What to do with this ume nebari?

LeoMame

LeoMame

Yamadori
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Location
Bologna, IT
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Hello everyone,

I have a question that maybe the community here can help me figuring out. I realised that the nebari of my prunus mume -which I thought it was just one solid piece- is actually made by two separate "units" (I don't know either calling them trunks or roots). Here's a photo of what I'm talking about (front and back):

f.jpgb.jpg

Where the green arrow is pointing, it was stuff with soil and I managed to go through with a chopstick revealing that there's a separation there. Now I put the soil back and "closed it", because it's no time to mess with the roots and especially because I wanted your take on this: when it will be March and I will repot this tree, what should be done with such a peculiar nebari? Should I pot it deeper, covering it? Should I enhance it? Or stuff it with soil and possibly in 10 years some roots will grow from there fusing together the two parts?

As usual thank you for your help!

Leo
 
TLCAF.

That looks clean, you sure it needs a Repot?

Sorce
 
sorce said:
TLCAF.

That looks clean, you sure it needs a Repot?

Sorce
Click to expand...
yeah, I did an emergency slip on into a slightly bigger container 3 weeks ago, because there was very little drainage when watering. I decided to stick to a classic end-of-the-flowering repotting instead of an autumn one, so I didn't messed up with the roots now (just untangled some of them and slipped into this bigger pot).

My real worry is about that hole, that gap shown by the green arrow. You kinda don't see it as I filled it with soil as it was before, but with the hole showing it has a whole different appearance.

Not sure if worse or better.
 
sorce said:
TLCAF.

That looks clean, you sure it needs a Repot?

Sorce
Click to expand...
This is the "fake repotting" I did recently. I did it as a very temporary intervention, also for the eventual winter cold, but I'm planning to invest some money into an important pot for this tree, I believe it deserves it! But yeah, let's talk about it by the end of winter.

fr.JPG
 
I don't know much about ume roots or how they grow, to know if it will fill in.

I'd just moss it up for display.

Grow pretty flowers and no one will be looking down there!

Sorce
 
I would nick the bark to expose the cambium on the underside of those two roots where you want new roots to appear, apply a little sphagnum moss, and then plant it a bit deeper in the spring. Don’t trim the roots back much when you repot in the spring.
 
Brian Van Fleet said:
I would nick the bark to expose the cambium on the underside of those two roots where you want new roots to appear, apply a little sphagnum moss, and then plant it a bit deeper in the spring. Don’t trim the roots back much when you repot in the spring.
Click to expand...

wow this is brilliant, thanks Brian.

I'll do it and yeah, planting it deeper was already in my mind; I also wanted to slightly tilt the tree on the right so I can make the nebari a bit more symmetrical, making it easier to cover that hole with soil and accentuate the angle of the tachiagari (now it's a bit straight up vertical).

Thank you again for the sphagnum tip!
 
Back to the meat of the thread, I find Ume nebari relatively easy to improve. You need good soil, you need to work the roots on a regular basis to encourage the lateral roots to grow and thicken while discouraging the roots growing downward, and you need to allow your ume to grow vigorously. I think your tree already has a nice base and it will only get better with time. Good luck.
 
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