Creating better nebari on bonsai with young plants

There is no better time to start working on a great nebari (root spread) than on young plants. In this video I show the development of a plant I dug earlier this year ( • Develop great nebari g... ), how it has responded to the spring work, and I show how to work the rootball in the second year in pot to create an optimal nebari.

[@XaviersBonsaiRetreat]

I think even the great root raker Nigel Saunders would be impressed with that result in one year. Great stuff and the investigation of the mites was interesting. :)

[@GrowingBonsai]

I do hope so. @nigelsaunders, what do you think?

[@bibnida7945]

Instead of cutting the new, bottom roots off, cut the top roots. Brilliant, as this method exposes more trunk and gives the tree a little more taper. Thanks!

[@GrowingBonsai]

your welcome!

[@BonsaiStyle]

Very nice. I just bought a small linden tree and now I know what to do next spring. Thanks Jelle

[@GrowingBonsai]

glad to hear I could help!

[@sbragaglia]

Ah mites cocoons! I’ve seen them on Linden trees around home and always wondered what they were! Very nice tutorial that I’ll apply to my little oak, and nice mind reading exercise! 😅

[@GrowingBonsai]

Mind reading? Were you wondering about updates?

[@sbragaglia]

@@GrowingBonsai mites, mate! I might have set my mind asking you about them because of how your mighty expertise meters in trees matters! Mythical!

[@onizukateacher7992]

3:07 look how happy you are 🙂 das ist ein Belohnung/satisfaction lächeln lol 👍👍👍 and.the funny video montage with the roots lool

[@GrowingBonsai]

Great to hear you enjoy it

[@mattbrennan647]

Great tutorial (as usual) Thanks Jelle, keep growing.

[@GrowingBonsai]

thank you Matt!

[@TonysBonsai]

Nice video Jelle. That trees nicely set up now.

[@GrowingBonsai]

should build a nice nebari!

[@jeffhurst4744]

Nice root and Nebari video. Impressed with your results after one season.

[@GrowingBonsai]

So nice of you. every season a small step ahead!

[@Arleth7]

Awesome tutorial, thanks for sharing your knowledge.

[@GrowingBonsai]

youre very welcome!

[@guywatson-bognorregisbonsa7370]

Nice root tutorial Jelle. Many thanks. 👍👍

[@GrowingBonsai]

Very welcom Guy!

[@harrietb2141]

Thank you.I will do that with my nativ elm,that grow from a seed ,in my little garden.I have been training it for 3 years in a pot.🌺🌳

[@GrowingBonsai]

good luck!

[@harrietb2141]

@@GrowingBonsai I Wait till spring☺️

[@watsup6084]

Great video, looking forward to that in spring. However not looking forward getting all the trees I bought in fall out of the nursery soil ;).

[@GrowingBonsai]

hahaha, whats not to like? Mud everywhere!

[@natrjack965]

Great video Jelle that's going to be a great tree ..

[@GrowingBonsai]

I do hope so! Thx!

[@thenaturecreater8906]

Thanks jelle! Great video.

[@GrowingBonsai]

Thank you my friend!

[@mick681]

Great video. Very explanatory with great camera work.

[@GrowingBonsai]

thank you Mick. It is a bit of effort to get clear shots, and I often have to retake shots as my camera is fully manual!

[@keefe4484]

I like your tip on how to get radial roots

[@GrowingBonsai]

great to hear!

[@scheers100]

I have a couple off trees with roots in this stage, eagerly waiting to discover the results in spring. Earlier today I repotted my bougainvillea and set it up further for having a nice nebarie in the future. It is inside now and normally gets a short growing spurt(with long internodes, from short daylight) behind a south facing window. Thank you for the fall repot and showing your results! Always satisfying to see good roots 👍👊

[@GrowingBonsai]

Hi Wouter, keep in mind that bougainville grown from cutrings have weak root connections for years sometimes after originally rooting them.

[@scheers100]

@@GrowingBonsai Good to know, because I have a airlayer from this summer! Taken from the one I repotted today. It’s first repot was in spring 2021 to different soil mix. Now it got in a more shallow growing pot. Thanks for the tip Jelle, already written on calendar for next spring repot(airlayer) “be very gentle/careful with the roots”

[@beth7467]

The mesh circle on top of the soil is a brilliant idea. Maybe that would prevent the squirrels from digging in the soil, too.

