Special thanks to Adam Toth on his presentation to the Sri Boku Bonsai Kai club in March 2065. This was an inspiring introduction to Shohin & Mame development. He was an apprentice for three years in Japan and a certified Shohin grower.

He explained what is important and valued in a Shohin tree, showing by example across conifer and deciduous trees.

While bonsai can be both expensive and requiring May years of development to be the best show-ready trees—Adam shared examples where he developed trees from overlooked material or affordable starting points—requiring more time.

Time is Money

While focused trunk development can be done in 3-5 years, followed by another few years to develop branches and ramification—if you are starting in more silver years, he recommends investing in good mature material and enjoy the refinement phase.
If you are young, start getting good material into the marketplace for others to enjoy.
Adam would look at material for valued sections to build a Shohin or Mame— develop a good eye for spotting these.
It may be the nebari or aged bark or base—and he may chop and grow a new top.
It may be a middle section of trunk and branches or foliage, or apex—-and air-layer off.

Develop In Phases—Hyper-focused

Clip and grow—lower first section ¾ the final size, then chop, etc, etc
Not developing any branches—but defoliation stimulated new buds.
Deciduous are developed for Winter silhouette and seeking ramification and density.
Junipers less interested in taper, more for lower movement and refined/edited foilage and show off Jin or Shari.

Healthy Trees Can Recover More Quickly

To build surface roots, buried roots below soil. Remove as much roots each repotting to slow down growth. And a smaller pot.

Fertilize—first of the month on a schedule, and insert chemical fertilizer in between.
Pumice is better for bringing trees back to good health

Soil & Containers

Ideally a finished tree will only grow 1/4” each year, to prune back to silhouette.
Lava works well to grow fast. In his garden he sometimes develops tridents, junipers, and pines in 100% lava.
If it’s an old tree — goal is to minimizing drying out. Roots, branches (and elongated internodes) grow slower if not looking for water.
If drying out more between watering it will be strained to look for water, therefore growing more roots.
75% of his garden is in a grow pot or colander. When put into a bonsai pot, he is trying to slow it down. May use a bigger/deeper bonsai pot in transition, if needed.
Colanders air prune, preventing encircling roots. Then stack them to let roots grow into the next level of soil.

Redwood Development

Mame, hedge clipping for a year and a half, a few times a year. Building density.
Same technique with elms—so may fine branches—just hedge clip
At the right time, select branches and pinch. Shorter left the better—a few needles.
For refinement. Pinch to shape. Just to ramify or back bud. If you want to thicken branches, do not pinch.
For a taller redwood, more upright—don’t hedge cut for density. A more upright should have naturalistic branches.

Developing Junipers

Important to add movement early to make the 8” interesting. Ideally a long whip (from cutting) about pencil diameter or less. Wire, then twist, then bend.
Wiring—conifers using aluminum will use a size the same size of the branch. Copper would be ⅓ the branch.
One can feel the branch shearing while twisting, and that is okay or good. Breaking is bad.
Prevent one continuously bent spiral. Bends or movement should get progressively tighter at the tip.
Avoid too tightly formed that merges into a weird blob.
Juniper cutting into a double colander in 100% lava results in thumb size trunk.
Juniper development—don’t grow lower branches too big if you plan to Shari a life line—if it runs into the removed branch it may stall the life line. Sacrifice branches higher

Tridents & Maples

Defoliate a trident as many as 5 times in a season, until it stops elongating
If recently repotted or removed a lot of roots—caution how soon you defoliate. Possibly let the leaves harden off, possibly partial defolistion (outer leaves only).
Japanese Maple—new leaves with a center bud—pinch it out.
Trident Forest to keep in a small pot he will repot every year or so, removing lower roots and slow it down. If too vigorous it will give off long internodes. Recommend building individual trunks first.

Developing Pines (slower)

Apically dominant need to treat upper different than lower. In the fall you pull needles to prevent vigorous growth. Leaving 2 pair of needles on top and 3 pair of needles lower.
Fertilize heavily, pinch in the fall.
Example shown is a Red Pine.

Zelkova Broom

To prevent reverse or inverse taper (due to so many branches joined at the same level) Adam carved a concave cone for the branch width to fill in and not out.

SBBK — Adam Toth Shohin & Mame Development