Tree of the Day - Tuesday, Nov 15, 2005

John Dixon

soonami,

Thanks for the kind words on the virtual. I really would like to see a little bigger design or a slightly smaller pot, but I was more involved with trying to get the style of the tree right more than stress the size relationship between the pot and tree. Overall, I like the pot...a lot. It is a good color that doesn't distract yet draws enough attention to the shohin size. Maybe a tad big, but I could live with it, escpecially if the bonsai gets just a bit taller.

My only kingsville was reduced from a one-gallon container to a pot with less than .75 inches of interior depth. I have never experienced anything negative about that change, but I've noticed warnings by many others here to not be too severe with the root system. Quite frankly, the bonsaists around my area who have a special love in kingsville, usually are adament that the species is very, very resilient and copes well with hard root pruning and limited root space in shallow pots. The key is to not allow it to stay dry. I'm not an expert with them, but my one sole kingsville was in its late 30's when I finally put it in a pot, and it has done well by remembering to never let it dry out completely and using a fine soil mix (1/16" particles).

I hope the owner of this boxwood keeps us informed of its status. I think it can be a very nice bonsai with a little work.

John

__________________
John Dixon

Si vis pacem parabellum

Stay off the trails of others, that's where the booby-traps are.

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andrew lenden

Thanks everyone for the encouragment, soonami, i did think maybe the trunk was too thin for such a wide crown. i have no experience of kingvilles whatsoever but imagine the trunk will thicken very slowly in the bonsai pot but as a natural oak form i thought i,d get away with it as plausable. John, yourself and i were typing at the same time but i,m delighted i was on the right track on a few points when i read yours. regards andrew