Hello! Advice for my first repotting?

[Emmaface]

Hello! I'm completely new to bonsai, my husband gave me this cute little juniper for our first anniversary:




That was almost 2 weeks ago. It's been doing quite well, I've been keeping it outside and watering as well as I can (we've had triple digit heat all week, so it needs water two or three times a day). I've joined a few different forums and I'm trying to learn as much as I possibly can about caring for my little tree properly. I got some advice to slip pot to avoid messing with the roots, since I don't know if it's been repotted recently and I don't want to take the chance of stressing it too much.

I ordered this pot from Brussel's Bonsai and I'm very pleased with it. It's about 8"x6" (just slightly larger than the top of the tree). I didn't expect it to come with the wires and screens ready to go, so I'm very happy that I don't need to go out and find those separately.



I also ordered this soil to fill in the sides, since this new pot is larger than the one my tree is currently in:


So my questions for this are:
1. How wet should the soil be when I try to remove it from the first pot? Should I let it dry out, recently watered, or somewhere in between? Does it matter?
2. How do I wire it down? I've read some descriptions of different methods and it's still not quite clear to me where the wires should go.

Thanks in advance for any advice!

 

[lissa]

For question #2 I would search Bonsai Juniper Repotting in YouTube. Seeing someone repot was completely different than the visuals I got form reading lol

Thats just me.

 

[Poink88]

Welcome to B-Nut!

The soil your tree is in seems too fine and "mucky". You will need to eventually replace all that BUT it is not advisable to do with juniper at one go w/o risk.

I'd be honest that I replaced 100% soil on couple of (expensive to me) junipers after hosing off all soils at once. They are both looking healthy still. I am not telling you to do this unless you are ready for the consequences (possible plant death). The safer way is to only replace 1/4 to 1/3 of the soil...replacing the rest over the next few years.

The wire goes over the roots to stabilize the tree from moving. Note that slight tree movement can and will damage new growing roots and may eventually lead to the tree's death.

I am not sure about timing since I am new to junipers. I am sure someone will help you on this.

Good luck!

 

[GrimLore]

I would just put a fine layer of the new stuff on the bottom and put the plant soil and all in. Then fill the sides with the new stuff. No disturbance and you get to use your new pot I would myself do more like Dario but honest I would expect about 50 percent success. Go the safe way.

Grimmy

 

[Poink88]

I would just put a fine layer of the new stuff on the bottom and put the plant soil and all in. Then fill the sides with the new stuff. No disturbance and you get to use your new pot

Grimmy

Problem with this is that water may run through the sides and out the bottom (the new soil there being free draining) without really wetting the core and core may dry out totally in time killing the tree in the process.

 

[Dav4]

Junipers are quite tough and can tolerate a fair amount of abuse to their roots out of season (ideally junipers are repotted in the spring before the summer heat kicks on). Having said that, I'd be reluctant to do much root work on a juniper in NM if temps are hitting the 100s F. Hopefully, someone from a similar climate to yours will chime in with some experience driven advice. Slip potting a tree with heavy, water retentive soil into a free draining mix presents its own set of problems, too. It may be best to leave the tree alone for now, continue to water as needed, and do a more thorough repot at a more appropriate time. Good luck with your new bonsai!

 

[Emmaface]

Problem with this is that water may run through the sides and out the bottom (the new soil there being free draining) without really wetting the core and core may dry out totally in time killing the tree in the process.

Hm. I see what you mean. I think the current soil is decently draining, but I've never seen a bonsai in proper soil before, so I don't know what to compare it to. Maybe if I try to loosen it up a bit before putting it in the middle of new soil?

 

[JudyB]

try using a medium to strong water spray to see what comes off the old rootball with that, I find that it can loosen old soil without damaging too many roots if you do it with water. I would soak the entire thing first for a bit to get it good and damp, and then try a water jet from your hose to see what you can loosen.

Welcome to the forum and the hobby.

 

[Emmaface]

try using a medium to strong water spray to see what comes off the old rootball with that, I find that it can loosen old soil without damaging too many roots if you do it with water. I would soak the entire thing first for a bit to get it good and damp, and then try a water jet from your hose to see what you can loosen.

Welcome to the forum and the hobby.

That sounds like a great idea! Thanks!

 

[Dav4]

I'm still not clear on why you are wanting to repot the Juniper now. Repotting a bonsai is necessary when tree is root bound and/ or water is not freely flowing through the soil. I've been doing this for going on two decades and I would be very reluctant to repot anything with temperatures as hot as yours are right now. Waiting for a more appropriate time of year to do a repot make sense to me particularly since you are new to the hobby.

 

[RKatzin]

Hi Emma! Yeah, we get around. Always good to see all your cards before you call the hand LOL. Based on our previous conversations I would go with Daves advice and play it safe.

