Xref: kermit rec.arts.bonsai:63340

At 08:11 AM 5/10/03 -0700, MartyWeiser wrote:
I like to get the roots of standard nursery stock sorted out as soon as
possible when converting them to bonsai. The roots of most nursery stock
are generally rather poorly arranged for bonsai - tangled, knotted,
one-sided, pot bound, etc. So I will cut the top back to get the right
sized tree (no fancy styling now), then work on the roots to get them
arranged, and finally pot it up in a training box - generally 3 -4 times the
volume of the proper sized bonsai pot. The tree will live in either the
training box or perhaps the ground after a couple of years in the box
depending upon what growth and styling are necessary.....

Marty

Your point is well taken. This is also how I would proceed. However, for
beginners there are other considerations. The prime one is that they really
want to play with these plants, but they have almost no experience.
Throwing them directly into root pruning and repotting sets them up for
disappointment without letting them have any fun.

By allowing them to first style the plants, they get some instant
gratification without immediately killing the plants. Hopefully they will
get a better idea of how to root prune and repot within a year or two and
greatly increase their chance of success. After which, they can follow your
good advice.



Brent in Northern California
Evergreen Gardenworks USDA Zone 8 Sunset Zone 14

http://www.EvergreenGardenworks.com

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