OK, Let's Talk About Roots

ripsgreentree

Al first;
I will not buy a lesser tree becaus it has great roots.
I will not buy a great looking tree if it does not have good roots.
And I will not eat green eggs and ham.

The whole reason that I am working for my boss is because he and I want great material to work on and the only way to be assured that the tree that you make has a chance to be great is to correctly start the tree.

Seedlings... Cut the tap root and start radial roots.
Cutting...Disgard anything that does not have good radial roots.
Airlayering...Disgard any tree with bad roots.
Root cutting... Start with roots that are already ramified and cut yearly to improve.

Do anything that you have to do to get good roots as a start.
Now do your best to create something on these roots that is exceptable to the bonsai artest.

Next: Young trees will cost much less than older material. But young trees with good roots can have great presance.

Last: A bonsai artest who fools himself into thinking that a bonsai with defective roots is as good as the same tree with perfect roots is sadly misguided.

I wish I could understand what all the fuss is about. If you want cheep bonsai there is no shortage of it. It is sold in the hardware stores and on the street corners. Every nursery has cheap plants and most bonsai field growers are cheap enough.

Let me use Al and two trees that he has posted on this forum as an example.
Tree #1. Trident, purchased from Kim's nursery $140.00 Good roots, good nebari, good trunk line.....Good deal
Tree #2 Trident, purchased in a five gallon nursery pot (I Think $5.00 or $7.00 ) Bad roots (airlayered off) Good roots on a tree that looks like a broken stick (one bend no tapor)
This is my point, someone put time energy and money into the #1. trident befor Al ever got a chance to buy it. This is all that I am trying to do.

Glenn

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ripsgreentree

It requires an open hand to give and to recieve.

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Leesa

Ralph - if you can afford a Ferrari - I say buy the expensive bonsai! You can afford to kill a few or at least learn on better material!.

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Respectfully, Lee Sanner