floridork

Hello Experienced Bonsai enthusiasts!

I have access to a bougainvillea that has been growing in an urn for about 80 years. Its root mass busted the urn! (4 feet tall and 4 feet wide). I am about to dismantle the urn and begin the process of training this old guy as a bonsai.

Does anybody have any sage advice on how to go about this? Do I cut back the root mass gradually? Or should I cut it to the depth that I want to pot it and try to retain whatever feeder roots exists at that depth? The entire crown has been cut back and currently has no leaves or secondary branches.

The "trunk" width at the soil line is about 8-10 inches! (actual a conglomerate of trunks, but still arborescent in appearance)

If anybody has some advice I'd truly appreciate it. I'd really rather not let this opportunity go to waste.

Here are some pics of the urns and bougainvillea:

http://media-cdn.tripadvisor.com/med...e-ringling.jpg
http://www.gourmetgirlmagazine.com/0...ksFest0312.jpg

Thanks!

Aaron

Mike423

Sounds like a promising opportunity. I would recommend not pruning too extensively as Bougainvillea's have delicate root systems. To be on the safe side I would reduce the root ball by no more than 1/4 its current size, maybe less and make sure its done from the bottom up. Older specimens have to be root pruned with more caution than younger specimens as they become less vigorous with age and therefore take longer to recover. Always better to wait a little longer for a more finished look and have a Bonsai to come back to next year than be overzealous and lose it.

bonsai_dan

Wow Aaron. What's the history behind this boug? It looks like its in a very special area. Have you found a pot for it yet? Bougainvillea's I've been told like to be root bound so only removing a little of the root system would be the go. Seem to bloom better. Getting a similar size pot would be a good idea that way you won't have to disturb the root system to much.
Good luck
Dan

sairaj

Yes.It is a good specimen. But there will be a weak root system probably. Add good manure like leather meal,blood meal, etc and the tree will respond well to manuring and watering, but not to pruning. Initiate more young leaves by following heavy manuring first and then to create good canopy. I have seen infection of fungus through cut wounds in many tropical countries. May not pose a threat in your country. You can fall in love with the new collection.

Mike423

Adding some Mycorrhizal fungi might be benifitial to the root system as well. This also really only needs to be done once in the trees life, as its absorbed into the root system and remains there in within the root structure.