10 ways to thicken your Bonsai Trunks

[BenBSeattle]

Just sharing my latest video on 10 different ways to thicken your bonsai trunks.

 

[penumbra]

Thanks for sharing this very down to earth video. There is something here for everyone.

 

[CWTurner]

Wow, Dan's place! Gotta get there some day.
CW

 

[Jorgens86]

Nicee.

 

[Daniel_UK]

Funnily enough I watched this a few days ago and took a lot away from it. Thanks for sharing.

 

[Deleted member 47471]

Just sharing my latest video on 10 different ways to thicken your bonsai trunks.

I watched your video for motivation to thicken my trees. In Spring 2024, the journey begins!

 

[19Mateo83]

That is very informative! Thank you for sharing with the class Ben.

 

[Mr.Dr.K]

Curiously, what are the maintenance requirments for ground growing Maples? Pot-grown plants require root prooning and repotting. Do ground grown trees need to be plucked periodically and root pruned, or left alone until ready to go into a training pot to recover before being moved to a Bonsai Pot?

 

[Deep Sea Diver]

Curiously, what are the maintenance requirments for ground growing Maples?
Pot-grown plants require root prooning and repotting. Do ground grown trees need to be plucked periodically and root pruned, or left alone until ready to go into a training pot to recover before being moved to a Bonsai Pot?

There are several threads here on ground growing maples. They would be well worth the time it takes to seek out.

Here’s @Brian Van Fleet ’s contest thread for starters.
….. and @Shibui ’s post to summarize.

Can’t say much more…. We pretty much follow these techniques.

cheers
DSD sends

 

[madvillain]

Curiously, what are the maintenance requirments for ground growing Maples? Pot-grown plants require root prooning and repotting. Do ground grown trees need to be plucked periodically and root pruned, or left alone until ready to go into a training pot to recover before being moved to a Bonsai Pot?

I’m still a novice but what I’ve gathered from countless hours of research is that you should periodically root prune field grown material to prevent tap roots from getting too large or rogue nebari roots. Although some opt to let their trees run free to the size trunk they desire and then deal with nebari at a later stage. Really up to the grower to decide on the strategy

 

[Baku1875]

I’m still a novice but what I’ve gathered from countless hours of research is that you should periodically root prune field grown material to prevent tap roots from getting too large or rogue nebari roots. Although some opt to let their trees run free to the size trunk they desire and then deal with nebari at a later stage. Really up to the grower to decide on the strategy

I agree, and it's one of those things that can 'run away' in terms of scope if you dont do it often enough. If you let a tree depend on a taproot and deep deep roots for too long, it will be a greater shock when you remove that tap root.

I have gone full circle from *plant it in largest container possible with fast draining medium and high CEC*, to *using appropriate sized container for the phase of the tree's development and doing progressive training, even if it 'slows the tree down'*. For a lot of the stuff that I propagated this year, my first spring task will be to remove each from their pot, conically delete roots around the taproot, and repot in same container or move to shallower container ie- 12 inch terracotta saucer with holes drilled for 'radial training'.

I'd much prefer arriving at a well crafted small shohin or even mame with a great root flare, taper, ramification and a thoughtful design than have a much bigger tree that is missing those key ingredients. With larger trees that have not been root pruned often, the adaptation time from strong tree with deep taproot to a bonsai potted tree will be much longer, and you will have less control over details when compared to a more gradually and frequently manicured tree.

 

[Kievnstavick]

I think I have a tree featured in this video