saw or knife the first time as opposed to trying to pry the soil mass apart with a chopstick and/or root hook. The later tends to break and tear portions of the root system you may not have intended to disturb in the first place. Once I get to this stage I use the Training Planter to start producing new roots quickly so that the future work can be done with little threat to the tree. And of course you handle a tree on a tree by tree basis. However if you go into the nursery market here, you will find trees as I have described more often than not. My philosophy: Being able to accomplish the hard tasks, makes the easy ones much more approachable and simple. I don't write things like this to show off, I write them to teach. I have found that in all the years I have done bonsai and all the books I have read, not one of them has a comprehensive approach to this issue. They show little diagrams that issustrate the classic examples and maybe even some pictures. All of which illustrate the ideal situation. None of them deal with real world trees likely encountered in the nursery trade---at least in Michigan. I believe if one feels confident they know how to do what others would consider impossible then I have taught them something that will allow them to grow in skill and interest. Instead of having bonsai with horrible root systems, because they just don't know how to get beyond the problems that created the paucity they settled for, they now know how to get a root system they don't have to worry about five years down the road. I have found root systems so totally matted together that this was the ONLY WAY to get things done. I have seen Pines with root systems that were more like a root bound Azalea, they were so closely intwined. What do you do with these trees? You said you would not use a saw or knife. My question to you is: Have you tried it this way? I have done it the old, by the book method for years before I developed this system and I find it supperior for a variety of reasons.