Creating mame query

Larry

Ok, so I love mame bonsai, but I prefer one with a thicker trunk. Now the usual practice with bonsai is to leave the tree in the ground for a few years, but the problem there is that it grows away, you get a massive rootball, and branches everywhere-you lose the original outline that you planned for it.

So how is it done with such a small tree?

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TreeBay

When you're building trunks, you can't be too concerned with branches, especially if you are planting in the open ground. General practice is to leave some low branching, especially on varieties that are slow to backbud (like pines and such) but let an escape branch, or the entire apex grow freely.

Air layering is a common practice in the shohin and especially the minibonsai world to get short trunks with movement and taper. Have a look near the apex of some of your existing bonsai and see if you can find any possibilities.

Regards,

Matt

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Larry

Thankds for the help Matt!
As a practice piece, i have a black Alder(different leaves to the UK native) in the garden that i dug up as a twisty sapling last year. It has produced a mass of foliage since and long shoots, but there are plenty of low shoots and I do believe this species backbuds easily. (I also forced one branch to grow horizontally by laying a small forked twig over the branch, so i should get an interesting shape when I dig it up next year!)
But how do i reduce a massive rootball to one that will fit in a tiny pot?

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bnsaijim

As in all things bonsai: WITH TIME!

Two schools of thought- All in one fell swoop- if the material can't survive the creation process then it let it be damned. OR, only take off 30-40% at a time allowing the tree to recover between sessions...

Depends on one's philosophies, the type of tree, health status, etc...

Start by taking off all massive roots that have few feeders then some bottom material... Then work on pushing your lateral roots back.

Your goal: Ideally you have top roots that are your "nebari" that are really a facade. On the entire underside is a mass of fine feeder roots.

Each time you repot you should nick any bare underside without fine roots and rub in a little hormone.

Jim Stone
TX

pootsie

Larry:
A handy rink, roosely transrated
http://mini-bonsai.com/saisyo/boke1...h110520-1e.html

pootsie

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Larry

Jim, so each time i repot it, i put it into a smaller pot until I get the size that fits the tree.

Pootsie, ah thank yoo for the rink, oh wise and wonderful master! º¿º

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bnsaijim

Larry,

Generally speaking, yes. If the tree is healthy enough, and it will fit or can be made to without threat to the tree's life... sometimes you can jump a size or more...

What you want to see, ideally, is a "jellyfish"... Especially true for shohin and smaller as ever bit of space must be used efficiently.

In my clime it is especially difficult because of the heat and light- overpotting is always best...probably easier in yours.

Jim
TX

pootsie

jellyfish?

pootsie

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bnsaijim

Here's what I had in mind....

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