Page 46 - BCI Bonsai & Stone Appreciation Q1 2025

Top left: The newly compacted
tree fits nicely in its new pot.
Top right: With soil added to
fill the pot, Alessandro and his
colleagues, Marco Invernizzi
on the far left and Valentino
Villecco on the far right,
pose with the subject of the
successful nemaki technique.
Middle four images: Details of
the deadwood and the new
shoots a couple of months
later, that had grown by about
1 inch (2-3 cm)
The nemaki
procedure
was done in
February, just
before the
tree’s active
growth phase.
The tree was
then placed
in a heated
greenhouse
to stimulate
budding and
promote
healing.
hands (or two) can make the process safer and more
manageable.
During operations like this, even tools like a
chainsaw—normally seen as rough and imprecise—
must be wielded with the finesse of a paintbrush on
canvas. The cuts need to be clean and smooth; jerky
movements could tear the delicate live vein, leading
to irreversible damage.
After a morning’s work, the two live veins were suc-
cessfully coiled into the pot, and the trunk was lowered
by about 10 inches (25 cm).
However, the process doesn’t end with the initial
operation. Impeccable aftercare is crucial. This
procedure was done in February, just before the tree’s
active growth phase. The tree was then placed in a
heated greenhouse to stimulate budding and promote
healing. For hobbyists, ensuring the right environment
and closely monitoring the tree’s recovery are essential
steps in such advanced techniques.
A couple of months later, new shoots had grown
to about 1 inch (2-3 cm). At this point, I thinned out
the foliage to prevent the tree from becoming overly
stressed and began positioning the branches.
44 | BCI | January/February/March 2025