FredL

Ron, I was surprised when I saw this. When I was in a club in the SF Bay area, we had an annual show. Our club Sensei (How he LOVED that title! And how I hate to admit it - He really was very good at what he did) would work his magic on a tree - usually a Shimpaku Juniper - on the afternoon of the second day and create a tree of wondrous beauty from an ugly, shaggy bush. I saw a couple of these trees 2 or 3 vyears later and both were in great shape. Now, I hasten to add, he and his assistant would NEVER touch the roots; when the tree was raffled, it was understood, it was to be repotted the following Spring.

This brings to mind a question: Is it generally best practice to style rough material that is growing well in, say, a grow box, and then waiting for several months or a year to do the heavy root work associated with initial potting in a Bonsai Pot? I have been thinking in terms of keeping my rough material in grow boxes until they are well established, then rough shaping them, then letting them rest until they seem quite vigorous before putting them in bonsai pots. I am imagining anormal period of 3-4 years beteen collection and bonsai pot and often longer than that. I'm also imagining heavy initial styling and repotting as normally taking place at different times, at least a few months apart.

I'd certainly welcome your (or anybody's) comments.

Fred