In Search of the Perfect Nebari – part five
This post is a continuation of In Search of the Perfect Nebari – part four. From the bottom…. …and the top. After combing out and pruning the roots, there are still a few things to do before potting.
Nebari
In Search of the Perfect Nebari – part four
Bottoms up! This somewhat intriguing shot is from Bonsai Today, issue 64. This post, and another to follow soon, explore how Mr. Harumi Miau arrived at this point. Before. Japanese maple (Acer plamatum) with some unsolicited bonus design tips.
In Search of the Perfect Nebari – part three
This rather nice looking Trident maple (Acer buergerianum) is sporting a monstrous nebari. Does it look a bit like a clown’s oversized shoes? Or does it suit your fancy just as it is? The original appears in Bonsai Today issue 70 in an article titled “Transplanting to increase the feeling of age,” by Kazunori Kamiya.
In Search of the Perfect Nebari – part two
This Chinese quince (Pseudocydonia sinensis) presents a number of striking features, not the least of which is its powerful nebari (surface roots). The photo originally appeared in Bonsai Today issue 35. This post is part of an article that originally appeared in Bonsai Today issue 23 (out of print). It was later revised and republished in Bonsai Today issue 102. Improving a Nebari by Oishi Kazo Nebari are often under-appreciated, especially in the west. In Japan, bonsai artists will sometimes talk about nebari as though it is the most important feature when looking for bonsai material. If you think about … Continue reading In Search of the Perfect Nebari – part two
An Ingenious Technique: part 2
Artist’s rendition of what a nebari might look like using this technique. If you are a very quick study or an old bonsai maven (or both) you probably figured out how to use this technique using just the three images in the previous post. However, if you need more detail (can’t hurt), here’s a big hunk of the rest of the original images, which appeared in Bonsai Today issue 8.
An Ingenious Technique
Can you figure out what’s going on here? If you are an experienced bonsai enthusiast, you may get it at a glance, especially if you’ve seen Bonsai Today issue 8 (long out of print). If what’s going on is not so evident, take a look at the drawing below and see if that helps.
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