Bonsai forum

  • Page:
  • 1

TOPIC:

Forest Maintenance 5 years 6 months ago #44711

  • Ivan Mann
  • Ivan Mann's Avatar Topic Author
  • Offline
  • Platinum Member
  • Platinum Member
  • Posts: 1733
  • Thanks received: 600
I decided to try my hand at a forest since I had about 35 elm seedlings and didn't want 35 pots of elms. I put about 20 in a large shallow training pot and let them grow last year.

Now I am looking at it thinking I will need some root pruning, etc., in the spring. How do you root prune a forest? It seems not right try to separate all the root balls and then try to put them back together. Just trim around the edges, treating it as one large root ball? That means the outer trees get lots of trimming and the inner ones get overly compact roots.

A couple of them have died, so I need to do something about them. Just pull them out?

I may want to do some rearranging of trunks. Would it make sense to make a few clumps of trees and move them around. Would that make sense?

Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.

Forest Maintenance 5 years 6 months ago #44712

  • Mimo
  • Mimo's Avatar
  • Offline
  • Platinum Member
  • Platinum Member
  • Posts: 1119
  • Thanks received: 921

I decided to try my hand at a forest


I recommend trying a girlfriend at a forest, but a hand might be nice too if the girlfriend is not willing to participate.

Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.

Forest Maintenance 5 years 6 months ago #44714

  • Mimo
  • Mimo's Avatar
  • Offline
  • Platinum Member
  • Platinum Member
  • Posts: 1119
  • Thanks received: 921
to the actual question - rootpruning the whole forest as one tree is usual business but since you have dead trees in there and the trees are not positioned carefully I would suggest to separate trees and put the forest together after you study few of them from the pics on the net and learn some basic guides how to do it.

Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.

Forest Maintenance 5 years 6 months ago #44716

  • leatherback
  • leatherback's Avatar
  • Offline
  • Platinum Member
  • Platinum Member
  • Posts: 8620
  • Thanks received: 3653
For forests it is recommended to first grow the trees to the level needed. And only then plant them in a forest. That way you have way more control. So that would be my suggestion. Grow them to size and primary branches first. Then build yr forest

Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.

Forest Maintenance 5 years 6 months ago #44769

  • Ivan Mann
  • Ivan Mann's Avatar Topic Author
  • Offline
  • Platinum Member
  • Platinum Member
  • Posts: 1733
  • Thanks received: 600
I figured that out pretty fast. In fact, I am not going to try seeds again. The elms are the only time I ever got many to sprout, and half at least have died. I pulled a huge handful off of the tree because I have had such bad luck, then almost all sprouted and I was stuck with thirty seven inch high seedlings. Now I have a small forest and half a dozen trees, of which maybe half have real potential. It isn't worth it.

Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.

Forest Maintenance 5 years 6 months ago #44777

  • m5eaygeoff
  • m5eaygeoff's Avatar
  • Offline
  • Platinum Member
  • Platinum Member
  • Posts: 2978
  • Thanks received: 850
I have not "root pruned" my group for nearly ten years. Once the group is made there is no need to re pot or do anything with the roots as they are "self pruning", the main thing is to get it right first and not have to change. The dead trees may look ok in the design, so you may be able to leave them, or alternatively cut the dead ones down so they are not visible. Having said all that you need to grow them in the ground preferably, for years to get them bigger.

Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.

Forest Maintenance 5 years 6 months ago #44780

  • Ivan Mann
  • Ivan Mann's Avatar Topic Author
  • Offline
  • Platinum Member
  • Platinum Member
  • Posts: 1733
  • Thanks received: 600
Agree completely. Next time I decide on a forest it will be because I found a dozen or so trees big enough already. In fact, I'm not doing seeds again (excepthe dozen gingko seeds I picked up last week). Not more exceptions! None!

Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.

  • Page:
  • 1