Bonsai Techniques

Shari

Expose deadwood on trunk/branches to add age and contrast without harming sapflow

Map the live veins with chalk or tape, then score the shari outline so cuts stop short of the lifeline. Peel bark in thin layers with a sharp knife and jin pliers, pausing to let the surface dry before carving back fibers for crisp grain. Slightly undercut the edges to stop future swelling, brush away frayed tissue, and torch-polish only after the wood is dry. Apply lime sulfur once the deadwood cures and keep edges tapering so it reads as wind-scoured rather than machine-cut.

Uro

Carve former branch stubs to create natural-looking hollows and deadwood

Remove any rot, then drill or carve the center of the stub so the cavity narrows inward like lightning damage. Break up the rim with varied depths and grain so callus can roll over irregularly instead of forming a hard donut. Angle the hollow so water drains, lightly torch or wire-brush stray fibers, and lime sulfur the interior only after it dries. Revisit yearly to extend the rim as the callus rolls so the hollow stays proportional.

Air Layer

Force a branch to root in place so it can be removed as a new tree

Select a vigorous branch, remove a ring of bark or spiral strip down to the sapwood, and scrape away the cambium so it cannot bridge. Dust the wound with rooting hormone, then pack moist (not dripping) sphagnum around the cut and seal top and bottom with plastic to hold humidity. Wrap foil over the plastic to block light, mist the moss when it begins to dry, and support the branch so weight does not tear new roots. Check for white roots in 4–12 weeks and only cut below the root ball once the moss is filled with fine roots.

Ground Layer

Make a branch root at ground level to create a new tree

Cut away coarse downward roots, then score or lightly girdle the base at the height you want the new nebari. Dust with rooting hormone, set the tree on a mound or board, backfill with airy pumice-rich mix, and secure the trunk so the cut cannot shift. Keep moisture steady through the growing season, add a mesh collar if you need extra depth, and wait for a dense mat of feeder roots before lifting to reveal the new plane.

Ring Layer

Remove a ring of bark to stop downward flow and force roots to form above the girdle

Make two parallel cuts about an inch apart, peel off the bark between them, and scrape away every trace of cambium so the plant cannot heal across. The removed ring blocks sugars from moving down, concentrating energy above the wound for root formation. Dust the exposed xylem with hormone, pack on moist moss, and seal in plastic or foil; add a loose tie or prop to relieve branch weight. Once roots surround the band, cut below the new root ball and pot it separately while keeping the wrap intact for the first potting.

Touch Graft

Lay a donor shoot across a shallow cut to strengthen a weak spot.

Cut matching shallow windows on the donor shoot and the host, align cambium to cambium, and bind the union firmly so it cannot slide. Add a small peg or wire stop to keep the donor from creeping, and seal exposed wood with grafting tape or wax. Keep the graft shaded and stable until the donor swells and feeds the weak area, then slowly notch the donor base over weeks before the final cut so the new line carries all traffic.

Approach Graft

Add a needed branch while both donor and host keep their roots.

Trim a flat strip on the scion, carve a matching notch in the trunk, and seat the two so the cambium lines meet along the length. Fix with screws, tape, or grafting clips, and seal gaps to prevent desiccation. Leave both plants feeding themselves while the union swells, checking monthly to relieve pressure from fasteners. Once the graft holds without movement, gradually cut back the donor’s root connection and train the new branch like any other.

Trunk Fusion

Bind multiple young trees so they grow into a single, thicker trunk

Arrange young whips around a form, scrape thin bark strips where they touch, and bind them firmly so cambium stays in contact. Use tape or soft wire that can be loosened as they thicken to avoid deep scars, and stagger whip thicknesses to break uniformity. Rotate the bundle for even light, remove interior shoots that cause bulges, and gradually reduce redundant leaders once the trunk has fused. Carve and sand ridges after initial fusion, then rebundle if gaps remain.

Guy Wire

Use tensioned wires to adjust branch angles when wrapping is difficult

Anchor wire to a stable point on the pot or trunk, pad the loop around the branch, and add tension slowly over several sessions. Use turnbuckles or a simple twist stick for fine adjustments, and set the pull angle to avoid lifting the root ball. Re-check weekly so the wire does not bite as the branch swells, and adjust anchors to refine direction without twisting the branch. Once the wood sets, release or reposition the guy wire to avoid scars and retain the new angle.

Ebihara Board Technique

Train roots flat across a board to build radial nebari

During early spring repotting, fan young roots across a perforated board, fixing them with gentle staples or biodegradable ties. Dust cuts with hormone, cover with a shallow layer of airy mix, and place the board in a wide pot so roots run horizontally. Add a top-dressing mesh to hold fine particles, water lightly but frequently, and feed modestly so roots knit without coarse jumps. Lift annually at first to redirect thick roots, keep the surface moist, and widen the container as the radial plate expands.