Soil layering is an issue that, like so many individual and specific
practices, is largely misunderstood by enthusiasts outside of Japan. We
tend to think of this and too many other bonsai practices and techniques as
unrelated to other elements of the art and science. For instance, if it is
seemingly a science question, we don't include artistic concerns in the
equation. We also tend to wrongly believe that the differences in
horticultural practices between East and West are based on preference and
tradition rather than necessity.

In the case of Japanese growers advocating soil layering, neither the
science nor the reasoning is wrong. They do it for reasons that address the
entirety of their approach. For instance:

- Japanese growers have traditionally used large, handmade fertilizer
cakes - which necessitates some very specific annual practices and
influences the conventions of soil use/cycle/size/medium.
- Japanese growers have traditionally used akadama and large sand as their
primary soil media.
- Japanese growers are concentrated in a small country - with areas of
specific climate and annual rain trends.
- Japanese growers understand that the "art" of bonsai extends beyond the
tree and the pot (like to the soil and how it should look/behave in a couple
of specific different cases).
- Japanese growers understand that horticulture and art have to be
compatible - that horticulture must sometimes adapt to artistry, and
vice-versa.

So merely layering your soil is no better than merely cutting black pine
buds nor merely repotting nor merely defoliating. With each of these
practices/techniques there is a host of related issues that may be specific
to species, season, geographic location and/or individual tree condition and
history. Believing that just because it is only dirt means that soil
techniques that come from a specific country are not related to the other
specific practices common to that country is short-sighted.

This does not, of course, mean that soil layering is important in Japan but
not anywhere else. It means that if you follow the specifically growing
practices common to Japan, most of them are related to one another and
dependent on one another, so you can't so quickly discount one of them.

Take the various broom style formations. You will find that skilled
Japanese artists will poo-poo certain forms even though they are beautiful.
We may think that they're merely expressing their personal taste, but I've
found that when I ask, such cases are always related to specific
horticultural issues or issues of the tree's form 10 to 30 years from now.
So in such cases, an elm or beech that is beautiful now will not be in 20
years because certain physical structures will cause problems down the
road - so the skilled and knowledgeable artists advises huge changes
(wrecking the now beautiful form in favor of a long-lasting beauty). But
most of us have no experience with evaluating a bonsai's beauty and physical
quality over the span of 20 to 30 years.

We're foolish to evaluate specific practices or techniques of Japanese
growers based on Western growing techniques, Western growing practices and
Western bonsai tradition. Japan has a much longer history in bonsai AND
they have what we don't - a history of passing proven practices down in
strict, dogmatic fashion from skilled teacher to student. Most importantly,
this has happened in a proper learning environment - where the teacher is a
teacher, not a merchant for the student's purse.

Instead of asking Western growers who follow some - or very few - Japanese
growing techniques about the necessity or reason for certain specific
Japanese techniques, ask a Japanese grower about why they do this or that.
The answer will nearly always be because of several other things they're
doing too as a matter of course.

Kind regards,
Andy Rutledge
www.andyrutledge.com/
zone 8, Texas

----- Original Message -----
From: "p.aradi"
Peter:
snip
So get used to the idea that old practices, specially if they are proven
in practice over several centuries, may endure even if "scientifically
wrong." And "Kindai Bonsai," the source of that article is the best
and truly cutting edge magazine on bonsai.
Cheers.
Peter Aradi

************************************************** ******************************
++++Sponsored, in part, by Jarbas Godoy ++++
************************************************** ******************************
-- The IBC HOME PAGE & FAQ: http://www.internetbonsaiclub.org/ --
+++++ Questions? Help? e-mail +++++