Repotting Japanese hemlock

Spdyracer

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i have a Japanese hemlock that I would like to repot. It's had new growth coming out for about two weeks now. Would like to find out when would be a good time to repot it.
 
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Normally as the buds are just starting to open at the end of the branches. However, you missed that. Repot now and see what happens, just don't do a whole bunch of root pruning. Cutting back a couple of long winding around the pot roots should be no problem, just no wholesale cutting off roots.
 

Spdyracer

Shohin
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Normally as the buds are just starting to open at the end of the branches. However, you missed that. Repot now and see what happens, just don't do a whole bunch of root pruning. Cutting back a couple of long winding around the pot roots should be no problem, just no wholesale cutting off roots.
Thought that was for disidous trees? Thought evergreens where different
 

0soyoung

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About August could be good. New foliage will be hardened and roots will recover well before any hard freeze.

Only bare root half the roots if it is not currently in a bonsai substrate. Do the other half next year.
 
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Thought that was for disidous trees? Thought evergreens where different
My experience is with our native hemlock in North Carolina, specifically Canadian Hemlock. I have dug them year round and never had one die, so far. I dug three yamadori yesterday and am going back, rain or no rain, up in the mountains on Tuesday and get a few more of them, for a forest planting next spring. I wouldn't hesitate to repot or dig up a hemlock any month of the year. Just keep in mind they are understory trees and don't set them out in all day sun.
 
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Thought that was for disidous trees? Thought evergreens where different
In addition. In my experience, they don't act like pines or juniper when you handle them. They don't at all mind getting moved from ground to a pot or from pot to pot at all.
 

0soyoung

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In addition. In my experience, they don't act like pines or juniper when you handle them. They don't at all mind getting moved from ground to a pot or from pot to pot at all.
Does this include bare rooting or is it, in effect, slip potting?
My experience is that 100% bare rooting is 100% fatal any time of the year.
 
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I dug up three hemlock in the mountains of Virginia yesterday. Raining. Still raining today. I dug a plug 8-12" in diameter with the tree centered in the plugs. Trunk diameter 1" and 3/4", 18" to 30" tall. Put them in plastic bags and got back home after dark, sill raining. Left them outside in the rain overnight. Around 11:00AM this morning there was a break in the rain. I then picked all the soil and roots from other plants off the trees root systems. I didn't wash them with a hose, just picked away till I had cleared off all the other plant roots and the most of the soil. Trimmed the tap roots back for eventually going into a bonsai pot. Cut all the long roots back to where there was a branch coming off of finer roots. Put all three in training pots with a planting medium with grit, small Permatil and some organic content. Watered them well and it started raining again. It's just after midnight here now and has been raining all day and will continue on Monday and Tuesday. Trees sitting out in the rain just like they would be if they were still up on the mountain. Plan on going back on Tuesday, rain or not, and getting 3-4 more of them. I have no worry at all about them living.
 
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