AusBonsai

I have a lovely old JBP in a classic literati style, but the root mass is a real mess, it must have died off on one side years ago and the other side protrudes from a long straight section under the soil.
I'd like to fix all this up so I might one day be able to plant it in the unglazed nanban style pot I have set aside for it.
I was wondering if anybody has had any luck with thread-grafting pine whips, like you would with something like a maple?
I can see why it wouldnt work, but figured I would put it out there before I start drilling holes in a 30 year old tree.

Cheers

H

Do you have any photos?

None showed up on my computer?

Cheers
Rae

Haydenmc wrote:I have a lovely old JBP in a classic literati style, but the root mass is a real mess, it must have died off on one side years ago and the other side protrudes from a long straight section under the soil.
I'd like to fix all this up so I might one day be able to plant it in the unglazed nanban style pot I have set aside for it.
I was wondering if anybody has had any luck with thread-grafting pine whips, like you would with something like a maple?
I can see why it wouldnt work, but figured I would put it out there before I start drilling holes in a 30 year old tree.

Cheers

H

G'Day H.,
Happy Easter.

Photos speak a thousand words ... and make giving advice so much easier, but it may be easier to do a Ground Layer ...
just a thought...

Firstly, I think it's important to keep in mind that bunjin tree should have a wild look to them and not be TOO over-worked at the base. But having said that, if it's too bad I would suggest grafting on some seelings bent into a C shape rather that drilling. You will need to remove the outer bark first and proceed very carefully!

Approach graft seedlings in will be easier that eying to thread them.
Thread will nee a muck larger hole than would otherwise be needed.

I see no reason it will not work so long as you have live bark to graft into

You can thread graft pine. Alpine art has a thread outlining how he wraps a drinking straw around the seedling to hold all the needles together so it can be threaded through the hole more easily.
Personally I have better results with the approach grafting outlined above by Treeman and it is usually quicker too.

A quick snap of the tree in question. Looking pretty full and ready for a thinning out


The root base, this is the side that has died out


The bark is starting to get nice and flakey




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I can see sphagnum moss on the surface of the mix. Pines like to be on the dry side. Dead roots usually mean they have been kept too wet for too long or have been exposed to the elements or dried out too much.
The photo can't show how much of the roots are dead. It may be that there are still live ones below so no problem. I think roots ill also grow back if the base of the trunk is healthy and soil conditions are right.
Also think that nebari is not such a big issue in literati style - nice but not essential. The focus should be on the trunk and the branch arrangement more than the roots.
For a good literati I think the branches need to be thinned - less is more with this style.

No doubt there are too many branches / too much foliage. I just haven't decided if I want to keep the crown or the falling branch. Maybe something like this?


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From bonsai focus 132/109



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Love the flaky bark on your pine

hi Hayden
the tree has enough character as it is, so i would not be too concerned with the roots(they don't look that bad anyway).
just a little observation i have found, with literati style, we appreciate the branche structures more so than the foliage. so do not try to hide anything with the masses of needles. being able to see the branches is more important than trying to form the conventional asymmetrical triangle with the foliage.


regards



tien

bonsaisensation wrote:hi Hayden
the tree has enough character as it is, so i would not be too concerned with the roots(they don't look that bad anyway).
just a little observation i have found, with literati style, we appreciate the branche structures more so than the foliage. so do not try to hide anything with the masses of needles. being able to see the branches is more important than trying to form the conventional asymmetrical triangle with the foliage.


regards



tien

I agree with this. Leave the roots as they are and just reduce the visual weight of the crown. You could have a very nice tree. Make lots of sketches before cutting?