# Van meer technique **URL:** \ **Category:** Design\ **Created:** [March 13, 2018, 10:10pm UTC](https://forum.bonsaimirai.com/t/van-meer-technique/588 "2018-03-13T22:10:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![rafi](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex029/user_avatar/forum.bonsaimirai.com/rafi/32/103_2.png) [@rafi](https://forum.bonsaimirai.com/u/rafi)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2018, 10:10pm UTC](https://forum.bonsaimirai.com/t/van-meer-technique/588/1 "2018-03-13T22:10:53Z")
Does anyone come across the [Van meere](http://ofbonsai.org/techniques/styles-and-styling/the-van-meer-technique) technique and tried it? @ryan? ---
**Author:** ![ThienXiang](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex029/user_avatar/forum.bonsaimirai.com/thienxiang/32/197_2.png) [@ThienXiang](https://forum.bonsaimirai.com/u/ThienXiang)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2018, 2:49am UTC](https://forum.bonsaimirai.com/t/van-meer-technique/588/2 "2018-03-14T02:49:50Z")
I had but have not tried it yet. We had a gardener back home in Philippines who patches his prune cuts with an attached flap of the bark from the branch cut (as described in the van meere technique) on our mango trees. He tried to explain it 6 y/o me but the only thing I comprehended is it is to show respect to the tree and so we don’t upset the “tree creatures”, also keeps the bugs away 😊. Reading abt van meere technique finally made me understand what he was doing. Looks like it’ll work if done correctly. It’s like the arm and leg amputations (pardon for the comparison), the end of the cut skin are sewn together, leave the body, hormones, other biological chemicals, platelets, and the cells to take care of the work. Living things like to keep the “closed” areas closed and “open” areas open as a defense mechanism and self-preservation. ---
**Author:** ![AndyK](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex029/user_avatar/forum.bonsaimirai.com/andyk/32/2330_2.png) [@AndyK](https://forum.bonsaimirai.com/u/AndyK)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2018, 7:32am UTC](https://forum.bonsaimirai.com/t/van-meer-technique/588/3 "2018-06-09T07:32:13Z")
Hi Rafi, I have used it with success on a Mugo Pine, which had a 1cm diameter branch (eye poker) off the trunk. Thick cut past and tape to compress. Don’t know how well it would work on a big branch (P Warren - Maple stream). Fun technique. ---
**Author:** ![AndyK](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex029/user_avatar/forum.bonsaimirai.com/andyk/32/2330_2.png) [@AndyK](https://forum.bonsaimirai.com/u/AndyK)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2018, 7:55am UTC](https://forum.bonsaimirai.com/t/van-meer-technique/588/4 "2018-06-09T07:55:55Z")
![image](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex029/uploads/bonsaimirai/original/2X/2/261fe5024326548f26af437645facac7cb9552cf.jpeg)Mugo Pine Van Meer technique after 3 or 4 years ---
**Author:** ![rafi](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex029/user_avatar/forum.bonsaimirai.com/rafi/32/103_2.png) [@rafi](https://forum.bonsaimirai.com/u/rafi)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2018, 10:25am UTC](https://forum.bonsaimirai.com/t/van-meer-technique/588/5 "2018-06-09T10:25:27Z")
looks awesome - I might try on on Jack pine on some hidden but nonetheless eye poking cuts. What time of the year did you do it? ---
**Author:** ![AndyK](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex029/user_avatar/forum.bonsaimirai.com/andyk/32/2330_2.png) [@AndyK](https://forum.bonsaimirai.com/u/AndyK)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2018, 6:05pm UTC](https://forum.bonsaimirai.com/t/van-meer-technique/588/6 "2018-06-10T18:05:20Z")
Hi Rafi, To be honest, I can’t remember what time of year. This is my first Pine, so chances are it was not the best time as I was learning from scratch. Probably best to not have too much sap flow, so maybe after needles have hardened. ---
**Author:** ![MarkF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8797f3/32.png) [@MarkF](https://forum.bonsaimirai.com/u/MarkF)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2018, 10:44am UTC](https://forum.bonsaimirai.com/t/van-meer-technique/588/7 "2018-12-26T10:44:14Z")
It is nice to see more from van Meer… His videos on youtube was the reason for searching better bonsai knowledge and so i found bonsai mirai. The larches he made are verry impressing. Mark