JBP Project - Exposed Root

[MatsuBonsai]

I've posted this on a few forums and thought I would post here as well.

This project tree was from a collection of 1-0 seedlings purchased in 2007. The roots were cut back hard when it arrived and planted into a 2-liter bottle filled with large river rock, and that into a 6" pot with regular bonsai soil. Repotted again last Spring into the smaller colander, and double colander Fall of 2009. Still a long way to go with this one, but it's well on it's way. Next is to start selecting branches and building structure.

These pictures were taken back in April.

Feel free to give me your thoughts, opinions, ideas, etc.

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[MatsuBonsai]

I finally got around to doing a little more work to this little tree at study group last weekend, and was finally able to snap a picture in the fading daylight tonight (sorry about the background). I'll put some wire to it in Spring and look to arrange the roots some then, too.

Thoughts?

[BillsBayou]

Are there any ABS articles on using colanders as growing containers? Will you have any problems with roots growing through the inner colander? Air pruning should contain roots growing out of a single colander, but if there is a layer of soil out there, you'll end up with the inner colander caught up in the root ball. I don't know, I've never done either single or double growing.

For larger trees, could I realize the benefits of colander growing by using a mesh growing bag?

[MatsuBonsai]

The double colander technique, to my knowledge, was first described in Kindai Bonsai, reprinted in the Kindai Bonsai "Black Pine Special", translated and printed in Bonsai Today, and again in the Stone Lantern "Pines" book. The first season the tree grows in the single colander. Then it is up-potted, colander and all into a larger colander. The advantage, as you say, is air pruning, but also the ability to water and fertilize more aggressively. With the second colander the advantage is continued growth in a larger container, without the full disturbance of repotting. I also feels it gives an extra layer of insulation during it's first winter in the colander(s).

It was suggested to me, that in ground growing would benefit with the use of some kind of grow bags to contain the roots. I have not attempted that, but do have some things in the ground in my mother's flower bed.

If you're interested in JBP I would highly recommend the Kindai Bonsai "Black Pine Special", if you can find it. If not, the Stone Lantern "Pines" book is an ok substitute, even if they do confuse the terms pinch, pluck, cut, decandle, needle, bud, and candle. (The "Juniper" book also has some of these same confusions, so be careful!)

[MatsuBonsai]

Here's a quick update. It was repotted in February and selectively decandled last week. One candle that was not removed will be a branch extension, the future main branch. The lower/longer branch will be removed. I plan to wire it this fall.

[dbrock]

That is going to be an awesome tree, John!

[MatsuBonsai]

Thanks. I'm looking forward to getting more wire on it this fall.