Best time to cut tap root

[Pixar]

Just wondering when's the best time to cut tap root ? After the plant has establish do we wait two or three months etc...?

 

[Crazy Diamond]

It depends, some species tolerate it better than others, also you have to look the individual case, sometimes its better strangle the tap-root to promote axilar fine roots above if you dont have any

 

[Pixar]

how do you strangle the tap root ?

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

Next time you repot.

 

[Pixar]

??

 

[Crazy Diamond]

With a wire around it, when the tree grows it gets tighter and strangle the root making the tree send roots up the strangled zone, also can be done with washers or CDs or pretty much anything

 

[Bonsai Orange County]

My best guess is "strangle" the taproot means tying it off tight above where you want roots to grow at repot - much like some folks "girdle" below their airlayers - to reduce flow of nutrients to the lower parts of the roots, effectively killing them off and while also encouraging new, lateral growth above the tie-off. The best time I would also guess depends on the species of tree as every tree has a specific ideal time for repot success. My two cents...

 

[Pixar]

Cool thanks , looks like i'll have to wait until repotting time and then hang the tap root with a wire noose .

 

[0soyoung]

Cool thanks , looks like i'll have to wait until repotting time and then hang the tap root with a wire noose .

Just cut it off when you are repotting. Maybe do it in steps over a couple of years if your tree doesn't have many lateral roots near the branch collar.

You can always plant it as low in the pot as you can. Then most of it will likely drown because the air filled porosity at the bottom of a pot of substrate/soil is close to zero, especially if you water frequently.

If your tree currently populates the entire 'plug' of substrate/soil, you can simply knock the pot off, saw off the bottom third (let's say) away, and then remove enough of the peripheral soil and roots so that it all will fit back into the pot; all the way to the bottom (or sit it at the bottom of a larger diameter pot and backfill around the perimeter). No need to 'fully repot. No need to wait until next spring (note that one is not disturbing the bulk of the lateral roots that sustains the tree).

 

[Pixar]

Thanks very much for your knowledge . I'm trying to grow a Guggul bonsia tree and have some seeds which have only started to germinate .

 

[Shibui]

For most species i have found it best to cut the tap root at the very first transplant. For me that's when the seedlings are just a few weeks old. At that stage plants seem to have the most ability to grow new roots. Even pines which have a reputation for not liking root pruning can be root chopped and will respond with lots of lateral roots.
Most plants will tolerate removing any vertical roots provided there are some laterals to support the tree but I have heard that some dry land species can have adverse reaction to pruning tap roots.
I have never even heard of Commiphora wightii before now so can't give any first hand advice on how it will react to root pruning or growing as bonsai.

Good luck with the project.

 

[Wires_Guy_wires]

I'm using fat zipties instead of wire to girdle taproots on my oaks.
They can overgrow wire, but not 5mm of ziptie.

 

[Pixar]

I have never even heard of Commiphora wightii before now so can't give any first hand advice on how it will react to root pruning or growing as bonsai.

Thanks very much , I've got 10 seeds and 6 have geminated so far and waiting for the rest to germinate etc... might have to build small glasshouse etc...and some extra lighting

 

[leatherback]

If you are growing from seed, just never let it grow a taproot. As soon as the plant is big enough to handle, clip the tip. Done. Nothing major needed there.

 

[ChristianDGreat]

Next time you repot.

+1

 

[Wulfskaar]

If you are growing from seed, just never let it grow a taproot. As soon as the plant is big enough to handle, clip the tip. Done. Nothing major needed there.

There is someone here (forget his name, sorry!) that cuts all the roots off of very young pine seedlings, then dips in rooting hormone. He gets really nice radial roots on them.

 

[InstilledChaos]

There is someone here (forget his name, sorry!) that cuts all the roots off of very young pine seedlings, then dips in rooting hormone. He gets really nice radial roots on them.

Jonas has a primer on doing JBP seedling cuttings on Bonsai Tonight

 

[Wulfskaar]

There is someone here (forget his name, sorry!) that cuts all the roots off of very young pine seedlings, then dips in rooting hormone. He gets really nice radial roots on them.

Here is one of them. Not sure about your specific type of tree, but this is very interesting.
https://www.bonsainut.com/threads/cm-bonsai.42055/

There's another one here somewhere showing the OP doing the whole process.

 

[Lumaca]

Commiphora is very popular in the succulent world. No experience since they're quite expensive here, but I heard they root from woody cutting quite easily, so I assume a root prune would be no big deal.

 

[Pixar]

Update - I have now got 9 seeds to germinate ( 9 out 10 ) .
Wonder if the last one going to come out