Repotting an Established Bonsai

The purpose and necessity of repotting bonsai is axiomatic, and need not be repeated here. However, there is some confusion about the best way to accomplish this crucial task. In this article, we will examine in depth every aspect of the repotting of an established, older fukien tea bonsai, paying special attention to the proper use of materials and tools to give the best result for both horticultural practice and aesthetics. While this is an established, older bonsai, these procedures will improve the repotting outcome of any bonsai on which they are used.

Materials Needed

It seems silly and simplistic to say it, but the first thing needed for repotting is a tree. The only reason to mention this is to point out that the tree should be strong and healthy to repot in this manner. If your tree is very weak, repotting can kill it, so be careful! Very few “emergency repottings” really are. Better to nurse the tree to better health first.

You will need an appropriate pot for your tree. In this case, we are placing the tree back into its original pot, so there is no question about the correct one. The following example of three different pots for one tree will show a few of the considerations in choosing a pot. The size, shape and color of the pot should complement the tree’s style and species. Often, real world considerations slip in and we end up placing the tree in any pot that will fit! While this is not the best solution, it is preferable to forcing a tree into a pot that is too small. Be sure you have your pot selections ready before you begin.

Figure 2. All three pots in this case are unglazed stoneware, the pot of choice for most conifers. This is quite a large tree, so these pots are sizeable. This pot’s color provided an excellent contrast with the bark and foliage. However, it was rejected for being too deep, as well as not “masculine” enough for such a rugged tree.

Figure 3. This pot had a bit better depth, but the style once again was a bit too soft, and the color blended far too much with the trunk.

Figure 4. This seemed the best fit, since it was simple, elegant, and the red color really complemented the bark and foliage. The nebari barely fit into this pot. The pot is oval, and the roots were touching both front and back of the pot.


Be sure you have plenty of wire on hand. 2.5mm aluminum is common and easily handled for all but the largest trees. This will be used to hold the screen in place to cover the drain holes, and to tie the tree securely into the pot. Smaller aluminum wire is really too soft to be secure except for the smallest of trees. For very large trees, especially conifers, annealed copper wire can be used to tie the tree into its pot.

There has been some controversy in recent years about the necessity of tying the tree into the pot. Rest assured that NOT wiring the tree into the pot is a very recent innovation. If you repot without securing the tree well, the very nature of the bonsai soil will allow the tree to move or even fall out of the pot from the slightest wind or movement. Anyone with squirrel problems, or cats, or a real back yard can attest to the problems with a poorly secured tree. Even if the tree does not come out of the pot, trees thrive better when secured, since the roots do not have to overcome constant movement. Another controversy has come about over the materials used to tie trees in. Some have called for the use of cotton twine. This is in response to trees badly wired into their pots, damaged because of the neglect. It is far better to learn the proper way to do things than to find a stopgap so one doesn’t have to learn the proper way.

Soil screen is another important component. Much has been said about soil screen, from disregarding it, to insisting that it be imported Japanese screen specifically for bonsai. The job of the soil screen is to prevent soil from leaking out of the pot, producing root-killing empty space at the bottom of your bonsai pot. There are a number of products that will accomplish this purpose. One of the major suppliers of bonsai tools has a rubberized cloth mesh for sale. We do not recommend this, as it will not hold its shape under the weight of bonsai soil. One highly recommended product is called “plastic canvas” and is available for about three 8”X11” sheets for a dollar. It is commonly used to wrap with yarn to make craft projects, and one sheet will suffice for a dozen repottings. Some recommend painters’ webbed adhesive joint compound tape. If the pot is completely clean and dry, I don’t know why this would not work. I have never used it and do not know how well it will hold up in repotting. Some recommend skipping this item completely for holes less than ½ inch in diameter. This seems large to us, since our soil mix is generally 3/8 inch or smaller.

A soil sieve will be important for making certain your soil drains well, as well as for shredding your sphagnum moss to settle on top of the soil. Speaking of soil, be certain you have plenty on hand. Very little is more frustrating than finding in the middle of repotting that you lack about a gallon of soil!

Have a component for a drainage layer, slightly larger than your bonsai soil. At the risk of slings and arrows, “perched” water tables happen in nature, not in bonsai pots! And, since you brought it up, have plenty of water available for watering your newly repotted tree.

Finally New Zealand sphagnum moss (white), when shredded through the large screen of your soil sieve, makes an attractive and effective method of retaining moisture in your pot.

Tools Required

In addition to wire cutters and pliers, root shears, root cutters, and chopsticks (all standard equipment of typical repotting), you should have at the ready a few more items. A serrated sickle drawn along the edge of the soil will help remove the tree from the pot. Angled tweezers are far more useful in arranging fine roots at the top and edges than chopsticks. Chopsticks are useful, however, when it is time to incorporate new soil around your freshly repotted tree. A root rake, properly used, exposes lower roots for cutting. Soil scoops for fine placement of soil (not shown), a bonsai broom to smooth it, and a trowel to tamp the soil all are important for the aesthetic effect of a beautifully repotted bonsai. It is impossible to place too much emphasis on the value of a turntable when doing this work.

Handling the Established Bonsai

Proper handling of an older bonsai is critical to its continued health and beauty. On a rough-barked species, care should be taken never to touch the bark on the trunk or major branches where it can be damaged. Some trees, such as azaleas, have very delicate smooth bark and must also be protected. There are a variety of techniques available which can help prevent problems. The fukien tea does not require as much care in handling.

One of the best ways to avoid difficulties like this is to have a competent and patient assistant. Proper respect for an elder tree demands that it be treated with the utmost care. Delicate ramification should be protected in the most careful way. Since you will have wired the tree prior to repotting (if the tree was to be wired), be watchful of displacing wired branches. Avoid having to handle wired branches again.

To avoid touching the delicate bits of the tree, several techniques can be used. When lifting a tree from its pot, the lifting can be done from under the “armpit” of the branches. This will minimize damage done to the tree. Simply freeing the soil from the pot and pushing up at the joint of branch and trunk can be effective in removing the tree. Chopsticks can come in very handy here too, especially on heavier trees. Drive the chopsticks deeply into the root mass and use them as leverage points to lift the tree.

