Methods to improve the nebari

[eplov90]

Normally, when looking at improving the nebari of a tree, the recommendations are to do one of the following:

• Approach grafting seedlings to add roots on bare parts
• Thread grafting seedlings to place their roots on bare parts
• Cut squares of the bark off in bare areas of nebari, hoping to stimulate the creation of new roots.

My probably dumb question is, couldn't you take an existing root from the tree and loop it around to approach graft it in the bare part of the tree? I was planning on experimenting with this when repotting in the spring but if someone else has taken the time to try and fail, I will go after one of the tried and true methods.

 

[Wires_Guy_wires]

• Plant on a flat surface
• Plant in a shallow container

And yes, you can approach graft roots by looping them around. But the act of looping it around and fixating it, is quite difficult to perform.

 

[Bonsai Nut]

To the processes listed above I'm just going to add - with the natural cycle of repotting and:

• Remove downward growing roots
• Remove thick roots
• Remove crossing roots, or ugly roots that are growing in the wrong direction

You are naturally going to create a network of fine roots radiating out from the base of the tree.

 

[eplov90]

Thanks @Bonsai Nut and @Wires_Guy_wires -- you are completely right about those methods. I should have been more specific in that I was looking at ways to improve the nebari in terms of having roots emerging radially, all the way around the trunk.

@Wires_Guy_wires have you seen any documentation/videos on this type of root grafting? Is it difficult due to the fragility of roots?

 

[SeanS]

I think the problem would be that to have a root(s) long enough to loop around and to be thick enough in the section that they would be in contact with the tree to be grafted they would be too thick to bend already to safely loop and would possibly be too thick where they emerge from the trunk originally.

 

[Wires_Guy_wires]

@Wires_Guy_wires have you seen any documentation/videos on this type of root grafting? Is it difficult due to the fragility of roots?

No but I've tried to redirect roots and they're super difficult to keep in place. Mainly because of what @SeanS also said.
I think it would be easier to use seedlings for these kind of situations.

 

[eplov90]

I think the problem would be that to have a root(s) long enough to loop around and to be thick enough in the section that they would be in contact with the tree to be grafted they would be too thick to bend already to safely loop and would possibly be too thick where they emerge from the trunk originally.

I figured there was a good reason I hadn't seen this done before, thanks for the info @Wires_Guy_wires and @SeanS.

I will probably try approach grafting 1/2 roots during this upcoming repot just to satisfy my own curiosity, but will also use a few seedlings so I don't waste a year.