[@GrowingBonsai]

Let me know!

[@bonsaisn]

Hello friend, your ideas and experiences are great, I wish you lots of health 👍👍👍👍👍👍

[@GrowingBonsai]

So glad to hear it! Thak you and merry christmas!

[@TOMSAI]

Thx for showing ! Nice Nebari!

[@GrowingBonsai]

Thank you! Set for a great start, I agree!

[@TOMSAI]

@@GrowingBonsai oh Yeahhhhh thats a Great Start ! 👍 Good luck

[@tasanastasi7799]

Very nice work .. i admire your daring in cutting so many roots off , im the opposite , ..but i think your method is much better , wish me luck ;)

[@GrowingBonsai]

good luck. Always best to do what you are comfortable with!

[@bonsai.ukraine]

Thanks 🙏

[@GrowingBonsai]

You’re welcome 😊

[@AlexBraunton]

Jelle! You read my mind. I was watching the original video that you'd posted on April 1st, about 3 hours ago! I was wondering how it got on this year and how your root experiments had been going.

[@GrowingBonsai]

I hope all questions have been answered Alex!?

[@bobcatbonsai]

Those cacoon looking spikes are super cool. I always wondered what they were, but now I wonder no more. This was a great video Jelle thank you for sharing! Do the little nubs heal over quickly were you cut the roots off?

[@GrowingBonsai]

the cut nubs will over time be less visible. These small cuts basically heal over in a few weeks

[@bobcatbonsai]

@@GrowingBonsai that is pretty cool. I wasn't sure if they would leave marks in the bark or not, but obviously not or you wouldn't do it. 😁

[@GrowingBonsai]

@@bobcatbonsai I think there will be marks, but over time they will disappear. (years)

[@mattbrennan647]

What exactly is your aftercare for repotting in fall? I thought you might be putting it under protection until you put the mesh on to keep the birds away. Thanks

[@GrowingBonsai]

Hi Matt, these were put in dappled shade, and watered. No special care. I am in an area where most winters real frost does not arrive till december though!

[@backbudbonsai]

How early can you cut the “tap” root off? I have sowed 50 Arakawa maple seeds. Should I wait 2 yrs, then cut tap root. Or can I do it after 1 yr in 2025? Or even wait longer? Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thank you for ALL of your videos, Jelle!!

[@GrowingBonsai]

I am rude to my seedlings and often in the first summer, when I separate seedlings from the seedling trays I clip the main root to the first few side roots. I might loose up to 10% of the seedlings, but most of the time I have very little losses..

[@bustamante-music]

hi jelle random question what kind of music do you like?

[@GrowingBonsai]

Hey Brandon, I like most except for the harshest techno. and mood dependent i might switch between rock, goth or latin!

[@francescognesotto5245]

Sorry but my English is not good. You say to do this in early winter or in early spring? And can I put a piece of plastic under roots, for example a CD?

[@GrowingBonsai]

Hi franceso, best to do this in early spring, as the buds are about to open. You can put something below the roots, but I find that for young plants like this, spreading and prunong does the job too!

[@francescognesotto5245]

@@GrowingBonsai thank you so much!

[@brucedeacon28]

👍😬🙂

[@GrowingBonsai]

😁

[@GrowingBonsai]

😁

[@GoodSamaritan1972]

Hi...what is your soil mix composed of please?

[@GrowingBonsai]

I use a range of substrate componens. Mostly baked clay, punice, expanded shale and pine bark. Will make a video on substrate later this year.

[@GoodSamaritan1972]

@@GrowingBonsai : thank you so much. Will watch the video then,...God willing

[@KennetDeBondt]

Hello Jelle Do you speak dutch? Grts Kennet

[@GrowingBonsai]

Hi Kenneth, my primary language is Dutch!

[@anketchum]

1:25 mark it looks like you didn't put any more soil on top of the roots? So confusing.

[@GrowingBonsai]

yes, of course I fille dthe pot further!

[@jimmylarsen82]

Hi Jelle I wrote you an email a few weeks ago. Hope to get in touch

[@GrowingBonsai]

sorry, missed the mail. replied now!