I collect a good number of yamadori from the shores of Lake Huron where I am saving them from the waves on sandy beaches or eroding clay cliffs. Survival rates are fairly poor as many of the trees are partially or even completely bare rooted by nature and then exposed to the elements. My limited skills and toolkit only compound matters.
This Shohin is a prime example. I collected it last summer with the majority of the rootball exposed (sometimes under waves, other times baking in the summer sun.) What roots were still covered were still in native clay. I salvaged some recycling to create a training pot and rooted it in the local sand. This is laughable to community no doubt, but we use what we have on hand. The cedars here are abundant and seem to do well in the sand; I'm not sure if I'm crazy but I also seem to have better luck with survival using sand with these trees.
This spring I decided to repot it (just a random pot, I know its not the sexiest bit of ceramic.) I envision this as a Shohin in the Slanting (shakan) style. The trunk you will note is planted upright and the roughly 30 degree angle is the natural direction it takes. As such, nature made this Cedar into a shakan more than I did.
In spite of its flaws, the bark has a nice texture to it and it feels likely an older tree than it might appear at first glance. There are several (at least 5) dead branches that have potential for jin. I see the slanting right as "front." From this orientation, I feel the absurdly long dead branch offers some balance (if trimmed) and the more delicate opposing dead branch might be a keeper too while the upper most and bottom two can likely go.
Well that's as far as my amateur assessment takes things; curious to hear any input.
This Shohin is a prime example. I collected it last summer with the majority of the rootball exposed (sometimes under waves, other times baking in the summer sun.) What roots were still covered were still in native clay. I salvaged some recycling to create a training pot and rooted it in the local sand. This is laughable to community no doubt, but we use what we have on hand. The cedars here are abundant and seem to do well in the sand; I'm not sure if I'm crazy but I also seem to have better luck with survival using sand with these trees.
This spring I decided to repot it (just a random pot, I know its not the sexiest bit of ceramic.) I envision this as a Shohin in the Slanting (shakan) style. The trunk you will note is planted upright and the roughly 30 degree angle is the natural direction it takes. As such, nature made this Cedar into a shakan more than I did.
In spite of its flaws, the bark has a nice texture to it and it feels likely an older tree than it might appear at first glance. There are several (at least 5) dead branches that have potential for jin. I see the slanting right as "front." From this orientation, I feel the absurdly long dead branch offers some balance (if trimmed) and the more delicate opposing dead branch might be a keeper too while the upper most and bottom two can likely go.
Well that's as far as my amateur assessment takes things; curious to hear any input.
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