AusBonsai

I saw this picture of a raft bonsai a little while back and thought the styling looked great.





Looking at my own stock this afternoon, in particular this plum sapling I propagated from a cutting, I wondered how good a plum tree would look as a raft styling?





If I were to try styling this as a raft, when would the best time be to bend the trunk? I imaging it would be now while the trunk is flexible enough to bend that far, right?

Cheers.

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Generally there is no need to bend the trunk to horizontal to create a raft bonsai. At repotting time just replant it sideways so it is laying down. If a few roots are sticking up in the air it does not matter. There will still be more than half of the original roots in the soil.
Plum should be fine as a raft. Yours has a long way to go but they all have to start somewhere.

I love the aspirations here!
That is an amazing specimen/style you wish to achieve and as Shibui said they all have to start somewhere!

One of the styles I'd love to try. My favourite camp site as a kid had a huge fallen paperbark (Melaleuca viridiflora?) that had grown like this. I'd love to replicate it.

Go for it Muddy. It won't happen if you don't start

shibui wrote:Plum should be fine as a raft. Yours has a long way to go but they all have to start somewhere.

Given your advice, do you think it would be better to let it thicken out a lot more and then repot it on its side?





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I'd also like to thank you all for your encouragement, too!!

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