Preparation

To prepare the tree for repotting, it must of course have been cared for well throughout the year. Proper watering, oversight, protection from the harsher elements if needed, and fertilization will give your tree the strength it needs to thrive in the coming years after repotting.

In the case of moving the tree to a new pot, you should prepare the pot beforehand to receive the tree. Be sure that it is clean, without damage, and large enough for your tree. Since we are putting the tree back into its same pot, these steps will be shown after removing the tree, but before doing any root work.

We have the tree ready, and the pot ready, all our supplies are available and tools clean and prepared. Now, do not forget to prepare the artist. This work should not be rushed—do not attempt this when you are pushed for time. Find the right place for the work. Bright sun, low humidity, and hot, dry, winds are a recipe for disaster, so a shady spot such as a garage or shaded deck are ideal. This will help you avoid worrying about your roots drying out. Be sure, if you have friends over to help and advise or learn, that you have plenty of your favorite beverage in a cooler at your side. Just be sure you do more of the beveraging after the work than before!

Remove the Tree from Its Pot

With your assistant holding the tree securely, remove all the wires at the bottom of the pot using your wire cutters. Cut the wire as closely inside the openings as possible (Figure 6), so that nothing is dragging on the roots as the tree comes out of the pot. Cut the tips that hold the screen in place, too, since your roots will probably be entangled in them somewhat.

Using your sickle (Figure 7), and holding the pot securely from the other side, make quick, shallow strokes until you get to the bottom of the pot. Be sure you keep your free hand away from the cutting edge! The serrated blades on these sickles are very dangerous. Trying to saw down to the bottom of the pot will be difficult and damage more roots, while shallow strokes will make the job easier and cleaner. Do this on three sides only! It’s best to leave one side unmolested, so that when we turn the tree on its side, the root mass will have a secure base to rest on.

Prepare the New Pot

Now it’s time to prepare the pot, since this tree is going back in the same one. Cut your screen to give plenty of margin on each side, and wire it into the pot. This technique is very easy and gives good security to the screens if a few simple steps are taken. To make the wire mesh ties (Figures 8, 9); simply fold a piece of wire so that you have a very flat “z” or “n”. No need for fancy loops. Make it large enough so that it extends about ½ inch on each side of the hole in question.

When you bend down the tails to insert into the holes, bend them so that they just go snugly into the widest part of the hole. This will prevent your mesh from moving side to side. Wrap the tails snugly against the underside of your pot. Another tip for securing your mesh in the pot is to make the wire tie cross the hole at a right angle to the direction the tree tie-in applies force. This can be seen in the final photograph (Figure 10).

Pre-bend your wire ties so they lie flat against the bottom of the outside of the pot. Just measure them against the holes in the pot, bend, and insert from the bottom of the pot into the pot. Forget to do this, and you will find it awkward to add them after you have a layer of soil in the bottom of the pot! For this tie-down method to work, the portion of the tie wire that will pass over the wide side of the nebari must be longer, and the section that crosses the short side can be a bit shorter. It is also helpful here, to bend the ends of the wire down over the rim of the pot to hold them out of the way.

Notice that this pot has drainage/tie-down holes in the four corners. This is the best configuration for drainage and for securing the tree in the pot. If your pot has only two holes, one at each end, pass your tie wires through these holes to tie your tree in. This arrangement can allow a tree with a less developed nebari move, so be careful. Pieces of bamboo chopsticks can be passed across the nebari and the wire made to bear on it, giving solid support to weaker or more delicate areas. For trees with very dense root pads, a chopstick can be driven into the pad to give a purchase point for the wire.

But what if your bonsai is a collected tree with all its attendant challenges? If you have a wildly difficult root system, you can use what Boon Manakitivipart calls the “square-root” method of potting. Pieces of dimensional lumber (2X4, 2X6, 1X2, etc.) can be cut to proper size to wedge into the pot, allowing a bare portion of the base of the trunk to be supported. Non-reactive screws can be driven into the base of dead wood, providing another anchor point. Anything that secures the tree but does not harm the tree or show above the soil can be used.

Arrange the Roots

While you are working on your roots, be careful not to cut the remaining wires with your shears! They can look dark just like roots, and it is not a happy circumstance for the shears. (Figure 11) The photograph shows a drainage screen with a butterfly-shaped tie. The clip-shaped ties are much easier to make.

At this point, your root rake is going to come into very good use. Tip the tree onto the remaining solid side of the root ball (Figure 12). With a helper holding up the trunk so that the root ball is vertical, stand at the end of the root ball and drag your root rake across the base of the roots. Hold your rake so that the tines are at right angles to the roots. This will minimize damage to the roots from the tines getting caught behind them.

Use a light stroke; you only want to loosen up the first half inch or so. Once you have done this evenly across the entire root ball, use your root shears to cut them off as tightly to the flat surface as you can (Figure 13). Make your surface as flat as possible! Then repeat the process until you have trimmed the roots as thinly as you need to. This process can take a while, so work quickly but carefully.

As your root pad develops over the years, you will find that less and less drastic root work will be necessary. Figure 14 shows a well established Japanese maple being worked.

As you encounter large roots, when you have determined that they are no longer necessary, remove them flush with the soil using a pair of root cutters (Figure 15). Don’t worry about getting the entire root out at once; expose it a bit at a time so that you are working all the way across the root ball at the same depth.

How much should you take off of the roots? It all depends on the tree and the condition of the roots as you go along. Some species or even individual trees will require more than others. Figure 16 is an example of a large trident maple properly prepared for repotting. Only one thing remains to be pruned: the large nut holding the tree! Notice the grey areas. This is putty-type cut paste used to cover the stubs of large roots that have been reduced in this repotting.

