This could more accurately be titled a root “plug in” but it is another way of getting a root where you need one to significantly improve the nabari.

This tree was ground grown and is now about eight years old. It was purchased as a seedling and then planted in the garden and was progressively pruned to give it some shape, About three years ago it was dug from the garden and planted into a plastic pot to continue its development.

In 2012 it was planted in a bonsai training pot for the next stage of its journey towards becoming a bonsai. At this potting it was obvious that the nabari could be improved and so in 2014 it was decided to repot it into a better bonsai pot and at the same time try to improve the nabari.

The idea was to cut one long root that was out of proportion to the design, and then insert the cut off portion into the trunk to form a new root in a position that needed a root.

September 2011 in a plastic pot

August 2014 in the training pot

The root on the right that I intend to use for the root graft

The root cut and the graft piece on the right

The bark was cut from the root to expose the cambiam layer. The width of the root was measured with a caliper and the correct size spade bit was used to drill a hole into the trunk of the maple.

Root measuring

Spade bit measuring

Ready to be inserted

In she goes

The root was then tied into the correct position so it wouldn’t move. I will leave this for a couple of years to see if it takes.

The new look