As I stated before, you do not know when this tree was potted last and to do it again with root work is very risky, especially in your location. Your not going to get any mercy from the weather where as my weather is very junie friendly and I can do alot and get away with it.

I have never seen the effect that poink describes in slip potting. The roots always grow into the new soil without a problem. I think if you went up too big a jump you might create this situation, but not an inch increase in size. You're just buying some time until you can do a right repotting. Sincerly, Rick

 

[Emmaface]

Hi Emma! Yeah, we get around. Always good to see all your cards before you call the hand LOL. Based on our previous conversations I would go with Daves advice and play it safe.

As I stated before, you do not know when this tree was potted last and to do it again with root work is very risky, especially in your location. Your not going to get any mercy from the weather where as my weather is very junie friendly and I can do alot and get away with it.

I have never seen the effect that poink describes in slip potting. The roots always grow into the new soil without a problem. I think if you went up too big a jump you might create this situation, but not an inch increase in size. You're just buying some time until you can do a right repotting. Sincerly, Rick

Hello again Rick! Yes, I've kept your great tips in mind. There are many different opinions out there, and I like to hear them all! I'm pretty sure I want to go ahead and slip pot now the way you said, without touching the roots.

Two things have just come to my attention though. Just now, I compared the size of the new pot, and now I'm afraid maybe it is too big. The widest inner points of the current pot are 4.5"x3.5". The inside edges of the new pot measure 7"x5.5". That's about an inch on each side, will that be too much space?
On the other hand, should I be concerned about these roots coming out of the top and sides of my current pot? It looks like a couple of them are headed right out over the sides. I hadn't really noticed this before. Does this mean they're getting cramped in there? And if that's the case, then could that be an indicator that it likely hasn't been repotted lately?



Mia wonders why I'm so fascinated with this plant and not petting her.


And once again, to all - thank you for your insights and information! It's always greatly appreciated!

 

[bonsaiBlake]

The new size should be just fine. I think many will agree in getting rid of the humidity tray underneath the pot. They're pretty much pointless for outdoors trees as i've come to understand.

 

[M. Frary]

The new size should be just fine. I think many will agree in getting rid of the humidity tray underneath the pot. They're pretty much pointless for outdoors trees as i've come to understand.

Make decent ashtrays though.

 

[RKatzin]

Hi Emma, that set up should be fine, you want about an inch all around. Those roots should tuck in when you pot it. I can not over emphasize the need to get the tree situated and leave it alone. Tend it, nurture it, enjoy it, until the beginning of next season and then you can begin on schedule with whatever you decide you want to do.

It's very easy to push these little guys to fast, (and we don't know what's been done to it already this season), because they are very slow to react to work. They look like they're doing fine so you double down and go ahead with some more work. Really though the tree has not recovered fully from the first work and doubling up on it starts a downward spiral the tree can not come out of.

The object here is to get the tree set up and comfy in its new home and progressing at a good pace. That's enough for this little guy for this season. The longer you let it run on the quicker and healthier the growth will be. Let it build lots of foliage and bush out. It should do fine in that pot for a few years. They're slow growers and they don't mind tight fits at all. Best of growing, Rick

 

[edprocoat]

Emma, you want to hear opinions so hear is mine. Looking at the pictures of the roots and soil it really looks like it has just recently been taken from a nursery pot and slapped into a rock shaped pot. I say that because the roots look as if they have been worked and just not properly buried in the soil and the soil looks like potting soil. I see plants like this at road side Bonsai vendors a lot.

The only reason I would risk a repot right now would be if I looked beneath the pot and there is no drain hole, otherwise I would water it as needed this summer and repot it early next spring.

ed

 

[Emmaface]

Thank you all for your opinions and comments! I chose to very carefully slip pot. I had a hard time with the wire, and after seeing several videos on the subject, I think it was much thicker than it needed to be, but I tried to be gentle and I think I got it secure enough.

As careful as I was, the old soil was pretty crumbly, and as I removed the tree from the old pot, some large chunks fell from the root ball. I wish I had taken some pictures as I went, but this is the end result.
(The long branch looks more wilted than it did a week ago - I'm afraid it was getting far too dry during the day. I need to ask my husband to help me water while I'm at work, if this new soil doesn't hold a bit more water.)


This is the soil I used from Brussel's. I laid a bit in the bottom of the pot, filled the sides, and laid a bit more on top.



....and then as soon as I was done, I realized I had done it backwards, I wanted this drip side to be the front. Whoops! Maybe next year I'll turn it around.

 

[Narazbad]

It looks great. Congrats on your first transplant! I'm about to do the same myself on a few of my trees.