Nebari challenge

[Vance Wood]

Here is what we do know. The tree has been in this state for a number of years. The roots as they are formed now are very similar to a tree that was root bound at one stage and simply potted up into a larger container without straightening out the roots at all. Trying to bare root and straighten out the roots is not an option with the hope of the tree's survival. So we are faced with attempting to make a decent nebari out of a bird nest.

The first thing I would do would be to get the tree out of a bonsai pot and into something like one of my planters or any other training box where it had room to grow. On the initial repot I would remove as much of the old soil as I could up to 50% and separate from the base of the trunk 25% of the smaller encircling roots. I would not even attempt to pull them from the soil, they will dry up by themselves and be removed at the next repotting. Three years down the road. Remove the tree from the training planter. Remove soil from the bottom of the soil mass and attempt to remove more soil into the core of the old soil ball. This is important in encouraging the tree to form new surface roots.

I would like to give you some sort of percentage here but at this point you kind of have to let circumstances dictate actions. However the roots you cut in the beginning will provide you with some voids that can be exploited. Care should be taken to disturb new roots as little as possible. Once again Remove more of the encircling roots as before. Repot and continue with the process until the surface roots are recreated. It helps to pack the surface with Sphagnum moss. We are kind of air layering the trunk in a sort of back handed way by forcing the tree to produce new surface roots by discouraging the option of deep roots. As long as we continue to cut away the surface roots we don't want as part of the root pruning regimen we will eventually create a new surface root system.

The accompanying photo of a Mugo Pine was in this same condition about ten years ago. I do not have a close up of the base but I know someone will ask to see if I had done this, and yes I have.

 

[bonsainotwar]

Actually,I bought a Korean lilac last year that had roots very much like this,when I bare rooted it from the nursery container.I have it planted in a deeper flowerpot,and am going to see what it's like in the winter.

Am I the only one to use my fingers to untangle roots instead of a rake ?

 

[TreeKiller64]

In my novice opinion,,
I'd try to root graft some, right above the "Nebari Root Jam". Do an airlayer in place, and spread the
thinner roots above the mess out.
Just my Op.
KJ

 

[milehigh_7]

Reading the opinion of people who all know more than me, it seems that the question is not IF something could be done with this mess but does a person wish to invest the time and resources to do it.

Sometimes I take on a project because it is hard just to see if I am up to the job.


It seems with something like this you could invest 10-15 (or more) years and still have a mess.

Thinking about nature, you don't always see the nebari on trees. Many trees grow from a crack in a rock or from between two rocks. I am not sure if obscuring that train wreck is an option or not.

 

[JasonG]

Reading the opinion of people who all know more than me, it seems that the question is not IF something could be done with this mess but does a person wish to invest the time and resources to do it.

Sometimes I take on a project because it is hard just to see if I am up to the job. .

I would invest the time into this tree in a second! With root grafts done properly you could have a complete new root system in a year, 2 tops. So, I say it is very worth it.

It seems with something like this you could invest 10-15 (or more) years and still have a mess. .

If done wrong yes, but with root grafts a few years and you are cutting off 100% of the roots in the picture.

Thinking about nature, you don't always see the nebari on trees. Many trees grow from a crack in a rock or from between two rocks. I am not sure if obscuring that train wreck is an option or not.

You are right, 1 out of a 1000 collected trees (pines) will actually a passable nebari. Most wont and that is just what you have to deal with. Honestly though, the bark, trunks, etc...outweigh the need for a perfect nebari. Atleast I think so...for collected trees.

Jason

 

[milehigh_7]

All excellent answers Jason. Thanks a bunch. I would not know enough to do the grafting but knowing that there is a way to fix it I would agree with you about the rest of the tree.

 

[Attila Soos]

I totally agree with Jason, this tree could have a new nebari in five years. The trunk line is exquisite.

All you have to do, is take 10 black pine seedlings and do approach grafting at the nebari level. You can carve a U-shaped wedge into the nebari of the large tree and push the nebari of the seedling to fit perfectly into it. You can do this excercise with all 10 seedlings, creating a perfect nebari. In a couple of years, the seedlings will be totally fused with the parent tree, and the tangled mess will be completely covered with the new roots.

Approach grafting using young seedlings is one of the easiest technique that one can learn in bonsai. I did that this spring with a few of my trident maples, using pencil-sized stock to fill gaps in the nebari of larger trees. As long as you have a good supply of young stock, there is no reason not to have perfect nebari on all your trees. An easy way to build up such a supply is to take lots of cuttings every year, and keep tham in small pots so that they stay small and thin. These cuttings would be kept just for the purpose of root-grafting.

You can even use black pine seedlings for your other pine species, in order to correct nebari problems. When it comes to surface roots, a small difference in the bark texture is much less of a distraction than an ugly nebari problem.

 

[bonsainotwar]

Hate the Nebari, tree is fair to middlin. This tree in my opinion was forgotten about if collected for bonsai. You can see see where the pot walls have shaped the roots. This one I would pass on, not enough years in my life to correct these faults. I would say it has a bright future as a Japanese garden piece.

Couldn't have said it better.

What would the shipping be on this booger from Japan to the US ?

 

[TheSteve]

What would the shipping be on this booger from Japan to the US ?

it would be almost certain death for the tree. Even if you could get import clearances chances of it making it through quarantine are against it

 

[greerhw]

Well beyond my skill level. Too bad , it could have been a nice tree. Not to many yamadoris in that species left.

Harry

 

[serpentsgarden]

Option

Try to use small holes in the exsisting nebari and introduce rooting hormone maybe and rebuild a new root zone overtime?? And eliminate the old over time. The very best outcome 7 to ten years for the problem to be fixed. But at the same time it is so gnarled and twisted that it has an appeal. I am young so i would say I woudl try to have a hand at trying what i could. But still I see a realistic long wait. The bottom line is it is YOUR bonsai. IT is art. There are so many varying styles I am sure you could find some way to create an intersting look to detract form the nebari.Maybe even purposfully removing bark to create a bare wood feature allong those ganrled roots. It is cool just not optimal for any competition where it would be judged. An awesoem gnarly converstaion pece though. Has a lot of character in its own rights

 

[pwk5017]

I have never approach grafted pines before, is it the same process as deciduous material? I have a smaller mugo that has an awesome nebari on one half of the trunk and nothing on the other. I would like to use some jbp seedlings to fix the issue if it is not too complex. Could someone point me in the right direction, perhaps an article somewhere?