Blue spruce HELP!

[Backwardsvg]

Hello all! I got a beautiful thick blue spruce today for like 10 bucks at HD. I am wondering is now a good time to do a repot / chop. Would you break it up or wait till spring etc? I’d love to get it out of this clay muck this year but if it’s not the time it’s not the time!

@rockm
@Leo in N E Illinois
@sorce

Not sure if you guys have any expertise here!

 

[Michigan Tree Murderer]

Pictures?

 

[Backwardsvg]

Pictures?

Posting shortly

 

[Backwardsvg]

Here are a few. I think I will be ok repotting and not really doing any root pruning or taking anything off the top. Just a repot and then seeing how it does in 1-2 seasons

 

[Paradox]

Your weather is calling for temps in the mid to upper 80s in the next few days.

It's not a good time to repot a spruce. You will need to disturb the roots to get it out of that soil.

It will probably be fine in that pot until the proper time. But it's your tree, your choice.

 

[Colorado]

Personally I think the best time to repot spruce is in the spring when the buds are just showing green. I would wait to repot it in the spring into good soil, then work on the foliage the next spring. My 2 cents…

 

[Backwardsvg]

Facepalm. Well I heard from a few that it was a good time and I read a few things saying summer so I went for it. I guess it was only 12 bucks so if it doesn’t make it it’s a shame but not a horrible monetary loss at least.

It was in such horrible clay that it was like a brick. It was tough teasing out the roots and it really didn’t have any. I did not prune any roots or anything off the top. I tried to leave some of the soil but when I teased the center it all dropped out so there’s goes a half and half. I feel like at least the roots can breathe now so maybe it will be able to pull through. It’s got good growth up too it seems so I’m betting it’ll work out.

It does have a bit of a bulge not sure if it’s a graft? But I don’t think it would be. So we’ll see how that plays out in the long run. But it’s got cool movement and I’m excited to see what I can make of it (if it survives )

below are a few pics and resources that said summer. I have a red line where I think it may go but there’s still great movement above that so who knows I have at least a year to ponder. I top dressed with blended sphagnum and moss to hopefully get moss to grow that way.

Colorado Blue Spruce Bonsai Growing & Care

The Colorado blue spruce has attractive silvery blue/green needles. Learn more about growing tips and care in this article.

bonsairesourcecenter.com

How To Care For Your Blue Spruce Bonsai Tree

Picea Pungens Bonsai Care About The Blue Spruce Bonsai Tree This cone bearing evergreen (conifer) has thin, scratched looking bark with beautiful blue-hued evergreen needles. This bonsai has a traditional tree shape and a pointed peak making it one of the most popular Christmas trees around...

www.lovemybonsai.com

 

[Shogun610]

Oh man…Wait till spring always as a fail safe I’ve never lost anything repotted in spring … and especially with conifers leave as much soil as possible I leave 30% or more of the rootball in tact untouched at the core , never ever completely bare root conifers (especially spruce ) they rely on mycorrhiza in soil system. It is summer , so this will make nice kindling for a bonfire w family /friends soon. Kidding but really , bonsai , not bonfire. BTW those sources are honeytraps for misinformation on bonsai .. ignore those websites moving forward

 

[Backwardsvg]

Ya I was going to try to leave more but it was again like a brick and solid clay so it’ll be an experiment. It’s got a good amount of time to grow new roots and has good growth so we’ll see only time will tell!

I have faith it’ll live and be a cool tree in a few years!

Also read @Walter Pall repots spruce in the late summer (given his specific climate etc not saying he says anyone can) so maybe I’ll get his good vibes and it’ll pull through haha. I’m sure he doesn’t have bad roots like this clay tree but hey who knows

 

[Deep Sea Diver]

Hmm…. Walter Pall seems to think repotting spruces in August is a good thing…. (Dunno if he works with CBS though.) You are pretty close to that window. But that doesn’t make this procedure best practice nor use of material.

Walter also has good material and knows how to give expert after care. The key to learning bonsai is first knowing the horticulture of a species, including styling and proper after care. Especially when doing a repot to a tree and a species you’ve never worked with before.

Anyways, it’s all about your after care at this point and the tree’s ability to survive on very few roots. Keep it cool, bright shade, mist and not too wet…. and cross your fingers.

