Questions regarding somethings mentioned at a bonsai workshop I attended

[eugenev2]

If you choose to attend workshops run by people with vested interests in product sales you should expect to get sales talk rather than good advice.

Yea, i didn't know this part until doing the workshop. I've been trying to join a bonsai club/get a mentor as many suggest, so i wanted to get a feel of the type of knowledge they have, suffice to say colour me surprised. From everything i read online they are a bonsai club (unfortunately the nearest one to me) who just happens to product there own fertilizer products.

While I repot larger bonsai every few years depending on root growth I have manged smaller shohin sized bonsai with far fewer losses since switching to annual repotting. In the past I'd lose trees every summer because the small pots were so crowded with roots that there's no room for water. Since switching to annual root pruning for smaller bonsai I can now keep them alive for many years. To some extent it is also related to species so even shohin and mini junipers don't need annual repotting but faster growing tridents, elms, etc do much better.

Possibly a odd or obvious question, but i've seen Eric from bonsaify using a escaped root strategy on his mame sized bonsai which he then trims as needed without needing actual repotting every year. Ever tried something like that?

 

[eugenev2]

Yup, that’s our local bonsai scene for you (South Africa)…

Yea, starting to realize this quickly as well. Majority of the people's information last got updated in the 80s. Fortunately there are a few people attempting to change this, but i guess people tend to stick to what works for them

 

[Shibui]

My smaller bonsai pots sit on gravel trays all summer just to keep them hydrated through very hot, dry summer. Escaped roots are common but that does not stop roots from filling the pots so does not remove the need for annual repotting. It may even make it more imperative as escaped roots can quickly fill and completely block drain holes leaving the pots as sealed pools that retain too much water.

Yea, starting to realize this quickly as well. Majority of the people's information last got updated in the 80s. Fortunately there are a few people attempting to change this, but i guess people tend to stick to what works for them

Common over here too but some teacher's info comes from well before 80s and they're still sticking with what they know.