As promised, here’s the final ‘potted’ photo of that Ezo spruce clump styling in yesterday’s post—
Two things I’ll do in the future is move the left trunk further to the right as it’s a bit too balanced where it is. Also I’ll add a clump of broadleaf evergreen, probably a small-leafed azalea, to the back left. It looks a bit sterile as is.
I have the tree on a wooden board, which will be temporary support for about two years. After that time, I hope the roots will be solid enough (with some interior bamboo shafts) to support the entire kokedama and be able to be placed directly on a bench—sans pot or slab.
Best,
Michael
Beautiful moss work.
I was secretly hoping to see it in the boot, but this is good, too!
How do you maintain this type of planting? Do you allow the rootball to expand as the roots grow, or do you occasionally clean parts out and replace some of the soil?
Darrell,
Fairly easy to maintain, if kept moist. Which works well for spruce, as Ezo in particular likes lots of moisture.
The root system stays within the parameters of the muck walls. It can raise slightly, just like a tree rootbound over years. And yes, some removal and replacement of soil may be done, but generally this is not as frequent as repotting in a pot. For this tree the back has some original potting soil that will need to be removed eventually.
Michael
Hi Michael,
I dearly love spruce also though the climate down here doesn’t work so well for them.
I look forward to seeing this one whenever Mas and I *finally* make it up there!
meanwhile, ditto on Darrell’s question. Do you ever do the equivalent of “repotting”? and if so, how?
Hello Janeko,
Repotting is infrequent, but otherwise similar to normal repotting. You generally have to make another muck dam, which makes repotting sticky and memorable. Like most established bonsai in good soil like a Boon mix or a basic akadama/pumice mix, the interior of the mass rarely needs addressing.
I’m going to count the number of times you say you’re coming to visit…
Best,
Michael
Michael,
Regarding the planting of the samll leaf azalea. I have found a very dwarf Holly called “Ohwi”. Don at Miniature PLant kingdom carries this plant. It is very twiggy in growth habit, self polenating. Berries are slightly larger than a large pin head. Very nice plant. Wish I had a picture when the berries were on.
Just a thought.
Thank you for sharing the spruce.
Neil
Neil,
I planted a few cuttings of ‘kokinsai,’ a miniature version of ‘kinsai.’ Kinsai is a thin-leafed satsuki, and ‘ko’ in japanese indicates small.
Best,
Michael
Michael:
Thanks for your response to my question about watering. My question today relates to the oft quoted requirement to “balance the foliage and roots when styling a tree.
The reduction of foliage in your “Before and After” is dramatic and beautiful. Was it accomplished in one session or several over a period of months …during what season?
Was there a very significant root pruning that accompanied this foliage reduction?
From an older text on Bonsai from a Japanese author I recall reading a guideline of a ratio of 6:4 ….foliage to roots.
I appreciate your comments and will strive to keep my novice questions at a “high altitude”…that might interest most readers.
Best regards,
D/D
Daniel,
Great question. Yes and no is the answer, or answers. The general guideline of balancing root and foliage depends on what we’re hoping to achieve…and whether we are working on a deciduous or conifer.
In styling a healthy, strong tree, a deciduous tree may be cut back strongly in both top and bottom zones. In styling a conifer, if we cut back on the top we should not cut back much on the roots; if we cut back on the roots we should not cut back much on the foliage. They seem to re-grow each other. Deciduous trees have greater reserves. But the OLDER the tree the more we should follow this guideline whether it’s a conifer OR a deciduous.
In bonsai we use unbalancing of the foliage and roots to effect some shift—smaller leaves, more roots, etc. Basic bonsai technique of Japanese Black pines, for example, in the cutting of the candles—which is done at this time of year—unbalances the tree and causes a response. If we don’t unbalance the tree to a large enough degree, there will be no response. If we have an old tree and are restyling it, we might want to cut less, so that we don’t return the tree to a very youthful growth phase. We might not want the coarse foliage that will result. And an older tree really does not want to run a marathon.
The spruce is a vigorous kind of conifer. I would not have cut back so much if there were few roots, or without strength in the shoots. I grew the tree strongly for two years to get it ready for this styling work. The tree now is throwing out strong shoots. Had I cut back the roots at the same time, and too much, it would have weakened the tree greatly. This work was done in one session; but I do not recommend this as a general practice. Cutting back the longer, strong branches over a period of a year or two will strengthen the inner branches, the ones used in styling. That is what I generally recommend. I know this comes really close to the hypocrisy of ‘do as I say not as I do,’ but please err on the side of caution until you have the confidence to ‘read’ a tree. I’m still learning it.
Thanks for the question.
Best,
Michael
Daniel,
Spruce may be styled in the dormant season, fall through early spring.
Michael