Insane maple nebari

[Ryan820]

How in the world does one generate such insane nebari such as seen on this tree:

http://www.abbeville.com/interiors.asp?ISBN=9780789211125&CaptionNumber=01

 

[barrosinc]

time! LOL

my guess is radial roots, lots of them. and root grafting untill you fill the area up.

 

[RKatzin]

Grow over a tile, graft in roots, wait fifteen to twenty yrs.

 

[Ryan820]

I've also seen similar nebari on satsuki azalea. Supposedly it was achieved by keeping the surface moist via shredded sphagnum moss. I'm assuming that isn't the same thing here.

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

Some good reading on the matter:
http://bonsaitonight.com/2010/04/13/repotting-a-japanese-maple/

http://bonsaitonight.com/2009/03/19/ooishi/

 

[Adair M]

Start with an airlayer. Then, after you have some roots, screw the bottom of the trunk to a board. From below. Then you can arrange the roots out across the board. Use nails to direct the roots. It's not hard. It does take time.

 

[barrosinc]

Brians link says to put fertilizing cakes really close to the nebari, small roots form there and often fuse together.

 

[fore]

Doing root grafts, do you simply line up the cambiums like a regular approach graft? How exact does it need to be lined up?

 

[MACH5]

Brians link says to put fertilizing cakes really close to the nebari, small roots form there and often fuse together.

I do this as well. It works but be mindful that the fusing together takes a long time.

Doing root grafts, do you simply line up the cambiums like a regular approach graft? How exact does it need to be lined up?

Yes cambiums need to line up. It needs to be somewhat precise for the graft union to be solid and strong.

 

[Ryan820]

Start with an airlayer. Then, after you have some roots, screw the bottom of the trunk to a board. From below. Then you can arrange the roots out across the board. Use nails to direct the roots. It's not hard. It does take time.

Yes, I've read of this method before, which seems to be excellent to get the nebari in that amazing radial pattern.

I have a small j maple that was a cutting but was too small to screw in to anything (it's tall, just not WIDE). However, I still did the basic method, only I used a nicely flat rock instead (i normall have plenty of scrap wood about... I can't believe I couldn't find anything to use-- so I used the rock instead!).

Anyway, it is wired down really well and while the trunk moves about in the wind, the very base and roots do not-- wind is good for beefing up bases.

 

[barrosinc]

does everyone love those massive bases?
I like large nebaris but I like to see each individual root and like a massive round nebari that you don't see too often in real life.

 

[Ryan820]

I do this as well. It works but be mindful that the fusing together takes a long time.



Yes cambiums need to line up. It needs to be somewhat precise for the graft union to be solid and strong.

Anyone know of a good source for these cakes? Can they be made DIY?

 

[barrosinc]

Anyone know of a good source for these cakes? Can they be made DIY?

google fertilizing cakes there is tons of info, and I bet you can use whatever works best for your plants/weather/soil/etc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iKXjBAeEo8k

 

[Ryan820]

does everyone love those massive bases?
I like large nebaris but I like to see each individual root and like a massive round nebari that you don't see too often in real life.

So... i admit, I don't always like it. Sometimes it looks like an odd disc with this small trunk popping up-- but with the right trunk , I think this fused nebari is gorgeous!

 

[RKatzin]

Adair, best case scenerio, what's your avg. time line for this proceedure?

 

[coh]

does everyone love those massive bases?
I like large nebaris but I like to see each individual root and like a massive round nebari that you don't see too often in real life.

I'm with you on this...the giant "dinner plate" style nebari look pretty ridiculous to me. To each his own...I can appreciate the technical skill required to produce this type of nebari, but I don't have to like the result!

Chris

 

[MACH5]

So... i admit, I don't always like it. Sometimes it looks like an odd disc with this small trunk popping up-- but with the right trunk , I think this fused nebari is gorgeous!

I agree. It has to be on the right type of tree style and trunk. Although highly coveted by many, I don't think it necessarily makes a maple great.

Adair, best case scenerio, what's your avg. time line for this proceedure?

Ebihara has apparently done it from scratch in 25 years! Pretty amazing accomplishment in such a short time. However most of us are not Ebihara so I would guess 40 to 50 years to get one of a significant size.

 

[carobone]

I believe one aspect of bonsai art is to mimic trees in nature, and I have not seen any trees in nature that has this kind of nebari. An acquired taste, in my humble opinion

Regards

 

[lordy]

Brians link says to put fertilizing cakes really close to the nebari, small roots form there and often fuse together.

a similar technique is used with azalea: cover the soil with chopped sphagnum which helps keep the surface moist. This aids the formation of surface roots, which in time will grow and fuse together thereby increasing the base of the trunk/nebari.

 

[Adair M]

It would take a decade or two to get the tree like the one pictured.l

But, it takes a decade to properly develop a properly ramified Japanese maple or trident's branches. So why not develop the nebari as well?

Most of us neglect the nebari and concentrate on the trunk and branches. There's no reason to do that.

I agree some "melting nebari" can overwhelm the tree's styling. But when it's done in proportion to the tree, it's fantastic.