Repotting boxwood in fall

CheeseburgerPicnic · Sep 12, 2018

Hi guys, don't post often here but I have a burning question. I just got this Buxus microphylla var. Japonicum and I want to put it ok this mini slab. I've read here and there that boxwood cam.tolerste fall root work. I've been planning to wait till the last flush of growth hardens off, but wanted your opinions on if it's safe to.do this work. I've been largely successful with squeezing trees into smaller than ideal containers via sphagnum moss layers with soil on top and underneath...

JudyB · Sep 12, 2018

I think you may have to go into an interim sized pot, it looks like that would take too much at once to me. Boxwood can get used to being in very small pots, at least kingsville, but you have to work them down to that.
Nice looking tree btw.

sorce · Sep 12, 2018

IME..

It's too late.
Better to do it around the summer solstice.

A healthy plant can go all the way at once, provided it has a few good feeders at the core.

The 2 on the right were potted summer 2017.
The left one this summer.

That middle one is about as big as your dish. Only struggling because the soil is too small and wet. I was able to replace some this year, and it got happier.

S

Leo in N E Illinois · Sep 12, 2018

Where you are located will make a difference. If you are in Coastal California, sure, go ahead and repot, your boxwood will keep growing all year round. If you are in Minnesota, you best wait until the summer solstice, as suggested by Sorce. If you are growing in a high tech light set up you probably can repot. If this is your first indoor houseplant I would definitely wait.

If you go ahead, after care is critical, this is not the ''prime or ideal'' time. If you are uncertain of your aftercare, wait until summer.

CheeseburgerPicnic · Sep 12, 2018

I'm even further north in Ontario, Canada. This tree will he going in a protected cold room. I don't understand the summer repotting... these aren't tropicals? I have grow lights for tropicals in the winter, could I repot and keep it growing till next year? We have buxus sempervirens that is hardy here provided it doesn't desiccate. I would be putting it in shade and keeping it moist but not wet and feeding in several weeks if so. Thoughts? Thanks for the input everyone. I'm also confused because people seem to have luck collecting boxwood in fall

coachspinks · Sep 12, 2018

That is a nice little tree.
Boxwoods respond well to summer repotting. However, even though they tolerate it I don't reduce the roots too fast. For a nicer tree I don't go more than a third. I know that some do but I would prefer safe vs sorry.
In your case, I think it is too late and agree with JudyB that you need to step yours down vs all at once.

0soyoung · Sep 12, 2018

CheeseburgerPicnic said:
I'm even further north in Ontario, Canada. This tree will he going in a protected cold room. I don't understand the summer repotting... these aren't tropicals? I have grow lights for tropicals in the winter, could I repot and keep it growing till next year? We have buxus sempervirens that is hardy here provided it doesn't desiccate. I would be putting it in shade and keeping it moist but not wet and feeding in several weeks if so. Thoughts? Thanks for the input everyone. I'm also confused because people seem to have luck collecting boxwood in fall

The concern is for a sudden hard freeze not long after repotting. Tissues harden to cold through the process of deepening over-night frosts. A sudden plunge from warm frost free weather to daytime temperatures well below freezing is damaging to any plant - more so one that has recently been repotted.

I've reduced roots to 30% or so, along with bare rooting boxwoods this time of year with no problem.

CheeseburgerPicnic · Sep 12, 2018

0soyoung said:
The concern is for a sudden hard freeze not long after repotting. Tissues harden to cold through the process of deepening over-night frosts. A sudden plunge from warm frost free weather to daytime temperatures well below freezing is damaging to any plant - more so one that has recently been repotted.

I've reduced roots to 30% or so, along with bare rooting boxwoods this time of year with no problem.

So if I brought it indoors when the temperatures drop and gradually acclimatize it to lower temps or keep.in grow lights for one season and give it a winter rest the following winter would I be ok? I'm not new to bonsai but unsure of the nuances with boxwood

JudyB · Sep 12, 2018

I don’t know if that’s a great idea, if this plant is new to you, to repot it, then not give dormancy. I think you should leave it be for this winter, and give it solid protection. Like I said, Kingsville don’t seem to need dormancy but others do. You’ll want it to get some frosts to acclimatize it to the cold and then put it in your cold room.

You should go to your profile and put your location in it so it will show up under your name, so people can give you good advice for your climate.

CheeseburgerPicnic · Sep 12, 2018

JudyB said:
I don’t know if that’s a great idea, if this plant is new to you, to repot it, then not give dormancy. I think you should leave it be for this winter, and give it solid protection. Like I said, Kingsville don’t seem to need dormancy but others do. You’ll want it to get some frosts to acclimatize it to the cold and then put it in your cold room.

Well that's the thing. Kingsville is a sport of microphylla. they should behave the same. It's already been acclimating that's for sure, starting to dip down to 5 Celsius at night here and there

0soyoung · Sep 12, 2018

CheeseburgerPicnic said:
So if I brought it indoors when the temperatures drop and gradually acclimatize it to lower temps or keep.in grow lights for one season and give it a winter rest the following winter would I be ok? I'm not new to bonsai but unsure of the nuances with boxwood

Yes, either way will probably be okay. I haven't noticed anything particularly nuanced about boxwood repotting. Roots of any tree species, will recover quickly with lots of productive foliage.

