repotting timing question

[Les Lonsdale]

I may have read this somewhere before, but can’t remember. Does this make sense?
Since the nutrients (energy) for the spring growth is stored in the roots, would it make sense to repot juvenile trees later, after bud swell (so the nutrients have time to get out of the roots before root pruning) and repot older mature trees earlier, before bud swell (before the roots release too much energy and create too coarse growth)?
Les Lonsdale

 

[sorce]

They say energy is stored locally.

Sorce

 

[Les Lonsdale]

"locally"???

 

[0soyoung]

Trees are not potatoes.

 

[sorce]

"locally"???

The tree needs "special things" from both the roots and the canopy.

But that "energy" is everywhere in the tree.

I put more concern on the moon phase, and keeping the "special things" needs met.

Sorce

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

For most species of trees, the energy is stored through out the branches, twigs, trunk and roots. No one location monopolizes carbohydrate storage (carbohydrates are the energy storage compound).

Timing of repotting is usually chosen to either minimize the length of time the tree will have a damaged root system, before new roots develop. For temperate trees, there is a burst of root growth in spring, as buds push, there is also a burst of root growth in late summer. Ideal repotting is just before a burst of root growth, so that new roots can colonize the potting mix.

Note, in spring, foliage buds will only open the amount that the tree can support. If you severely prune the root system in spring before bud break, the tree will open fewer buds in spring. Only opening the number of buds the reduced root system can support. If you repot after buds have opened in spring, the damaged (pruned) root system will have to try to support all the buds the undisturbed root system had already opened. If the damaged root system can not keep up you may have twig or branch die back. In severe cases the tree can just die. So spring repotting is timed before buds open so that the tree can ration the number of buds to open to match the pruned root system can successfully support. As roots begin growing later after the repot the tree will open more of the dormant buds it did not open initially after the repot. This balancing number of buds to the root system is why spring repotting is preferred for many deciduous trees.

Make sense?

 

[Tieball]

For most species of trees, the energy is stored through out the branches, twigs, trunk and roots. No one location monopolizes carbohydrate storage (carbohydrates are the energy storage compound).

Timing of repotting is usually chosen to either minimize the length of time the tree will have a damaged root system, before new roots develop. For temperate trees, there is a burst of root growth in spring, as buds push, there is also a burst of root growth in late summer. Ideal repotting is just before a burst of root growth, so that new roots can colonize the potting mix.

Note, in spring, foliage buds will only open the amount that the tree can support. If you severely prune the root system in spring before bud break, the tree will open fewer buds in spring. Only opening the number of buds the reduced root system can support. If you repot after buds have opened in spring, the damaged (pruned) root system will have to try to support all the buds the undisturbed root system had already opened. If the damaged root system can not keep up you may have twig or branch die back. In severe cases the tree can just die. So spring repotting is timed before buds open so that the tree can ration the number of buds to open to match the pruned root system can successfully support. As roots begin growing later after the repot the tree will open more of the dormant buds it did not open initially after the repot. This balancing number of buds to the root system is why spring repotting is preferred for many deciduous trees.

Make sense?

Made sense to me. And, this explains why my Hornbeam struggled last year. The damaged, root pruned, root system could not keep up with all the buds that developed before the pruning. The result was tiny leaves and a look of not being healthy. It will bounce back this coming season....I believe it will.

 

[Tieball]

The tree needs "special things" from both the roots and the canopy.

But that "energy" is everywhere in the tree.

I put more concern on the moon phase, and keeping the "special things" needs met.

Sorce

Seems quite a few leaf development “things” are stored locally right in the bud. And I agree with your energy storage....when I time my root pruning I’m timing it to have allowed a lot of “special things needed” to get into the trunk and branches from the roots. The buds seem to need those things to fully awaken and start a new season of growing. Kind of like the buds are thinking....wait for it....wait for it....now!

 

[Les Lonsdale]

For most species of trees, the energy is stored through out the branches, twigs, trunk and roots. No one location monopolizes carbohydrate storage (carbohydrates are the energy storage compound).

Timing of repotting is usually chosen to either minimize the length of time the tree will have a damaged root system, before new roots develop. For temperate trees, there is a burst of root growth in spring, as buds push, there is also a burst of root growth in late summer. Ideal repotting is just before a burst of root growth, so that new roots can colonize the potting mix.

Note, in spring, foliage buds will only open the amount that the tree can support. If you severely prune the root system in spring before bud break, the tree will open fewer buds in spring. Only opening the number of buds the reduced root system can support. If you repot after buds have opened in spring, the damaged (pruned) root system will have to try to support all the buds the undisturbed root system had already opened. If the damaged root system can not keep up you may have twig or branch die back. In severe cases the tree can just die. So spring repotting is timed before buds open so that the tree can ration the number of buds to open to match the pruned root system can successfully support. As roots begin growing later after the repot the tree will open more of the dormant buds it did not open initially after the repot. This balancing number of buds to the root system is why spring repotting is preferred for many deciduous trees.

Make sense?

Yes, this makes a lot of sense!! Thank you!