When you have your roots arranged well at the bottom, it is time to work the top and sides of the roots. Until this time, these portions have been untouched to keep the root ball firm and make working on it much easier. The tree in Figure 17 is resting on a turntable, making it difficult to see just how thin the root ball is. It has been reduced to little more than one inch in depth. In future repottings, it may be reduced even more.

This tree is well-balanced, but it may well be that your tree will need some sort of support. Many bonsai have a center of gravity outside the base of their roots and cannot sit upright without being held in some way.

Many people use root hooks or chopsticks on this portion of the tree, but both of those items can cause a lot of damage to roots. Much easier to control and give a very light touch are the angled tweezers that came with your initial bonsai tool kit (Figure 18).

Drag these lightly toward you, directly away from the trunk. You will find it much easier to arrange the roots as you like. Don’t be in a hurry to do this. If you are out of the wind and sun, you shouldn’t have to worry too much about the roots drying out. If they seem to be doing so, drape a wet towel over the half of the root ball you are not working on, and move it when needed. You certainly don’t want to get the root ball too wet, as this makes a muddy mess and causes more problems than it might solve!

Other root work should also be done at this time. This tree has a good deal of dead wood on it, even at the roots. Some of that is reduced with a drawknife (Figure 19) to give the nebari a better, more tapered line, and to get rid of some of the soft, rotted wood. This is an older fukien tea with large, established areas of dead wood. The wood of tropical trees tends to be softer than that of conifers or even deciduous trees, so extra care must be taken to preserve it both for aesthetic reasons and to maintain the structural integrity of the tree. This tree will eventually need wood hardener or a marine epoxy resin to achieve this.

Following this, it is time for a little more delicate work underneath the root ball with my tweezers, looking for pockets of bad soil, etc(Figure 20). You should be able to see clearly the bottom of the trunk at this point. The base of the tree should rest solidly on new bonsai soil. Leaving any remnants of bad soil in a root ball is a common mistake of beginners ad experienced enthusiasts alike. It will eventually cause your tree to fail, so do not miss any!

Set the Tree in Its New Pot

The next obvious step in the process is to secure the tree in its new home. The next few steps are crucial to making the tree stable and secure, and to ensure that it will thrive.

Drainage Layer/Soil Mound

(Figure 21) Traditional Japanese bonsai teaching indicates the need for a drainage layer at the bottom of your pot. The deeper the pot, the thicker should be the drainage layer. Try to use a slightly larger particle for this than your regular soil, and in a shallower pot, it may only be one or two particles deep. This will help prevent soggy soil and root problems including fungus and rot.

“Perched” Water Tables

There has been some controversy as to the efficacy of drainage layers. A great deal has been made of the notion of “perched” water tables. A perched water table is

an aquifer that occurs above the main water table. This occurs when there is an impermeable layer of rock (aquiclude) above the main aquifer but below the surface. Water percolating down to the main aquifer gets trapped above this second impermeable rock layer. [1]

It must be noted here that perched water tables require a constant supply of ground water and an impermeable layer of rock or clay, neither of which are possible in a bonsai pot.

An engineered sort of perched water table has been employed by Turf Diagnostics and Design. This seems to be the closest thing to what is claimed for bonsai pots:

Perched Water Table

The USGA system provides maximum removal of water during heavy precipitation events, and it stores water above the gravel during periods when the ground is not saturated. How does it achieve this effect? Because the USGA system is based upon a concept known as the perched water table, which is also known as an inverted filter design. It is called an inverted filter because of the presence of the fine sand particles over the more coarse gravel. This design allows water to be held (or perched) in the root zone layer. This perched effect occurs because the primary driving force for water movement during periods of unsaturation is the capillary effect of the particle voids.

The large voids of the gravel result in a reduction in the capillary effect. At the root zone/gravel interface, these larger voids effectively create a barrier to further downward water movement during unsaturated times. As saturation is approached, additional pressure is applied allowing water to move into the larger voids of the gravel layer, and further down through the sub-surface drainage system.[2]

There are a couple of interesting thing about the USGA system. One is that it is engineered to ensure that water does perch, as this is beneficial to the plants (sod) above. Another interesting note is that the sod is planted in fine sand, and the gravel below is quite large. And while it is not stated in the above reference, my guess is that some sort of filter fabric is used to keep the two layers distinct.

In the bonsai pot, none of these elements pertain. The two layers of soil are in contact, and the difference in size must not be so extreme. Because there seems to be no proof for a deleterious effect, I choose to follow the Japanese tradition for its self-evident history of success.

Mound the Soil

The movement of this tree is to the left, so it must be planted toward the right in its pot. A largish mound of soil is placed directly under where the trunk base will sit (Figure 22). The tree will be placed here and wriggled firmly into place, removing air pockets or voids underneath it. This mound should not be so large that the tree will sit too high in the pot, nor so small that it will allow the tree to sit too low.

Position the Tree

Correct placement of the tree in its pot is a crucial stage of the repotting process (Figure 23). Unless we are restyling an established tree, it should be replaced with the same orientation it had previously. With a solid nebari and established position such as this tree, it is a fairly simple matter. Position yourself at eye level with the rim of the pot to check the rise of the nebari from the pot. Keep an eye on previously styled branches to be sure they are in their proper place. Settle the tree and prepare to tie it in.

Bunjin or other trees with unusual planting positions can pose a challenge when trying to repot in an identical orientation. How does one make certain a return to the original position? A small carpenter’s plumb bob is indispensable. Before removing the tree from its pot, tie it to a prominent branch, allowing the tip to almost touch the nebari. Place a single dot from a Sharpie at that point will help line up the tree correctly in its new pot. Simply be sure that the plumb bob touches the dot in just the same way when repotting the tree.

Wire the Tree into the Pot

Many trees, especially prebonsai, have prominent roots, roots that are too high, or a developing nebari that makes it difficult to get a grip with the wire without damage to the bark. Protect your tree in this case with a portion of old garden hose cut for the purpose, or some other firm but flexible product to avoid wire scars. Place it carefully between the wire and the bark. Be sure it is not going to let the wire slip off when you tighten the tie wires. One excellent product for this is the used serpentine belt from a late-model car. These have deep grooves running lengthwise which allow the wire to settle in, avoiding mishaps.

