Mechanical Si-Diao of Premna serratifolia
　

 　 Key points:
1. Mechanical Si-Diao of the trunk Shari of Premna serratifolia
2. Tips on opening the bag after grafting

Author’s thoughts:
There are many types of Premna serratifolia, most of which do not have good leaf quality, providing little chance for artists to create because the color and the shape of leaf is not nice, and are not suitable to be pruned too much as well. Therefore, they should be grafted with better species.
　 　 　


This was a bad Premna serratifolia species, whose leaves were big, thin and crooked. And the leaf inter-node was also too long.

　		 　
Front view before alteration, April of 1996

　

    The tub-shaped trunk already had the natural Shari with small holes all over, but it still lacked vivid lines. The alteration aimed to modify the appearance by using the mechanical Si-Diao method.


　
Back view before alteration

   
Left view before alteration


Right view before alteration


Mechanical Si-Diao was in progress
　


Front view; the rough surface left by mechanical Si-Diao needed to be improved.

         When carving trees that have short fiber such as Premna serratifolia, you have to apply the concept of carving along the wood vein.
        “You must not carve across the vein.” Carve along the wood vein by mechanical tools to reveal natural lines, and then conduct manual Si-Diao to delicately eliminate the carving trace on the texture. Although it is very difficult, you can reveal the most natural quality of Shari by doing it patiently.

Front view of Shari after mechanical Si-Diao
　

Back view of Shari after mechanical Si-Diao
　

Left view of Shari after mechanical Si-Diao
Right view of Shari after mechanical Si-Diao

Tips on Opening the Bag after Successful Grafting
　

　


29th of April, 1996

         The plastic bag should be opened when the new buds are growing steadily. You should first open a small hole on the top to let air run through and have the new buds become accustomed to outer air, and then enlarge the hole day by day. If the grafting is successful, the new buds will keep growing. Wait until consecutive raining days to open the bag entirely.


25th of May, 1996. After 26 days
when the grafting was surely successful,
 the bag was opened on raining or cloudy days,
and the new buds had been growing steadily by then.
    


Height: 76cm
April of 1996
Expected profile after repotting,
computer generated picture
　 　

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