HAVE you ever wondered how famous Japanese and Chinese bonsai masters are able to make their bonsai look so absolutely amazing?
It's all about two things - general maintenance in terms of branch trimming and Nebari.
'Root flaring, or, Nebari - an ancient art which allows the roots to grow above the ground adding an aesthetic flare to the bonsai itself.'
Now, despite the relevant ease in doing this, it is recommended to only apply Nebari to older trees as well as trees with strong roots that have rooted properly into the ground below.
Here is a fine example of Nebari:
(IMAGE SOURCE: http://www.bonsaitreegardener.net/shaping/roots )
The long-term way of practicing Nebari involves proper trimming of vertical growing roots along the outside of the inner roots - generally speaking, the smaller the vertical outer roots removed are, the better.
IMPORTANT: Do not mistake feeder roots for general roots - removing these will cause the bonsai to die.
Feeder roots have a notable difference and can easily be spotted.
Removal of the smaller vertical roots should be done whenever you re-pot the bonsai - and the larger ones left alone (more on this below #FanningTheRoots)
Larger roots may however be trimmed back if desired - I am leaving mine to grow out as far as possible because I have a giant pot that I would love to utilize to showcase the roots.
It also helps to shake the roots (not too much shaking) loose a little before doing this as well as fanning out the roots below.
The quicker method of practicing Nebari is through the application of a tourniquet - THIS IS NOT FOR BEGINNERS!
These should be placed around the base of the bonsai's trunk - generally with copper wires and as tightly as possible but not so tight that the bonsai cannot still feed itself.
What causes the roots to flare in this case is actually the blockage (not complete blockage) of nutrients to the tree and thus, the tree is forced to grow new roots above the tourniquet.
I cannot stress this enough - do not practice this form of Nebari on bonsai which are under a certain age. In my personal opinion, I would not do this to a tree younger than three years or with a trunk under an inch in thickness.
Ignoring this may result in your bonsai dying!
Practicing Nebari on much older bonsai require the assistance of an expert as handling the bonsai can become difficult, especially if you are re-potting the bonsai.
Again, if you plan on trimming roots, ensure that the main root is not harmed.
When fanning the roots, ensure that the larger ones are placed somewhat above ground when re-potting commences.
Once complete, thoroughly saturate the ground and move the bonsai to either a sunny or shaded area (depending on the plant) where no strong winds can harm the plant while it continues to strengthen it's hold again.
Here is another amazing example of long-term effort:
(IMAGE SOURCE: https://mindyourdirt.com/2015/05/25/bonsai-style-inspiration-ficus-macrophylla-moreton-bay-fig-and-developing-root-flare/ )
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