Plan your work here so that your final tie, the one which you will tighten in the final step, bears on the portion that would tend to tip up if there were no wires present. This will give you your best holding power. Begin with the wire just to the right or left of that spot (Figure 24), depending on which direction you will be proceeding, and bend the wire across the nebari, far enough out that it doesn’t rub the bark or show above the soil. If necessary, a stub of chopstick can be driven into a firm root ball farther away from the trunk to keep the wire to the outside.

Twist this wire together with the one at the next corner, and bend the tail of the next wire across the narrow part of the root ball (Figure 25). There is no need for the wires to be tightened too much, since we will finish tightening them all together with the final wire. We are, in effect, creating a wire basket to distribute force evenly around the nebari. The final tightening will cinch the entire basket at once. Repeat with the next wire.

When you get back to the place you started, you will realize that you have no wire to twist with your final tail. Use a piece of wire of proper length and loop it around the first wire you tied down, twisting it to provide you with the tail you need. You will then twist the two tails together, and this will be the spot you will tighten until the wires hold the nebari snugly (Figure 26).

Add Soil

The tree is now tightly wired to the pot. This technique produces an evenly distributed band of support far enough from the nebari that the bark is not compromised and the tree is completely immobile. Since every tree is different, it is difficult to document every available technique for bridging gaps in the nebari, or working with a difficult root system. However, this is the basic technique that will provide your tree with the security it needs to thrive with normal care.

The time has come to incorporate new soil into the pot. Using a chopstick, carefully work the soil between and under the roots, removing all air pockets as you go around the entire tree. Plunging the chopstick into the soil vigorously and repeatedly is a recipe for pulling feeder roots above the soil.. A gentle circular twirling motion is gentler for the tender roots. Don’t be too vigorous when performing this technique. Try not to mix your regular soil and the drainage layer at this time. When no more soil will easily settle into the roots, remove any excess. Have your helper hold the trunk securely and thump the sides of the pot with the heel of your hand to settle any more soil that might be useful.

This is where that whisk broom from your bonsai kit will be very useful. It is designed for one purpose: to finish fresh soil added to your pot (Figure 27). Holding it gently, drag it lightly away from the nebari toward the edges of the pot. Proceed all the way around your pot. Excess soil can be collected in your hand at this time and saved for later.

Bonsai soil should not be mounded up at the tree, it should be flat and level across the pot. If you must mound your soil, your tree is in too shallow a pot. Mounded soil washes away with every watering, so be good to your tree and pot it correctly. The level of the soil should be just below the rim of the pot (Figure 28). This will ensure that water will remain in the pot to soak the root zone, and not run over the rim as your soil compacts over time.

The final step with your new soil is to tamp it with a small trowel. The imported trowels have a pointed tip for getting into corners. This is a cement mason’s margin trowel (Figure 29) left over from a previous career. They are available at any building supply store. The blade tends to be large for some bonsai, but they are easily shaped on a bench grinder. For extremely large bonsai with very low branches, one with a much longer steel handle out to a wooden grip is very handy.

New Zealand sphagnum moss is a white sphagnum with a very consistent texture. It has none of the negative properties of green sphagnum moss. It is a very simple process to scrub it on your largest soil screen, reducing it to small fibers. A very light sprinkling of sphagnum on top of your soil prior to watering (Figure 30) will help settle the soil and keep it in place, as well as retaining moisture a little better. Water so that all the excess fibers are washed off the pot. Be careful not to use too much!

Water Well

Watering is the last stage in repotting. Using the gentlest shower available, water until the runoff from under the pot is clear. Even freshly sifted bonsai soil retains a good deal of dust, and when you first start watering, this will be washed away. Do not immerse a freshly repotted tree to water it! Immersing the newly repotted tree will just lock the dust into the soil. Your tree is now repotted and ready to go to a protected spot on your bench.

Aftercare

The period after repotting is a tender one for your tree. Keep it protected from excess sunlight and heat (although for tropicals, heat is a key to recovery), and especially from drying winds. There is no need to “balance the top with what you have removed from the roots.” This old wives’ tale will weaken and even kill your tree. The roots you have removed need to be regenerated, and it takes the foliage to do that. Just keep your tree from drying out. After 2-4 weeks, you may begin feeding your tree again, and put it in a less protected spot. You will see new growth as soon as new roots become established.

Conclusion

These are some of the techniques and tools used in the process of repotting a bonsai tree. It is important to learn the principles involved, since every tree is different. Once the principles are established, creativity is the key to supporting and protecting your valuable trees. Good luck and happy repotting!

[1]Perched Water Table. Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Available at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perched_water_table. Accessed 7/23/06.

[2]Perched Water Table. http://www.turfdiag.com/perched_water_table.htm. Accessed 7/23/06.

Antenna work

Why do I do it?

Why do I make sure some of these posts of Will Heath's are kept posted? Mainly because he has a long history of posting something that reveals too much of his nature, and then deleting it and denying it. Without someone to archive some of his nonsense, there is nothing to prove he is what he is, which is an opportunistic no-talent hack.

So that's why I do it.


This is the home page of the Four Seasons Bonsai Club, a storied and vital club in Michigan, shortly after Will and Vance tried to take over the club in an election. They lost, so Will took his marbles and went home. He also screwed the club over by locking the website so they had to start again. Here's their new website: http://www.fourseasonsbonsai.com/


Here's what Will had to say to me in a PM about the matter:


Wow, it all sounds like a misunderstanding and poor Will is the victim, doesn't it? Here's Hector deBrabant's answer to the whole thing:


It's interesting to get both sides, isn't it?

We are Still Here!!!

Recent attempts to silence this repository of excellence have failed.

