Just planning spring...couple questions

[Deci22]

Springtime...so I am planning what to do and just wanted to ask a couple questions/advice, these are all pre-bonsai. I'm not 100% on terms used ( newblet status ), so when i am saying up potted i mean moving to another growing container up, not putting into a Bonsai pot. If there is a better term, let me know, LOL.

Acer Rubrum-needs to be up-potted into a larger growing container, I also need to air layer. Both seem to be of equal importance. The air layer needs to be done because its only got about 3 inches to the top of my patio ( I dont have a yard ) and also the top 12-18 inches would look very cool as a bonsai. The up potting because it is becoming root bound and in nursery soil...can i do both in one season? and if so, what order?

Acer Palmatum- This is actually going to be a gift for someone in a more appropriate hardiness zone, 7a. If I can manage to keep it alive for a little bit. The plan was to get it a little bit bulkier/bushier, clean it up a bit, put it in a bonsai pot and ship. I'm also going to up-pot this guy (cruddy soil) but am curious about using things like pro-tekt or an anti transpirant to help it cope down here, does anyone have any experience with using either of those?

 

[Wires_Guy_wires]

The up potting because it is becoming root bound and in nursery soil...

I bet it isn't.
Being root bound means that growth up top stalls as well. Did it? It also means that there is absolutely no room in the pot left for roots to grow. And there is, trust me. Just because you see roots on the outside of the soil near the pot wall, doesn't mean it's rootbound. I opened a thread on the matter recently, where I stated that I think it's fine (in my opinion) to do a repot because 'you want to', but we shouldn't say root bound when we mean there's just a healthy root system present. Pot bound means there's an action required. Pot full of roots means it's a healthy plant that can probably live happily for a decade before being rootbound becomes an issue. I mean to say this with the best intentions, not as a critique. I believe it helps if we all know the "what is" and "what isn't".

You can do the repot first, if it grows happily, you can do the air layer. But make sure the plant is secured in the pot. A fresh repotted tree can be unstable and the weight of an air layer can make it topple over.

I wouldn't ship repotted trees in a bonsai pot. Too much of the coarse soil will shift and move and be tossed around. I think it's better to ship it in the soil it's in.

 

[Deci22]

I bet it isn't.
Being root bound means that growth up top stalls as well. Did it? It also means that there is absolutely no room in the pot left for roots to grow. And there is, trust me. Just because you see roots on the outside of the soil near the pot wall, doesn't mean it's rootbound. I opened a thread on the matter recently, where I stated that I think it's fine (in my opinion) to do a repot because 'you want to', but we shouldn't say root bound when we mean there's just a healthy root system present. Pot bound means there's an action required. Pot full of roots means it's a healthy plant that can probably live happily for a decade before being rootbound becomes an issue. I mean to say this with the best intentions, not as a critique. I believe it helps if we all know the "what is" and "what isn't".

You can do the repot first, if it grows happily, you can do the air layer. But make sure the plant is secured in the pot. A fresh repotted tree can be unstable and the weight of an air layer can make it topple over.

I wouldn't ship repotted trees in a bonsai pot. Too much of the coarse soil will shift and move and be tossed around. I think it's better to ship it in the soil it's in.

Gotcha! think thats exactly what I'm seeing then also in my JM pot there is some copper color stuff growing in it, kinda pretty in the sunlight, lol are these roots or some random coppery colored plant?? its hard to get the camera to do it justice but its like the color of brand new copper penny in the sunlight

 

[Gabler]

Gotcha! think thats exactly what I'm seeing then also in my JM pot there is some copper color stuff growing in it, kinda pretty in the sunlight, lol are these roots or some random coppery colored plant??

Are you talking about the fruiting body of the moss? Moss grows little stalks to distribute spores in the wind. That appears to be what you’re talking sbout.

 

[Deci22]

Are you talking about the fruiting body of the moss? Moss grows little stalks to distribute spores in the wind. That appears to be what you’re talking sbout.

must be...so adorable, lol. Thanks!

 

[Wires_Guy_wires]

Those stalks have a cool feature that they twist up when dry. If you wetten them again, they start spinning very slowly.

I don't see any roots in the surface soil, so it's probably just a healthy root system and not particularly root bound.

 

[Shibui]

Most Acer species are very tolerant of root pruning. I can root prune Japanese maple and then layer later in the same season no problem. I'd expect A. rubrum to be just as forgiving.

Up-potting is a valuable technique but often misunderstood. There can be drawbacks. Up-potting but leaving crap soil in the original root ball can cause problems. Water does not move easily from one soil type to another leading to original soil staying either wetter or drier than surrounding new soil with obvious consequences.
Sometimes even roots have difficulty growing from one soil type to another different soil. Some cases where few or no roots grew out into the new soil.
Proper repotting is NOT usually too stressful for most plants. In most cases trees actually grow better and faster in the season AFTER root work and new soil. I would urge you to consider proper repot rather than simple up-potting.

Anti-transpirants can be useful when transplanting active growing plants with leaves but dormant deciduous trees do not need any because they are not actively transpiring. Most trees will cope with repotting during the dormant season without any need for anti-transpirants.

 

[Gabler]

I'd expect A. rubrum to be just as forgiving.

I can prune all of the roots off a healthy A. rubrum, all the way back to the root collar, and chop the trunk at the same time, and after two years, the new roots are pushing the tree out of the pot. I’m not saying I recommend such a drastic cutback, but you certainly don’t need to worry about a little root disturbance.