Looking for some seedling/nebari info

[typoolVT]

I recently came across a website on building nebari on tridents/maples using a tile of some sort and drilling holes in them to make some nice looking trees. I just ordered 10 new maple seedlings(1/2 trident & 1/2 JM) from Kaede-en's website, and want to get some more info on it. If I do recall it was somethingofgary's blog, but ever time I go there it's just a little section on it and no pics like I remember. Anyone know what I'm talking about or can point me to a thread on here with some good info. Thanks!

 

[lordy]

Maybe this will help http://www.bonsai4me.com/AdvTech/ATNebari.html

 

[Smoke]

http://thingsofwood-gary.blogspot.com/

 

[dpowell]

Here's how I did it about a month ago when I got some seedlings. I did 2 pots with Japanese maples this year and last year I did 1 group of tridents.
I got a diamond tipped drill bit and drilled holes in a tile in an X pattern. Make sure no roots are on top of the tile when you plant it and let it grow.
Now the question is do I want to make a clump style tree or do I want to create a single trunk tree with a huge nebari?

-Danny

 

[chansen]

I recently came across a website on building nebari on tridents/maples using a tile of some sort and drilling holes in them to make some nice looking trees. I just ordered 10 new maple seedlings(1/2 trident & 1/2 JM) from Kaede-en's website, and want to get some more info on it. If I do recall it was somethingofgary's blog, but ever time I go there it's just a little section on it and no pics like I remember. Anyone know what I'm talking about or can point me to a thread on here with some good info. Thanks!

Search for the telperion farms blog. They have a post on it, but it is a page or two back.

 

[timhanson81]

http://bonsainut.com/forums/showthread.php?3287-2010-BonsaiNut-Trident-Project&highlight=bonsainut+maple+project

 

[typoolVT]

I found some scrap flat, hard plastic board laying around, so I'm going to try this way. I guess just about anything that a root will not grow through is feasible.

Once they root(if they do), couldn't I break them apart and plant them separately to develop them on their own? Or should I leave them in clump style for better nebari?

 

[sikadelic]

That is entirely up to you. I would most likely do a mixture of the two if I had enough seedlings. It will take a couple of years for them to join root structures so you have some time to decide.

If you are anything like me, you will make a decision and change it about 10 times.

 

[lordy]

I found some scrap flat, hard plastic board laying around, so I'm going to try this way. I guess just about anything that a root will not grow through is feasible.

One nice thing about ceramic tile is that they will break apart and not cause as much trauma to the trees. When you cut the plastic sheets up, it will possibly be rough on the trees just from a jostling standpoint. Try Craigslist or the Dollar store for old plates or tiles.

 

[garywood]

I found some scrap flat, hard plastic board laying around, so I'm going to try this way. I guess just about anything that a root will not grow through is feasible.

Once they root(if they do), couldn't I break them apart and plant them separately to develop them on their own? Or should I leave them in clump style for better nebari?

Typo, if you only want single trunks with good nebari just use one seedling. If you want single trunk with drastic taper and big nebari use five seedlings. If you want clump, well, five is obvious. The material you use, as you surmised, is not that critical. First repotting in a couple of years should let you cut the existing roots and prune new roots to equalize the new roots. Grow for a year before any shoot pruning. Then if want drastic taper, prune the outside back to a few inches and don't prune the center. Rinse & repeat for a couple of years. If you want clump, stagger the heights of the outside trees to keep them from growing equal size.
Wood

 

[Labreapits]

Here's how I did it about a month ago when I got some seedlings.

How are your seedlings doing? They have had some time to grow. An update would be awesome!

 

[dpowell]

How are your seedlings doing? They have had some time to grow. An update would be awesome!

I repotted them in early 2015, but they hadn't started growing around the holes so there wasn't much to see. I left them alone this past spring and they're getting bigger, but still have a ways to go. Sorry for the bad photos, but I just ran out and took a picture of one of the groups (I have 3 pots total). In the last photo I shoved a chopstick in to give a sense of scale.

The big ones are over 5' tall and probably won't grow again for me this year. A combination of low humidity, high temps, and bad water means Japanese Maples don't like my conditions much. One interesting thing is early in the year they grew quickly, but the tops would regularly fall over under their own weight, especially when wet. Now they stand up on their own very well, a testament to the trunks thickening.

It will be interesting to see what's under the soil. I'm planning on repotting around Christmas or early January, will try and update then.

 

[Labreapits]

They are defiantly coming along. Thanks for showing your progress!

 

[Timbo]

I saw bonsai4me used a larch, can conifers use this or will it just kill the tree?