Hm.. Drainage holes??

leatherback

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1 growing season..
I am sure it is my substrate that chases the roots out ;)
 

Shibui

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Roots will always escape if you give them the chance. I don't think it matters what mix you use.
Roots escaping will increase growth and trunk thickening which may be good.
Roots escaping will reduce the need for water and damage from lack of water.
A larger pot is not necessary if the tree is desired size and development. Just keep it on a bench so roots will not grow into the air.
 

Tieball

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Ready for some root pruning....a shave across the pot bottom should do just fine.
Nice warm yellow Bonsai pot too......I like that one.
 

leatherback

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Haha, Thx @Shibui and @Tieball
This is not a fully serious thread in this sense. These are seedlings from Korean mountain maples, now 2 seasons old that I put together last year. The aim is to create a clump of 2feet tall; So lots of growing to be done. I on purpose put the pot on top of a large container (Infact, on top of one of my other bonsai growing out in a box).

I have trimmed the roots back to a circle of 2 inch diameter and repotted, to do the same this year again. I know this reduces the development speed, but I am going slow on this one. It will become a very light elegant airy tree with slender lines, which is fine by me. Growing an inch or 2 per year (So trimming back annually). Just to see what the result is in time. And when I am fed up in 5 years, I will chuck it in the garden for further trunkdevelopment, probably. :)
 

Tieball

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Haha, Thx @Shibui and @Tieball
This is not a fully serious thread in this sense. These are seedlings from Korean mountain maples, now 2 seasons old that I put together last year. The aim is to create a clump of 2feet tall; So lots of growing to be done. I on purpose put the pot on top of a large container (Infact, on top of one of my other bonsai growing out in a box).

I have trimmed the roots back to a circle of 2 inch diameter and repotted, to do the same this year again. I know this reduces the development speed, but I am going slow on this one. It will become a very light elegant airy tree with slender lines, which is fine by me. Growing an inch or 2 per year (So trimming back annually). Just to see what the result is in time. And when I am fed up in 5 years, I will chuck it in the garden for further trunkdevelopment, probably. :)
Mighty fine! I like your plan of action. You’re approaching this clump really well....and enjoying the journey. Someday, I hope to see the bigger picture of what the clump looks like. Really nice roots in the meantime.
 

leatherback

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Someday, I hope to see the bigger picture of what the clump looks like. Really nice roots in the meantime.
hehe,

The clum now looks less like what you see in the picture. Trimmed it pretty much to within the frame of the picture.
 

Shibui

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I have trimmed the roots back to a circle of 2 inch diameter and repotted, to do the same this year again. I know this reduces the development speed, but I am going slow on this one. It will become a very light elegant airy tree with slender lines, which is fine by me. Growing an inch or 2 per year (So trimming back annually).
I've also moved to similar development methods after getting fed up with coarse trunks with large scars. Particularly suited to Japanese maples which look vastly better with unmarked trunks and elegant lines and also smaller sized bonsai.
 

Adair M

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I get the grow it slow to prevent large scars approach.

But why encourage downward roots?

Japanese maples are characterized by their surface roots. Radial roots. Even if you’re not going for a plate style nebari, you want roots going out, not down.

A wide, shallow grow box is much more beneficial to your stated goals than the approach you’re taking.

You would do even better by affixing that clump to a board.

And, for Smoke’s delicate disposition, I’ll just say that’s my opinion, take it or leave it.
 

Tieball

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I get the grow it slow to prevent large scars approach.

But why encourage downward roots?

Japanese maples are characterized by their surface roots. Radial roots. Even if you’re not going for a plate style nebari, you want roots going out, not down.

A wide, shallow grow box is much more beneficial to your stated goals than the approach you’re taking.

You would do even better by affixing that clump to a board.

And, for Smoke’s delicate disposition, I’ll just say that’s my opinion, take it or leave it.
@Adair M Good point! That wide, yet shallow, growing environment would be especially beneficial to the root spread, thickening and appearance as the trees grows to the desired size. I forget about that myself quite often.
 

leatherback

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But why encourage downward roots?
Hi Adair, good point, thank you.

Interestingly.. When I repotted I did not so much see downwards roots, as I saw the surface roots reaching the pot, circling and diving our through the drainage hole. There were no clear roots shooting down straight fro the trunk. Going to keep this in mind.

My idea was to just use slightly larger pots every one or two years. The escaping roots really was because I placed it on a lage growbox, that has another tree in it. Going to keep my eyes on it and see what happens.
 

Mike Corazzi

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Hi Adair, good point, thank you.

The escaping roots really was because I placed it on a lage growbox, that has another tree in it. Going to keep my eyes on it and see what happens.

Then it was a .... SETUP.... ;)
If you were a cop, that could lead to entrapment. :oops:
 
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