✳️ AT/Shohin: Starting Point
2/15/25 Shohin Workshop 1
Shohin Definition & Goal:
Small tree, 8” between top & bottom foliage
Interesting movement or fruit or flowering, or deadwood.
Does not have to have a big trunk, but age (bark or deadwood), width, or movement.
Don’t focus on branch work yet—focus on the base.
If doing clip & grow or once put into a pot, it should be 3/4 of the final width as growth will slow down.
Repotting JBP Collander
Keep trees in trunk development in colanders or similar training pots—and Japanese high-fired training pots as you develop branches and reduce towards a smaller pot. No need to put into a bonsai pot until it’s close to being finished.
Although the colander is old and breaking apart—he suggested reusing it but I may likely repot in a new colander.
Don’t stack colanders until the primary is full of roots. And so on.
The top is a sacrifice, so let it run long, but prune off in-needed branches up to the apex.
Old soil was odd or broken down. Roots were not voluminous or healthy.
Removed ugly, crossing, large roots if uneven. They will over-power growth unevenly and lot allow a Shohin to fit into a small pot. Roots should be evenly distributed. No cut paste or putty needed. Will come back after a full season or two to re-inspect roots. For a young tree it will recover from drastic cuts—but older trees are sensitive to big root work.
Take out most outer roots—don’t bare-root a JBP. Trim Long roots.
Repotting—ensure soil is bone dry and not wet. If sifted and rinsed—set out to dry for days. Reason—chop sticking will breakdown soil if wet.
Larger particle size for development, finer for bonsai pots or training pots.
JBP less akadama, more lava & pumice.
Do not use Osmacoat fertilizer.
Top of roots should be 1” below the top of the colander—roughly where the holes are. Put soil 1”’over the top of the roots to ensure coverage. Roots uncovered will die and not develop fine roots.
Use no larger than 1.5mm aluminum wire to tie down trees.
Center the trunk to allow evenly distributed, radial nebari. Put some angle to the trunk as it exits the soil.
Colanders do not need too much chop sticking, and jostling the sides a few times may fill any voids.
Trowel soil level and to just below the rim. Water should not let water run immediately off.
He does not apply sphagnum moss to the top of JBP or colanders.
Visibility and posture: work on your tree at eye-level.
Get down on your haunches or elevate your workspace with an adjustable table or platform.
Must see what is going on.
Homework:
Plan a design for the JBP sapling purchased and reserved. Look for Shohin JBP examples.
Do not come to class and ask “what do I do” or “how should I style this tree?” Have a vision. Study other trees for inspiration. Adam can help achieve a goal or design—even if a problem tree, can be brought to the group for collective suggestions or feedback.
How can we instill interesting movement, even if Clip & Grow, section by section? Consider more radical or unorthodox movement for Shohin.
Tree Talk:
Tridents can be styled in so many ways.. fat base or long and straight. When chopped it is a gamble but can often strike many buds or branches.
Or JBP being so versatile in styles.
Monterey Cypress—not bad, but very limited styles. Straight, foliage or branches on top. Typically one style, like a Bald Cypress.