Bonsaify | Developing Root-Over-Rock Japanese Black Pine Bonsai

[@ponderanceofagravedigger2564]

The chopsticks pressed into the raffia to flatten the roots against the rock was genius.

[@TonysBonsai]

Another brilliant video. Thanks for updating the progress of this tree. Your videos are really helping me to understand how I should be working on my pines to achieve that compact look that I really like. Keep up the great work.

[@caseykja]

really solid video. Thinking out loud as you work really adds to the presentation.

[@steveanacorteswa3979]

I love the root over rocks but man are they heavy, I have some large lava rocks I collected it still heavy to lift the whole thing. It's been freezing here in the PNW so hope all my trees survive, at least when it snowed I could cover them to protect. Thanks for the video, I know one video was a guy in Japan, he used fine lava cinder and would uncover the wrap a little at a time and let the lava wear away slowly.

[@jeffreyhutchings561]

If I had to do this tree’s root work, I would have used a little sphagnum moss against the roots. Then wrapped it up with raffia (the chopsticks are a great idea). I feel that the moss trick would help gently press the roots closer to the rock.

[@sueb1317]

Thank you so much for your very helpful videos this past year. Really appreciate the knowledge and techniques you share. Best wishes for a great 2023!

[@mm6918]

This is a really helpful video. Thanks!

[@angelogiannoutsos2392]

Thank you and forgive me if I missed it in your video, will you pot the tree back in substrate or leave the roots exposed?

[@mudveinstudio]

Love your videos and how well you explain everything. To help keep your raffia tight as you’re tying it, try a surgeons knot. The multiple loops on the first part of the knot will keep it tight as you’re fully securing it.

[@Bonsaify]

Thanks for the tip!

[@gregorynewey4089]

Nice looking root over rock. For me I think at this early stage a downward Literati or Cascade will bring the large rock into perspective? Cheers.

[@Bonsaify]

I think I'm going to do a follow up on this tree soon. It's growing like crazy.

[@gregorynewey4089]

@@Bonsaify great I will look forward to see what you decide?

[@teaniner]

My garage is relatively mild in Michigan. Wondering if I am able to do similar work with my pines. Just kind of want to pull them out to check on the roots. What would look for in the environment that might help with some work done in the winter? I have heated mats. The garage hangs out in the 40’s. The big cold storm that came through my car temp in the garage said 32. Kind of feel I could do some work without major disruption.

[@Bonsaify]

Sounds like you could. The only caveat I think is that trees kept in darkness for longer periods of time sometime get burned when put back out in more light. Obviously this applies more to evergreen than deciduous.

[@mikedan297]

My concern is that if the tree gets too big, the initial rock will look ridiculous. For the moment, the rock is very proportionate to the tree. It will be good to keep the tree small about the current size.

[@finnsbiavl7483]

Super video, thanks …… btw .. if you make one more half knot, the raphia holds itself 🇩🇰🇩🇰🇩🇰

[@gpaul8564]

You’ve mentioned in a few videos that your winters are quite mild. What temperatures do you get at this time year? Sorry if you’ve already answered this

[@Bonsaify]

Here in SF the lowest we get is about 38F, a normal overnight low in January is 40-45F. At our growing grounds in the east bay it will get down to about 27F occasionally, but normally the overnight lows in winter are around 40F also.

[@laszloszelecsenyi9423]

Hi Eric. Just found your channel and I really like it, stuffed with useful info and also very inspirational. In one of your videos you mentioned bonsainut. What's your username there? Do you have threads about yout trees there too?

[@Bonsaify]

@Eric Schrader. There are some old threads, but I don't post much.

[@Chris-oq6kn]

Jbp question, i was looking into repotting mine next spring and seen it may be better to do it in 2 stages. Mine seems like its in black soil so should i start from the bottom and go halfway up with bonsai soil then next year do the other half? I was also going to do an approach graft into the trunk is it ok to just place the branch in the trunk nail it down and put cut putty over it? Im guessing over time the tree will roll over the graft and it should take? Thanks

[@Bonsaify]

Soil /repot - scrape the circling roots off the bottom/outside, then bare-root half the rootball if it's in bad soil - pick either the front or back or left or right for example. Then do the other half in another 1-2 years. Approach grafting - not a common technique with pine as I believe it can cause unsightly swelling, but give it a try. To succeed with any grafting you need to get the cambium layers to contact each other, so don't forget to use a sharp knife to expose some.

[@Chris-oq6kn]

@@Bonsaify thank u for the repot info. The water isnt even going through the top of the pot. Bought from brussels. Very nice pine though. Again on another yt channel another person told me its ok to just place the graft in the slot of the trunk without scraping cambium on the graft and nail it down. I asked y and he said theres higher chances of getting stuff on the graft and it not taking. From what i gather he thinks just throw it in there nail it down dont scrap cambium and theres a higher chance of it taking. I kinda want to get the best info and not make this graft look sloppy cause its a thick branch little less than pinky size. Thanks soo much for the info. Love ur videos.

[@questionablecooking7019]

Is there a reason why you don't muck the rock up with mud once you drape roots, then wrap(raffia or plastic wrap) and bury in beach sand to get better root cling and less gaps ?

[@Bonsaify]

I don't prefer to work with muck in general as it's messy and I see little benefit in this scenario. If you look at the previous video you can see I do use raffia rope to attach it. I don't use plastic because no matter how you treat it the roots inevitably grow over the plastic and then you're stuck trying to get it out without damaging roots you want to keep. Raffia is generally a bit better than raffia rope as it doesn't fall apart as fast, but generally you just need the tree to establish some wood in the roots. Actually, I'm curious to know if you've tested muck/sand versus others?

[@questionablecooking7019]

@@Bonsaify Yes, I've done a few that I've been unburying .... learned twine rots 100% of the time I used it and takes out the roots it was holding down lol .. the best ones so far are mucked rocks I tie down with raffia, wrap tight in plastic wrap with roots coming out of bottom, then fill with #11 silica. I have others similar wrapping I filled with stuff like scoria because I had a ton extra. Silica compacts better, when it's wet seems to really press in. I can see what you mean with the mess of mucking up lol dear lord .. I have no idea if it makes it better or not other than a few reliable sources saying it helps the roots adhere to the rocks. It is a big pain to come back a year later to uncover and check the roots I will say, BIG pain

[@acheronexile]

Imagine when its half the thickness of the rock. Yes! Future Vision activated! It is a semi cascade tree.

[@9daywonda]

Merry Christmas Eric, I'm trusting that your last name is not Banna?

[@Bonsaify]

No, but now I'm waiting to hear the punch line? Last name is Schrader.

[@bjrockensock]

what time of year is this? rootwork on pines is best done in...

[@Bonsaify]

It was shot and published about two weeks ago. This is not what I would think of as "root work" since you're not really disturbing the majority of the feeder roots. Pine root work can be done in fall (with a 4 weeks of moderate temps after) or at the normal repotting time in spring. You can extend the repotting interval earlier into winter if you can provide protection from freezing temps after repotting - as with a heat bed, or a greenhouse etc.

[@bjrockensock]

@@Bonsaify thanks. You actually answered the question in the video but this excellent advice is appreciated

[@brucedeacon28]

👍👌👌

[@luongden242]

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