Picked Up a Japanese Maple, Drowning - Is it too late to repot and prune?

[rodeolthr]

@Firstflush FWIW, and not to start an argument, I do all of my maple repotting in November. I am gone through early spring and most of the trees are already beginning to leaf when I return. The maples are mostly dormant at that time, depending on the weather. Almost all of them receive root pruning and repotting. Many are shifted from growing pots to plastic bonsai pots for spring sales. Typically during a Seattle winter, we can expect about 2-3 weeks of weather where the temps are well below freezing and the pots are frozen solid, as they sit out in the elements all winter. Call it dumb luck or just not knowing any better, but in the 5 years of repotting at this time, I've lost only a handful of trees. I'm not suggesting this for anyone else, but I do know that I spend my winters gardening in Southern California, and I would not hesitate to do a repot at any time, especially after leaf drop.

 

[Firstflush]

The tree appears to be a return to a huge landscape nursery as it was the only 5 gal...like it was dug up and dropped in the container and returned. Everything else was 15 gal to 24” and 36” boxes. IMHO, the tree has been in socal for most of its life. I pulled the drip line to make the purchase.

Here in southern cal we typically have a small potential of a temps approaching frost around 35 degrees f for 1-3 days if at all. Many years there is no potential of frost. About 2 years into bonsai so yes new, but not horticulture.

I took off the pot and took a closer look. There is lots of grit in the media. The moisture you see is from about 4 days ago. Notice a little bit of fresh new white root tips. It is not completely root bound however the ball is compacted.

 

[TomB]

There is zero need to repot that. The centre of the pot is probably not colonised with roots at all. Just watch the watering and drainage until the spring.

 

[BobbyLane]

I agree with Tom. looks like the tree hasnt even been in there that long, 2 or 3 years maybe.

 

[ConorDash]

hmmm i prefer the term 'well established'
beginners say 'root bound' and assume the tree is struggling and in dire need of a repot. root bound gets associated with poor health, but in most cases the trees are doing fine, maybe just a little leggy.

these air pots are jam packed with fine feeder roots and its EXTREMELY difficult to navigate a root hook through this dense ball. it takes me hours to get to the nebari which is located a few inches down. i use a small hand saw, a root hook, a tooth brush and scissors to do this.
but with that said, water soaks and runs through pretty easily and doesnt pool on the surface. but most would assume this is 'root bound' and in dire need...

then a large bow saw is required to slice in half, a new sharp blade is required or you will be on your knees for ages trying to saw through this!

if you then did as everyone tells you to and remove all of the nursery soil, which is dense with feeders, youll be left with literally no root at all. and the tree would take ages to recover. i repot at different times with not much issues because i leave a fair amount of established root balls.

Man... I got one of these to work on over winter, then roots to sort in Spring. Its a very dense and hard, LARGE pot of soil and roots. And water does pool on top, to an extent. I already know its gonna be some major work to sort that out but you've made me feel worse lol.

The tree appears to be a return to a huge landscape nursery as it was the only 5 gal...like it was dug up and dropped in the container and returned. Everything else was 15 gal to 24” and 36” boxes. IMHO, the tree has been in socal for most of its life. I pulled the drip line to make the purchase.

Here in southern cal we typically have a small potential of a temps approaching frost around 35 degrees f for 1-3 days if at all. Many years there is no potential of frost. About 2 years into bonsai so yes new, but not horticulture.

I took off the pot and took a closer look. There is lots of grit in the media. The moisture you see is from about 4 days ago. Notice a little bit of fresh new white root tips. It is not completely root bound however the ball is compacted.

Looking good, just looks like a nice solid and healthy ball of roots.

 

[MrWunderful]

This is a rootbound trident, FYI


Not sure why upside down, but you get the idea. Maybe 1-2 cups of soil removed total.
the roots filled ever inch of the pot, even took the form of the small feet.

 

[TomB]

Nice pot. Can you tell who made this one?

 

[ConorDash]

Nice pot. Can you tell who made this one? View attachment 333524

That looks like Erin, backwards.... ?