JTGJr25

I've had this tree for a year and the nebari isn't so good. I figure I better work on it now while its still young, do you guys have any ideas on what I could do to fix it? Thanks!




Tom

AlainK

I would put a flat stone or piece of tiling under the roots, try to apply them as flat as possible on the stone with raffia (which will rot in due time), and put it in a large, round shallow pot or container so that the roots and the tree itself develop rapidly.

__________________
Alain K.
http://www.rdb45.fr
http://ak2.apinc.org/bdB

Rick Moquin

Place it in a pond basket for a couple of years in bonsai soil and let mother nature do it's thing. After that period you will have a fine system of fine feeder roots. Then plant the tree out in a shallow grow box.

__________________
Bonsai is the journey, not the destination
Bonsai Wonders

JTGJr25

Thanks for the ideas. I think I'll do a combo of both, put a stone under it and put it in a pond basket. I'll have to make a grow box for the future.

Tom

Rick Moquin

you do not need a stone/tile in a pond basket. Pond baskets are for creating fine feeder roots that are air pruned. They will not roll or develop under, just a thick mat which is what you want. Do some research...

__________________
Bonsai is the journey, not the destination
Bonsai Wonders

JTGJr25

Ok, that makes sense. I just thought it might not hurt to do both at the same time. I'm gonna pick up a bunch of different sized pond baskets because I've been wanting to try this with some of my other trees as well.

Tom

Prowler

Tom
I only have one larch, i have it in a 2gall. pot, its been in there for over two yrs.
This year i will have to sort it out, the roots are growing out of the bottom of the pot.
I have no idea what the nebari looks like, all i have is a trunk coming out of the soil.
I would heed "Ricks" advice about the pot, the only thing i would say is bury the nebari as well, this should encourage finer roots to grow from them.
If you leave them exposed you will have to chop them, loosing a lot of the root system.
In the UK they use Larch a lot for protection around a new area of Pines, they are very hardy tree's and have a good grip in the ground due to their thick roots. Cheers.

__________________
Its hell out there, give them hell back.

JTGJr25

Thanks Prowler I'll keep that in mind. This is my second try at a larch, I failed the first one. I can tell that they have strong root systems because its only been in this pot for 1 year and its already firmly anchored.

Tom

Prowler

You know i often wonder if people realise what the hell a tree is?
This is NOT at you by the way !!
They get a new tree and it is growing, the next thing they chop it to hell, then they worry about the nebari, then we get a post on it is dying.
Once they get a good root system growing they can take a hell of abuse.
I am NOT a master, in fact i am still in kindergarten, but one thing i have learned after killing so many tree's is, you have to look after the root system, without that just sit back and watch TV. Cheers.

__________________
Its hell out there, give them hell back.

JTGJr25

That is a very good point and I have learned that the hard way as well. I will probably be risking this with one of my Zelkova's though. I can tell the root system isn't that strong because it is still a little loose in the pot, but I'm not happy with the top so I will be chopping it along with doing root work. I still have a feeling it will be fine but if it isn't I know exactly why.

This Larch already has a good root system but there is no need to chop yet. I've heard that larch trunks thicken up fast. I hope this is true because I really can't wait to work on it. Its so hard to be patient when you have a vision in your head.

Tom