Field Growing 4: Native Soil

This Satsuki azalea (Rhododendron indicum) was originally field grown (it’s from Bonsai Today issue 40). Field growing is common for azaleas; some start as landscape plants and are later dug up for bonsai, while others are grown as bonsai stock from the beginning. In our last field growing post we mention planting directly into native soil without digging in amendments when you plant. A friend of my points out that she has no native soil; her house and yard were built on fill. In our usage of native soil, we mean whatever soil is already there; in other words, my … Continue reading Field Growing 4: Native Soil

Field Growing 3: Spreading Roots & More

Digging a field grown Japanese Black Pine. From Bonsai Today, issue 75. In Field Growing 2 I said I just dug a hole and planted. Actually, that isn’t the whole story; when you field grow bonsai stock, you need to cut off the downward growing roots and spread the lateral roots. This encourages lateral top growth (above ground growth) and nebari development (check the top photo in Field Growing 2). Some people put a board, or tile, or some other flat object a few inches under the roots to inhibit downward root growth and encourage lateral growth. Others, like me, … Continue reading Field Growing 3: Spreading Roots & More

Field Growing 2: Native soil

This impressive Trident maple’s (Acer buergeranum) massive nebari is a dead giveaway that it was field grown. The original article is in Bonsai Today issue 64. I once read a report from Cornell University (I can’t find it; anybody?) about the advantages of planting trees directly into the native soil, rather than the common practice of digging in soil amendments, a practice that may be good for the garden center’s bottom line, but not so good for your plants. If you think about it, it makes sense; if you create a pocket of richer soil, then the roots tend to … Continue reading Field Growing 2: Native soil