Saved for Posterity

Just in case you were wondering where the post went from "America's Funniest Bonsai Blog," I managed to save the wonderful thoughts from the mind of Mr. Will Heath to go down in history. Here they are, all 5,564 words, letter for letter as they were before he deleted them:

THE LATEST KEPPLER "EDITORIAL"

Filed under: In Response — July 13, 2008 @ 10:44 am

The Latest Keppler “Editorial”

Al Keppler recently decided to once again twist words and color the truth in yet another long-winded and content starved “editorial” over at BT ( http://forum.bonsaitalk.com/f59/keppler-editorial-x-29677.html )

This latest compost pile of meaningless words is obviously just another addition to a long line of unsuccessful attempts to make himself look better in the eyes of those not experienced enough to see through the smoke and mirrors. He seems to have some deeply seated need to try to discredit me at every opportunity, to the point to where is not only predictable and laughable, but also quite boorish. Maybe only by trying to undermine me can he feel good about himself, or maybe I am the only thorn that threatens his thin bubble of self-importance?

Not surprisingly, he once again used the forum at BT to post his latest manure fest, no doubt because he thought that because I am not able to respond to his drivel there, his grossly inaccurate and highly exaggerated spew of words would go without challenge.

He was wrong.

Many people would say that such actions (attacking a person where they can not respond) are cowardly, I cannot disagree, but personally, I have grown accustomed to Al and a few others resorting to such tactics on the forums and have come to expect no less from them. Al and these few others have a reputation for arguing from ignorance (Argumentum ad ignorantiam) as well as a solid history of directing an argument against an opponent’s character rather than the subject at hand (Argumentum ad hominem). A man can only take so much until he must expose the truth and just say that the emperor is butt ass naked, even if the emperor is a fraud to begin with.

Put some clothes on Al.

Let us go to the beginning, where this all started and see what Al is actually trying to accomplish….

Wrong From the Get-Go

Al started out his “editorial”…oh by the way Al, the definition of an editorial is “opinion piece: an article in a newspaper or magazine that expresses the opinion of its editor or publisher.” While there is no doubt that your rant at BT is an opinion, it is not an editorial, as you are not now, nor ever have been, a editor or publisher of BT or any other bonsai forum. After ten such opinion pieces, all of which can be summed up with the words I, I, I, Me, Me, Me, you would think you would at least know what it was you were writing.

So anyhow, now that that piece of misinformation has been exposed, Al started out his “editorial” at BT with the following quote of my words from a thread over at Bnut ( http://bonsainut.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1357 ):

“I do real bonsai as a bonus, haven’t gotten around to buying them yet though (that’s what we have you for ” )

What he purposely left out was his words to me before, which my words were a direct response to. His words were “I still have no idea how the interent works, since I am too busy making quality bonsai to worry about such things, (thats what we have you for )” This obvious slam and attempt to suggest that I do not do bonsai came after he was shown up pretty badly for trying to attack posted numbers on the activity at AoB. It was a typical Al Keppler response; attack what you cannot discuss intelligently.

Al decided to try and slide in a slight toward me, dropping a barley veiled comment meant to suggest that I somehow do not make quality bonsai since I “worry” about other things, such as providing quality content on two different forums. When I responded in kind, he proved to the world again that he can dish it out, but he cannot take it. He got his feelings hurt and went running off to type out yet another “editorial” full of lies, misconceptions, and exaggerations where he knew I was unable to defend myself. To make his case, he left out the root of the discussion, why what was said was said, and then, as we will see shortly, twisted the words and meanings to bring up an old debate. Since the truth would not work, he twisted it, as usual.

Now that we have seen that his whole “editorial” premise was based on a fallacy, a partial comment without basis, twisted and skipped over words, it is easy to imagine that the rest of his spew will follow in the same manner, and it does.

Reviving an Old Debate

Sometime ago a debate raged on the forums where I challenged the often-parroted concept that good stock can only be found in the wild or at a bonsai nursery. I challenged the notion that the more money a person spent, the better stock the person would get. Al Keppler supported the concept that only by spending a get deal of money at a bonsai nursery or collecting from the wild was one able to get good stock. I have no wish to dive into this debate again; those of you who wish to see it can look here ( http://bonsainut.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1009 )

This debate ended after repeating the obvious fact that neither price nor location purchased determines the quality of a piece of stock, only the quality of the stock matters. Of course posting a gallery at AoB of excellent bonsai created from traditional nursery (garden center) stock helped tremendously. ( http://www.artofbonsai.org/galleries/nursery_stock.php )

While it is highly likely that good stock can be found at high prices in bonsai nurseries, it is also very likely that a fair share of crap can be found as well. The reverse can be said about garden centers. In short, good stock is found where you find it; there is no location or price however, that will guarantee quality.

In his “editorial” Al quickly reverted to this old debate, turning my response to his slight, into far more than what was said or even implied. He seems determined to revisit a debate that was clearly resolved in the past, like the drunk that keeps getting back on the barstool, only to fall off again. In fact, look at his “editorial” and you will see the whole discussion is now on this old subject and not on what was actually said at all.

Buying Bonsai – The Nitty Gritty

“I still have no idea how the interent works, since I am too busy making quality bonsai to worry about such things, (thats what we have you for )” – Al Keppler

“I do real bonsai as a bonus, haven’t gotten around to buying them yet though (that’s what we have you for )” – Will Heath in response to Al Keppler’s words above.

After the exchange above, Al quickly ran over to BT and wrote his “editorial” and based it on his assumption that I somehow was against buying quality stock, nothing could be further from the truth. I did not say it. I did not imply it. What I did imply is exactly what I said; I have not gotten around to (as Al has) buying bonsai. Not stock, not material, but bonsai, as in plants that have already been artistically styled by another person. Of course buying any stock by definition, assures that another person has worked on it, in example, the grower pruning it, potting it, and caring for it. In the case of bonsai nurseries, some root work and pruning for trunk and branch development most likely would have been done as well. Nevertheless, this is very different from someone actually beginning to or completely styling the tree and this is the distinction Al skips over in his desperate attempt to justify his own practices.