They, boxwoods, do fine in pots outside just sitting on the ground in my usual winters. None of mine, however, are Kingsvilles. Cold hardiness varies across the varieties. Regardless, I am surrounded by 50F salt water, so temperature swings are moderate and change gradually unless the weather sends a blast of frigid air down the Frasier River valley - when that is in the forecast, my 'sissy trees' go into the garage until the wind direction shifts back away from northeast. You know your climate and how to care for bonsai over your winters.

CheeseburgerPicnic · Sep 12, 2018

0soyoung said:
Yes, either way will probably be okay. I haven't noticed anything particularly nuanced about boxwood repotting. Roots of any tree species, will recover quickly with lots of productive foliage.

They, boxwoods, do fine in pots outside just sitting on the ground in my usual winters. None of mine, however, are Kingsvilles. Cold hardiness varies across the varieties. Regardless, I am surrounded by 50F salt water, so temperature swings are moderate and change gradually unless the weather sends a blast of frigid air down the Frasier River valley - when that is in the forecast, my 'sissy trees' go into the garage until the wind direction shifts back away from northeast. You know your climate and how to care for bonsai over your winters.

Alright so let me see if I got this straight. If I reduce roots and protect from freezing like I would an air layer and keep it growing under lights for one winter, I can get away with it.
I didn't think there much nuances, I just don't consider broadleaf evergreens as something to repot in summer, hence the "nuance".
In any event, I'll be careful and conservative.
Just treat as tropical for one season, and use cytokinins generated in leaves to develop new roots.
Thanks so much for everyone's input, I understand how to achieve a balance of water and oxygen with these so everything else should fall in line

0soyoung · Sep 12, 2018

CheeseburgerPicnic said:
I just don't consider broadleaf evergreens as something to repot in summer, hence the "nuance".

Mystique

Every species can be repotted after the summer solstice. I reported several years ago about cork oak, eastern redbud, zelkova, Douglas fir, and lodgepole pine. Azaleas/rhodies, pyracanthas, chaenomeles, cotoneasters, tsuga, spruce, thuja, p. thunbergii, p. parviflora, p. densiflora, p. pumilla, p. strobus, fir, juniper, azara, potentilla are additional species I've done or prefer to do after the summer solstice. Walter Pall recently stunned the BNut community with the August repotting of his most famous maple. The sole issue is preventing desiccation, which is a triviality with waxy leafed evergreens; 'nuanced' with stuff like acer palmatum.

Auxin.

CheeseburgerPicnic · Sep 12, 2018

0soyoung said:
Mystique
Every species can be repotted after the summer solstice. I reported several years ago about cork oak, eastern redbud, zelkova, Douglas fir, and lodgepole pine. Azaleas/rhodies, pyracanthas, chaenomeles, cotoneasters, tsuga, spruce, thuja, p. thunbergii, p. parviflora, p. densiflora, p. pumilla, p. strobus, fir, juniper, azara, potentilla are additional species I've done or prefer to do after the summer solstice. Walter Pall recently stunned the BNut community with the August repotting of his most famous maple. The sole issue is preventing desiccation, which is a triviality with waxy leafed evergreens; 'nuanced' with stuff like acer palmatum.

Auxin.

Auxin sure is great for controlling shoot growth and hindering the elongation of side shoots and is created in roots. This doesn't make sense to me why everyone says to repot in spring. Here it gets so hot and I don't have a greenhouse. thanks.

tree3 · Sep 12, 2018

How do I know I killed a boxwood? However, it's still green when I scratch the bark. I repotted it recently and I hard pruned the roots. It lost all the leaves. I'm a bit concerned. The reason for repotting was to put it in a smaller pot, so I had to prune the roots.

JudyB · Sep 13, 2018

tree3 said:
How do I know I killed a boxwood? However, it's still green when I scratch the bark. I repotted it recently and I hard pruned the roots. It lost all the leaves. I'm a bit concerned. The reason for repotting was to put it in a smaller pot, so I had to prune the roots.

Be patient and don’t overwater, if there is green under the bark, then it still is alive.

JoeH · Sep 22, 2018

Leo in N E Illinois said:
Where you are located will make a difference. If you are in Coastal California, sure, go ahead and repot, your boxwood will keep growing all year round. If you are in Minnesota, you best wait until the summer solstice, as suggested by Sorce. If you are growing in a high tech light set up you probably can repot. If this is your first indoor houseplant I would definitely wait.

If you go ahead, after care is critical, this is not the ''prime or ideal'' time. If you are uncertain of your aftercare, wait until summer.

I was just going to ask this same question about a boxwood in FLA. So it should be fine to do now in the sunshine state?

Repotting boxwood in fall

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