Repotting a Friend's Hornbeam

bonsaikc

Mark got this tree from Bill Valavanis at International Bonsai Arboretum the year before they quit importing. It's a collected Korean hornbeam that was then grown in the ground for ten years. It has some great potential and few flaws.

One area to be considered a flaw is the smooth, flowing upper trunk that seems out of place with such a rugged base. We hope to conceal that a bit when the branching comes along.

Attached Images

	hornbeam front.jpg (73.2 KB, 80 views)
	hornbeam left.jpg (72.4 KB, 46 views)
	hornbeam right.jpg (72.6 KB, 55 views)

__________________
Chris Johnston
Sashi-no-eda.blogspot.com

Kansas City Area Workshops 2008

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Here's Mark sorting out the upper roots with a pair of angled-tip tweezers. These seem to work better than chopsticks because they are smoother, have two points, and slide past the root hairs a little better.

The last photo is the final result. We chose an oval glazed footed Korean pot. To paraphrase a former Defense Secretary, "You don't always go to potting with the pot you want. You go with the pot you have." I'm sure we will find a more appropriate pot as time goes on.

To see more photos of the process, check my blog:
http://sashi-no-eda.blogspot.com

Chris

Attached Images

	Mark work.jpg (72.9 KB, 85 views)
	P1011485a.jpg (72.7 KB, 104 views)

__________________
Chris Johnston
Sashi-no-eda.blogspot.com

Kansas City Area Workshops 2008

anttal63

should be very nice in time good job fella's.

as far as getting the top texture to eventually match , is this an age thing or scarring thing? if the latter i would consider pulling the dremel out and creating some fine shari's and then let heal. at a later date of course when dormant again.

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Vonsgardens

Hey Chris, you getting tired of repotting yet? I did one Juniper and 14 pines today (two Ponderosas and the rest JBP). Time to start doing the big ones. John

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"Wiring is simple; However, it is not easy to do it right" Boon

Bonsai Barry

Chris' article at his blog spot is well done. Let me encourage others to take a look.

http://sashi-no-eda.blogspot.com

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Bonsai Barry

"Our talent lies in our choices."

bonsaimeister

Chris,

What's the soil you used?

Thanks,

Bonsaimeister

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"On its root I firmly commit
In its trunk I keep my soul
Through its leaves, I reflect my vision..."

- Robert Steven

jeremy_norbury

Chris

It's de-lovely.

You didn't feel the urge to more significantly reduce the length of the branches at this point?

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I told you I was ill. Spike Milligan's Gravestone

bonsaikc

Jeremy,
I decided to wait even though there was still a significant amount of root tip left on the tree. If the tree responds with a lot of branch growth, we might cut back more significantly. However, if we wait, removing all but the bases of the branches next year will result in a huge amount of new growth with which to build our branches.

It's the old story about working your own tree versus someone else's.

__________________
Chris Johnston
Sashi-no-eda.blogspot.com

Kansas City Area Workshops 2008

bonsaikc

Barry, thanks so much!

__________________
Chris Johnston
Sashi-no-eda.blogspot.com

Kansas City Area Workshops 2008