“Maybe I am so discriminate about the material I buy that in some peoples eyes “my material” seems almost finished” – Al Keppler (LINK)

Before more assumptions are made, I think there is nothing wrong at all with buying bonsai that were created by someone else, a belief I spelled out quite clearly in this article. (ARTICLE LINK) I believe that having collectors is vital to the art form and that the practices of our Japanese friends in this area should be studied and duplicated in order to build the community, boost the economics, and also to build a much needed bonsai service industry in America, which, in turn, would create more collectors. Eventually, I would like to add a couple bonsai from world-class masters to my collection, however, I certainly wouldn’t take credit for the art, nor use them to validate my own talent in any way.

Buying finished bonsai is one thing, buying them to validate one’s own inflated master complex is another. Those who try to pass themselves off as talented on the backs of those who are actually talented do not impress me. This is a problem today on the web, people whose only talent lays in trying to cut down or belittle others efforts rushing out to buy bonsai that they do not have the talent to create themselves in order to use such to support their personal claims of experience. If that was not bad enough, they then proclaim, in a sick effort to validate they own actions, that this is the way everyone should practice bonsai.

The problem may well with a few people who have the need to be looked upon as talented but who have not the talent or the patience to create their own work. In the mad rush to justify their own beliefs about themselves, or to impress others, instead of creating, they break out the checkbook and buy. The word Checkbooksai is not new, just very fitting.

Studying Under a Master

Al quotes more of my words from Bnut and, as to be expected, twists them to suit his own warped beliefs. What I said was “Bonsai that I am creating from scratch and which were not styled by visiting masters, just my own humble attempts.”

Al, in his “editorial” states after quoting these words, “Now this quote is one which is very hard for me to understand. Not that I am not capable of understanding it, just surprised that someone would actually say it. I have thought it, I know others have too. We have seen the very good trees that win awards and we know that they were not done by those that entered them. It hurts to be passed over by someone that has the money and means to study with the best.”

“It hurts to be passed over by someone that has the money and means to study with the best” ??? WTF??? This is typical Al Keppler hyperbole, he invents his compost as he goes along, not thinking or caring about the fact that anyone with the IQ of a cockroach can see right through it. No one mentioned, referred to, or implied that it was somehow wrong for people to study with the best, no one made mention of money or means. I certainly did not, in any way, imply that studying under a master is wrong, unethical, or that those who do should not reap the rewards of doing so.

What I said was that I create my bonsai from scratch, meaning raw material, a blank canvas, a freshly quarried piece of stone, and not from material that has been previously styled into a shape by someone else. I have purchased and used pre-bonsai, meaning material that has had some root work done, has been pruned back, but not wired or styled for me, I am quite cable of finding a tree within myself and leading it there. I personally refuse to let another person style my bonsai for me, be it hands on or just by telling me what to do. The work I show is mine alone, I take full credit and full responsibility for it.

If Al, or Chris, or anyone else wants to buy bonsai that simply needs some polishing or maintaining and take full credit for the work, or use such to try and prove their own level of experience, so be it, it is not for me. I am a purist; I believe that only the work of the artist can show the talent of the artist, for better or for worse. What I do have a problem with is when these people use checkbooksai to try to validate their own claims of experience or talent to the ignorant. Trust me, only the ignorant are fooled. Make all the excuses and justifications you will, buying pre-styled bonsai only proves that you can write a check, hell, with the ability to write checks or lay-away as the only qualification, my girl must be a frigging world-class master herself.

The same can be said for those who visit workshops and or take lessons from a teacher who styles the tree either directly or by telling the student which branch to remove, where to position the foliage, etc. This is not teaching, this is giving directions, the resulting tree has little if any of the owners talent in it, instead it carries only the teachers talent, as he brought his vision out and only directed hands other than his own. However, there are those teachers who let the student have the vision and then help them free it, without impressing their own onto them. Techniques and skills can be taught, the talent cannot. Teach the student how to bring out their own vision, do not restrict them, do not force yours upon them, let them be creative.

When a teacher does the work or directs the work, the work is not the students. Cut here, bend this, move this, wire this, trim this, is directing, not teaching and the resulting work is not the students. Imagine if I bought a piece of stock, hell let’s make it one of Robert Stevens trees and then took it to his class where I followed his step by step instructions on how to polish it, would it be my work? Would it validate my experience, my talent? Would it be ethical for me to them enter it in, let us say the Gingko Awards? Would it mean a damn thing if I won?

Sorry, succeed or fail, my work will always be mine and mine alone. Not my teachers, not some visiting masters, but my own humble attempts.

So, is studying under a master wrong? Not at all, every person should do so, if they choose, even if they can only attend workshops. The information that can be gleaned from such experience is priceless and the prices charged are a real bargain, considering what you get in return. Pick a master who has created his own bonsai, pick a person who has created bonsai that you are impressed with, choose a top artist who has proved beyond a doubt that they are capable of actually creating great, artistic bonsai and you won’t be disappointed. However, don’t expect to gain talent, it can not be taught, expect to gain skills and knowledge, this is all that can be offered.

Buying Trees and Showing Them

Yes, I know, in Japan, this is a common practice; people purchase trees to enter exhibitions with. Pay attention here, this is important, take notes, memorize it because it may well change your life….This is NOT Japan. We do not have the same economic, social, or artistic community yet in bonsai. In Japan bonsai artists reach the level of celebrities, buying and showing bonsai from these masters is an honor and it would be a great dishonor to attempt to pass off someone else’s work as your own. Besides, in that environment, most people know who styled the trees being shown anyhow, such egotistical falsehoods would be quickly exposed and rarely, if ever pose a problem.

In Japan, there is a successful service industry where a collector can hire a person to board their purchased bonsai or to care for them at their home. Because of this service industry, it is possible for collectors to seek out and buy the best bonsai to show, similar to art collectors here in the States, or racing horse owners, or yacht owners, etc. If we has such a service industry here, there would be many more collectors and the economics of bonsai would greatly improve, as more bonsai would be brought, increasing the demand for quality bonsai and taxing the already shallow pool of talent here.

