Still Searching for the Perfect Nebari 5/25/17

stewartia

Stewartias often have strong nebari and this one is no exception. This photo is from a post we did back in July 2014. I didn't know who the artist was then and I still don't know. I tried Image Search, which recognized that it's a Stewartia, but didn't find this particular tree.

This post is a continuation of yesterday’s Bottoms Up! More Nebari How-to. which was taken in part from In Search of the Perfect Nebari – part four, a 2009 Bark post. (In Search of the Perfect Nebari parts four and five are from Bonsai Today issue 64). The tree that is being worked on here is a Japanese maple.

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From the bottom....

 

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...and the top. After combing out and pruning the roots, there are still a few things to do before potting.

 

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A final washing with a concentrated stream gets rid of stubborn soil particles. When that's done, it's time to carve the base of the trunk. This allows for a lower, flatter planting and discourages roots from growing down.

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The carving is finished. Notice how Mr. Miau carved the bottom of the nebari in several places.

 

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Now it's ready to plant...

 

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...into a very low pot. Notice how shallow the soil is and how all the roots are lying flat on top.

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Left: before the rest of the soil is added. Right: after all the soil has been added. Notice how the nebari is exposed but all the roots that extend from it are covered.

As long as we’re talking about a Japanese maple…

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thumb

Another impressive Stewartia nebari. That's Brad Pitt's Bjorn Bjorholm’s thumb. We originally featured this photo in a post from April 2015.

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