Good Luck!

cheers
DSD sends

 

[Backwardsvg]

For sure he’s on a completely different level / playing field wasn’t even trying to compare. More just joking around saying others do repot spruce in summer.

For sure the after care will be the make it or break it. It should be in a good spot for the above. Like I said time will tell

 

[Potawatomi13]

HUGE mistakes/carelessness often followed by "did not intend to" do not beget healthy living trees. HUGE "IF" tree survives tells IF tree has any future to develop. After over 250 messages on here hard to believe one can still do something so misguided.

 

[Wires_Guy_wires]

HUGE mistakes/carelessness often followed by "did not intend to" do not beget healthy living trees. HUGE "IF" tree survives tells IF tree has any future to develop. After over 250 messages on here hard to believe one can still do something so misguided.

It depends a whole lot on who you use as a guide. Because some guides are advocating for, while the general population advocates against.
There's been a big summer repotting event and I'm very intruiged to see the survivors/casualties in a couple weeks.

 

[Backwardsvg]

HUGE mistakes/carelessness often followed by "did not intend to" do not beget healthy living trees. HUGE "IF" tree survives tells IF tree has any future to develop. After over 250 messages on here hard to believe one can still do something so misguided.

I think this may be a tad bit much but I respect your opinion. I have seen many people say they bareroot spruce and even wash roots out in mid summer. I think like I said above it will be a good experiment and at the end of the day is one step further down the road of learning.

While some people like yourself may not have had good experience wth summer repots or other things above it does not mean that it is impossible. I prefer to keep an open mind and try things out rather than just poo pooing others out the gate. I prefer to post mistakes and show what I did so others can try as well or see where a mistake is made. I do not pretend to be perfect nor an expert as most my “posts” are “woah cooltree can’t wait to see what it turns into”. No one is following me or taking my word for advice haha and I would tell anyone that.

So we’ll see how it goes! I’ll update this thread either way next in the coming months and then if it’s hobbles through I will again in the spring!

 

[Paradox]

Edited to get rid of silly double post with bad link

 

[Paradox]

I have never seen or heard of the sources of the links you posted. Don't know who is behind those sites or if they are new. Here are some others that are more well known that advocate for early spring. The spruce page has a link to a repotting page.

Care and maintenance guide for native US Spruce and Fir Bonsai (Picea and Pseudotsuga) – Eisei-en

www.bjornbjorholm.com

Care guide for the Spruce Bonsai tree (Picea) - Bonsai Empire

The spruce Bonsai tree is popular, but can be rather hard to style into Bonsai, mostly because it doesn't backbud easily. The spruce is however widely available and usually not very expensive to buy as nursery stock.

www.bonsaiempire.com

Repotting Bonsai, how to repot your tree - Bonsai Empire

To prevent a tree from being pot-bound and ultimately starving to death, regular repotting is crucial. Re-potting your Bonsai will not keep it small; instead it will supply the tree with new

www.bonsaiempire.com

Picea/ Spruce Bonsai – Bonsai4Me

www.bonsai4me.com

Timing of pruning, wiring, styling

http://www.bonsai4me.com/AdvTech/ATPiceaPruningstylingandwiring.htm

 

[Paradox]

Wow not sure how trying to edit a link in my post ended up as a double post...

 

[Backwardsvg]

@Paradox good sources and for sure useful. I saw some people in my local region / micro climate that have had some other success as well in summer (albeit they probably aren’t talking about a spruce with bricks instead of soil that just kinda broke out hahah). But if it doesn’t work now I’ll know for the future! I do have a Picea Rubens that I collected this spring that is doing well so maybe I will be a spring repotter for spruce!

 

[Paradox]

Yea either way you'll learn something.

Just be careful of the information you are following.

There is tons of good and bad info on the internet and it's often hard to tell which is from reputable sources backed by knowledgeable and experienced people

 

[Backwardsvg]

Yea either way you'll learn something.

Just be careful of the information you are following.

There is tons of good and bad info on the internet and it's often hard to tell which is from reputable sources backed by knowledgeable and experienced people

The internet is a beautiful thing… sometimes haha. But correct in the end it’s learning and there’s nothing better than that!