It seems everyone wants to be an artist, never mind if they have talent or not because if they do not they will just go out and buy a tree and then show it. Many people, like Al And Chris will try and justify this by saying that it takes a different type of talent to maintain a high level tree, so what? If I bought Michelangelo’s “David” would I be justified by posting it as my work because it takes a different talent to clean it, dust it, or maintain it? Of course not and their argument sounds just as silly. They also try and justify such actions by saying that they change the tree, I will not even ask why the hell you’d buy a finished tree only to change it, but this makes as little sense as if I chipped the nose off “David” and then claimed since I changed it, it is now my work.

The fact is that it takes time, talent, and determination to create a bonsai. Some people try and shortcut one or more of these steps by buying a near finished tree. As I said earlier, everyone should, but when you use such to justify your own over-inflated sense of worth, it is wrong.

Take a recent Joshua Roth New Talent competition where a participant was seen only talking to a master during a break…the participants was quickly disqualified for getting advice on styling. Now this is bonsai! Real bonsai, where even the slightest suspicion of outside influence is grounds for instant disqualification. Still think it doesn’t matter if it is your own work or not?

I have managed the most successful bonsai contests on the web and they all had one rule in common, if the work is not your own, you must list the artist’s name, period. Considering that these contests have set the record for entries and participation, it would seem that good old fashioned honesty is not a deterrent at all.

You see the true artist, the one who creates great bonsai art, deserves the praise for the work. It is perfectly fine for people to purchase such works, but the line should be drawn at those few who purchase bonsai only to pretend to be artists. There is no excuse, if you have the talent, all it takes is good material and time, you don’t have the talent, so what, you can still enjoy the art without having to convince the newbies that you are an artist. There are over a million painters in the world and only a few thousand, maybe, that could be classified as excellent artists. Do you think the rest of them run around buying paintings and use them to show how talented they are? Sounds stupid doesn’t it? Yet, a few bonsaists do the same thing and expect us to accept it.

Let’s Break it Down

Let me make this clearer, every bonsaists I have ever seen can be broken down into one or more of the following categories:

Grower
Aspiring Artist
Artist
Cheat
Collector

Most of us fall into more than one of these categories, as is to be expected in this art form.

The Grower – Almost every single bonsaist falls into this category. We all have trees in growing beds or growing boxes, seedlings, cuttings, or air-layers around the gardens. Maybe it is just a tree you picked up for layers or cuttings, maybe it is a bunch of Shimpaku cuttings you just couldn’t toss out, whatever it is, we are attracted to growing material for bonsai.

The person in this category has bonsai in many different stages of development, from rough stock right up to some trees in bonsai pots, some more developed than others. They may have a few show ready trees, but still have plans for future development for them as well. This person may never want to become an aspiring artist and can be quite content in this category.

The Aspiring Artist – The grower who has advanced to the point to where they recognize great artistic bonsai and aspire to create bonsai at that level.

The Artist – This person is rare no matter what country you are in. This person has consistently produced bonsai that are artistic and which are recognized as great bonsai all over the world, they are indeed world-class. This person usually has a distinctive style that carries over into the bonsai they create and usually will have received awards and recognition at some of the largest exhibitions in the world.

The Cheat – This person is an inspiring artist who wants to take all the shortcuts, they buy bonsai, but unlike a collector, they try to pass the work off as their own, giving no credit to the actual artist. Many may not make the actual claim of creation, but will show the tree in a manner that suggests it is the product of their own talent. They may never create a quality bonsai themselves, but are not put aside by this fact, as they are quite happy buying new bonsai every few years when the old ones die from improper care. Sadly, many cheats take up teaching as a means to further their own self-delusions of grandeur.

The Collector – This person purchases great bonsai because they appreciate the beauty of such and revere the artist as much as the art. These people are the backbone of bonsai, without them, the art can never progress. The highly successful economics of bonsai in Japan can be attributed directly to the collectors. If we think of the great art collectors of the world, the museum curators, the patrons of the high art world, we can see how much the collector means to the bonsai art community.

Personally, I am a grower/aspiring artist.

Lastly, Al’s Excuses and Meaningless Justifications

Al goes in many directions and back again when making excuses for his beliefs; all while trying desperately to hold on to the bonsai web forum master personality he vainly projects. Let us take a look at these attempts at justification he posted in his “editorial” and dissect them, study them, and finally expose them for what they are, the compost of the bonsai internet forums.

A couple people, Al included, seem to justify purchased bonsai with the statement that it takes talent to maintain a bonsai someone else has styled and the only way to get this advanced knowledge is by buying a tree that is finished.

It takes no talent to maintain a bonsai; it takes skills, learnable skills, the actual talent lies in creating a bonsai that deserves to be maintained. Artists create, growers maintain, collectors collect. A person can be one or all of these, and they well should be, however, when you pretend to have talent, based on what you purchased, you are wrong. The sad thing is that such people fool only themselves and beginners, the experienced artists see right through them. Fortunately, the beginners will eventually also see through the facade, but there will always be a new crop of beginners to bamboozle. Buy all the finished bonsai you want, this is commendable, however, do not try and pass this practice off as advanced bonsai, it is not. Bring a tree to that level yourself and then you have something to brag about.

Al tried to use Walter pall as an example to justify his purchase of bonsai in his “editorial” at BT with the following words, “In the recent styling contest on AofB last year Walter Pall restyled a tree that in most peoples mind needed nothing done to have a very good bonsai. Everyone else was going out of their way to find the best piece of virgin materal possible to show what they were made of. Not Walter, he started with something that was well on its way to masterpiece bonsai and with some Walter finishing touches helped it on it’s way. What a genius!….

