Just how much will leaves reduce in bonsai soil and a bonsai pot?
These are both cuttings from Mary that I was given at my first Badger Bonsai meeting.
Once rooted the cuttings on the left were planted in a 6” deep pot with potting soil, the plant on the right was potted in bonsai soil with a 2” deep bonsai soil. A significant reduction of leaf size can be seen and the plant on the right has many of the top sections with even smaller leaves. Also of note is the woody stock and longer internode length on the plant grown in soil.
Lesson: if you want a thicker trunk, grow in dirt. Smaller leaves and smaller internodes switch to bonsai soil, a shallow pot with crowded roots.
Just how much better do plants grow in the ground than other methods.
Initial plants were air layered maples purchased from the Midwest August show that were approximately 20 inches tall at the start with a trunk circumference of 4cm to 4.5cm .
Sample one was grown in a wide plastic pot grown with a combination of compost and bonsai soil in partial shade. The tree had 4 new upright growths. Height after one year 35″+ and circumference of 7cm by the fall.
Sample two was grown in a wide plastic seed tray with a combination of compost and bonsai soil in partial shade. Growth was significantly less than any other test grouping. Tree had 4 new upright growths.
(This sample was field planted fall of 2023, due to how little it grew in this container and removed from the study.)
Samples four and five were grown in wood boxes 2’ x 1’x 4” with a combination of compost, sand, and garden soil one in partial shade and the other in morning and noon sun only, and moved to shade during periods of over 90 degrees. Both trees were planted on 8” tiles. Growth was significantly better than the other previous test groupings, but not nearly as noticeable as ground growth. Tree 4 had growth of 34” and sun had 38” of growth. 4 new upright growths. Height after one year __ and circumference of 7.75cm & 7.5cm by the fall. (This sample was the first to change to fall colors by a month)
Samples five and six were grown in the ground using soil that had been improved with manure and compost for 10 years in the morning and noon sun with afternoon shade. Trees were planted on 12” tiles, pine mulch and were both grown in a wood box for winter and rabbit protection. Growth was significantly better than any other test grouping. Tree had __ new upright growths. Height after one year was 40”+ and circumference of 11.5cm & 9.5cm by the fall with green leaves still on them.
Based on my observations from this year, I think that the ground-grown material will have even more significant gains in year 3 of this test. I think that the 2 maples in the grown have at least twice the foliage of the maples in the wood grow boxes and easily 3 to 4 times more foliage than the pot maple. I will be excited to see how Nebari turns out, but that will have to wait 2 more years when I plan on digging the trees up and reporting.
Badger Bonsai Society (Madison-WI area) 