✳️ AT Shohin — 4/19/25
Have a plan
“90% of trees in his garden have potential to be good/great bonsai.
“All have a plan. If not, get rid of it.
“If you have a game plan, good. If not, then it’s useless.”
Trident
Grow out, if I desire a thicker trunk repot it into a colander [repotted that afternoon]
Grow trunk then hard cut branches
Low thick cut, concave
Deciduous repot
Flat to concave bottom by removing downward roots, not desiring stronger growth below, rather outward nebari
JBP
If I want a thicker trunk, grow a sacrifice
I propose angling the base
Was not wired down (bad form)
Age of a maple
Having few scars
Light bark higher up
Smooth bark, smooth transitions
Plum
Tend to lose branches
Okay/good to Shari or Jin deadwood
Looks good, choose the new leader and grow that—next step
Don’t worry about branches yet
Use standard deciduous work and it will back bud
Beauty Berry full defoliation
Slows down growth
Builds ramification
Keep to size
Adam developed a name, about 2” tall with great ramification.
Troublesome Roots:
…may have to bury them
Cut Paste
Green has hormone, for those hard to heal
Whereas Trident & Maples callous too much and pink is preferred
Putty is typically used for conifers
Too much movement near base—mame material
Specifically a deciduous tree, but if the material has too much movement below and then branches above—it will look like a lollipop.
Would be hard to make as a Shohin, but can be mame material.
For Shohin, the lower movement should be more open and graceful.
Shape of the base of a trident.
Avoid so tight that would close a loop or merge, unless desired—folding tightly while taper is created—cut & grow.