First off, the contest Al was referring to was the “Progressive Styling Contest” at KoB, not AoB. Considering that Al himself said that this was the best contest on the web, I find it hard to believe his misidentification of the forum was an accident. Second, Walter has a long history of creating artistic bonsai from raw material, collected material, nursery material, and just about any other material one could conceive of. He took a piece that most people would call finished and changed it into a new tree, this is far beyond Al’s current talent level, so far in fact that trying to justify his own actions by comparing himself to Walter, is laughable. He did get one thing right, Walter is a genius.

Al, in his “editorial, goes on to say, “There has been much said about the whole buying someone elses work and changing it a little and then calling it your own. This is such a non issue and actually has no place in bonsai as far as I’m concerned. All my material that has been previously worked on has been done by total strangers and would mean nothing to anyone anyway…”

So buying someone else’s work, changing it a little and calling it your own is a non-issue to Al? Of course it is, this is why he defends the practice. Stranger or not Al, it is not your work, passing it off as if it was is wrong, unethical, and is considering fraud, cheating, and worse by most people. It not only has a place in bonsai, people get disqualified from contests, lose respect, and damage their reputations by doing so.

To continue his mad rush at justification, Al goes on, ”And what about people that buy more finished bonsai. Does Candy Shirey have less ability than anyone else simply because she has the means to buy an expensive bonsai creation from a noted artist? Does she still have to care for it, prune it, pinch it, and water and fertilize it. Are these not techniques that are very important to a collector of finished bonsai.”

Candy does not take credit for others work, Candy does not use her collection to support a misguided master complex. Caring for a bonsai, or maintaining it is not the same as creating it. By the way, Candy is also an artist.

Al again tries to justify his actions, ”We are not talking about Japanese collectors that purchase a bonsai for $65,000.00 and then hire Shinji Suzuki to care for it. We are talking about people that do bonsai, but from time to time buy more finished material in an effort to speed up a learning curve that frankly I see slipping away with each passing year.”

The dollar amount is not relevant, one dollar, a million dollars, it’s still wrong. I am sorry to hear your learning curve is slipping away and I am sorry to hear the steps you must take to get finished material.

Lastly on the subject, Al states, ”My take on this whole issue, I will continue to buy absolutely anything I can find and or afford that gives me the opportunity to work on something I may never get to work on in my lifetime. Why would anyone pass up the opportunity of a lifetime in the name of virgin material? To each their own I say. Leaves better opportunities for me.”

Again, no one said buying such material is wrong, passing it off as your own or using it t justify your claims of superior experience and talent is.

As we seen, Al tends to twist words and attack things that never existed in a, seemingly never ending, quest to justify his own imagined greatness.

I do hope that I set the record straight here ans showed once again the mightly Al’s true colors, now maybe I can get back to doing bonsai and actually contributing to the bonsai community.

UPDATE 07/15/08

Al continues his shallowness on his “editorial” with the words “Though my personal attack was actually a fact. That is what what we have Will for, to moderate a forum.” Well, at least he now admits he did attack me, but still slips past the truth. I am the co-founder and am an active editor on KoB and AoB, I have never been a moderator, Al should really read up on what I have accomplished in the community, maybe he can start here on this page, look at the top of the right column Al.

He continues his personal attack with the statement, “Contrary to your popular belief, not many people like Mr. Will.” Which is too stupid to even respond to.

He goes on to say, “As for Mr. Heath, until he can recognize the potential in some better material or the usefulness of what a real bonsai artist/educator can do for him, he will continue on this dead end road he thinks is bonsai.” This coming from a guy who can only create ill will and buys his bonsai? Wow, his opinion carries about as much weight as a homeless person’s investment advice. No thanks.

The real kicker though is Al’s final attempt to twist the truth and this time he twists it beyond believability. “I pretty much stay to this small forum at BT because I can post without being hounded by Will on everything I post.” Al must really think everyone is stupid or blind. I’ll directly challenge him right here to produce one single instance where I hounded him on any forum. To quote your own words Al, put up or shut up.

Fortunately, Hans Van Meer came into Al’s latest Will bashing thread and posted some sanity. Those who know Hans, know his talent and his reputation for shooting straight and also his love for bonsai. I highly recommend taking a look there and (wading through Al’s stupidity) read what Hans had to say. His posts are most likely the most intelligent posts I have read in awhile.

UPDATE 07/19/08

Four days after my challenge to Al, he has yet to post one single instance where I “hounded him.” No surprise here.

Chris Johnston, did me the favor of posting a link to this “response” over in Al’s “editorial” thread at BT. The usual 5 or 6 people who can be found in any thread about me, especially those attempting to bash me, have all chimed in, defending Al’s right to call his opinion piece an editorial. Amazing, all I put forth debunking Al’s crap, and they focus on claiming it has a right to be called an editorial because at one time, in the past, he was an editor, or suggesting that maybe he can be made an honorary editor, and they question why I say that there is little of educational value there.

What is really funny is the mad rush of justifications for buying finished bonsai and the misquotes and misunderstandings of what was said here. Such as those below:

Attila Soos said “So far so good, nobody ever touched my trees, but now I am a little worried: what if I ventured to seek out some expert opinions (just out of curiosity), and then I will end up being called a lowly “collector” or worse, a “cheat”.” Sorry Attila, I never said such or implied that in the manner you suggest. You of all people should know better, I suggest you reread what I did say instead of buying into the crap that others said I meant. I do however look forward to seeing any tree at all that you have, to my knowledge you have never shown a single one.

John Vonsgardens said “It takes a plagerist to call someone who buys a styled tree, works on it for a while (changes it) and then claims it as their own a cheat. I wonder if he has seen any of Kimura’s transformations of old masterpieces into something new…. “ I covered completely changing a tree also, in which case it is treated as stock and transformed by the artist. Maybe you should spend more time reading as well, and less time assuming. But then again, you can be found on any Will bash thread, so the truth most likely doesn’t concern you anyhow.

One thing can be said about BT, look to the top five threads for views and replies on any forum there, and you will find my name or ideas being discussed.

Thanks for all the attention.

Also, coming soon, a new article that takes a serious look at bonsai on the Internet. See the top right of this page for a listing of my other articles in print and on-line.