Repotting

[bwaynef]

I've recently started to approach bonsai more seriously, ...actually seeking (regular) instruction. Recently, after learning how to repot in person (instead of just watching videos/DVDs, reading about it, and looking at pictures), I decided I'd try to capture every step of the process. What follows is my understanding of what I was taught. I (obviously?) think I understand, but I may've missed something (or the reasoning for it). That said, if you're interested in reading the ravings of a repotting junkie, continue.

Cut wire holding tree in pot
-keep left hand on pot AND rootball as you tilt the pot (If you're a lefty, figure out which hand to use.)
-cut wire from middle before straightening the wire to go easily thru the drainhole
--this includes all wires holding drainage screen as well
-cut wires near the hole so the rootball will sit flat ...and so it doesn't scrape the pot.

Sickle 2 short sides & one long (rect/oval) or 2/3 of round
-Don't dig
-Short quick strokes
-Get all the way to bottom of pot
-Angle down into rootball slightly, away from pot
-Turn the blade so that it's away from the pot
--bad for patina and dulls blade quickly
-Clear soil away as its brought up from inside the pot.

Once sickled, lift out of pot
-Keep one hand on pot
-Push up on a solid part of the tree
--Deadwood or an upper branch
-Keep hands off bark
-Support rootball while lifting if it flexes

Before doing any rootwork, prepare the pot
-If reusing pot, rinse & scrub
-Work from left to right
-Z clips for drainage holes
-U clips for wiring holes
-Screens 2-3 holes wider in all directions
-The apex of any arch in screen should point up so that as they're pressed down, the edges go down and not up (Upside-down U)
-Always use 2 wires (Further/more clearly, allow for two tie-downs minimum.)
-To estimate length of tie-in wires,
--Oval/Rectangle: 2 long, 1 short side of the pot
--Round: One complete circuit inside pot
-Oval/Rect: uneven wire lengths for tie-ins (left long, right short)
-Insert tie-in wire on left side, stretch it across bottom, up side, then lock in place by bending it over rim of pot and back up.
-Slide finger along wire on bottom to the other hole, before stretching it across and locking it in position

 

[bwaynef]

Im having issues finishing this post. More to come.

 

[bwaynef]

Rootwork:
-Find the nebari.
--Use bent-nose tweezers and root hook to remove soil from the surface until you find the nebari around the trunk.
--Not necessary for established trees.
-Hold rootball perpendicular to work surface, then with 3-prong rake, rake along bottom of the rootball. Work to scratch loose bottom layer of roots and free up just the bottom layer of the soil
-Use (angled!) scissors to trim back bottom of roots. These should be VERY short.
-Here is where you make the changes to the rootball for angle changes.
-On deciduous, trim from bottom all the way up to the trunk in the area directly under the trunk.
--Over time on a well-developed rootball, this process creates a concavity to allow the nebari to form a mound.
-After raking and trimming, the rootball should sit flat on a surface and ideally is self-supporting in the angle intended.
-Regular repot: (Conifers and established trees)
--Remove soil from outer 3/4 - 1" of rootball
--Eliminate any crossing roots
--Address any poor angled roots (remove or reposition)
--Scissors to clean up ends of roots to promote regrowth
-Bareroot: (Deciduous)
--Remove all soil using roothook first, then bent-nose tweezers
--Reposition or remove crossing roots
--Remove roots growing up or at poor angle
--Trim top of rootball so that it slopes slightly downward
-Half Bareroot:
--Used when changing the make-up of soil
--Determine weakest portion of the tree to bareroot
---If uniform vigor, bareroot front of rootball (unless you did it last time. In that case, bareroot the back you idiot)
--Use roothook to (gently) break open rootball
--Use bent-nose tweezers to remove poor soil on this half
--Make sure you get all the poor soil on this half out of rootball
--Rinse & check again until satisfied
--Other half as regular, above.

Potting up:
-Drainage layer (larger pumice) in proportion to depth of pot.
--For very shallow, just concentrate on areas around drain holes
-If depth allows, add coarser mix on top of drainage layer
-Add soil, leaving a cone under where center of rootball will be
--Round/Square, in the center
--Oval/Rect, offset
-Place rootball on mound. For smaller pots, brace pot with palm/wrists. For larger, have assistant hold the pot. Twist the rootball so that the mound removes any air pockets under rootball as the mound flattens.
-Check position
--Check that the nebari is *just* visible when viewing the pot from dead-level (front and back rims in the same plane)
--Check the trunk is offset as it should be (if it should be).
--Check the trunk is situated in middle of the pot (when viewed from the side)
--Check that the trunk leans slightly (or more?) forward.
-When satisfied with positioning, tie the rootball in.
--HBR needs soil added to bare root side before tying in.

 

[bwaynef]

Securing the tree with 1 hole:
-Create "little man" (think cotter pin w/ large aluminum wire)
-Wrap two pieces of wire around little man such that the ends are even
--This should leave 4 ends to stick thru drainage hole
-Tie on opposite sides of rootball
--Careful with first tie so it doesn't change position of rootball/trunk

2 holes:
-Run two equal length wires (pre-bent inside pot so that they slide in from beneath) ...bent so each end sticks up the same amount.
-Insert at the inner-most edge of the hole to prevent flexing of drainage screen.
-Tie in on opposite sides of rootball
--Careful with first tie as not to reposition trunk

3-holes:
-Pre-bend 2 equal length wires with each end sticking up same amount.
-One hole will have ends of 2 wires inserted
-The other hole will have ends of those wires from previous hole.
-Starting with one wire in the hole with 2 wires, run that wire along the outside of the rootball to the opposite end of that wire.
-Bring opposite end of that wire up and tie in below surface of soil.
-Repeat on other side
-To further secure tree into pot, tie 1 remaining wire from each side across rootball together.

4 holes:
-Wires should be run perpendicular to front edge of pot (oval/rectangular) so that if they were loose and hanging down, they wouldn't be as distracting from the front.
-Insert wires into holes.
-Take first wire (front left corner when viewed from front) and run it along the rootball to 2nd wire and tie below surface of rootball.
-Take wire from 2nd hole and tie to 3rd hole.
-Take wire from 3rd hole and tie to 4th hole.
-If remaining short wire reaches halfway across rootball, cut off longest and create pigtail to tie on to wire from first hole (that's going to 2nd hole).
-Tie 4th hole wire and pigtail together either across surface of rootball (still below soil surface) or use chop stick to secure it out of sight.
--Use fingers to hold both wires as pliers pull the slack out. (You'll notice the circumference of the wire around rootball tightens with each pull)
--Twist the wire in.
--Pull again.
--Then twist again. (Don't pull and twist at same time.)
--Repeat as necessary, making sure BOTH wires are twisting, and one isn't twisting around the other.

***Before you finish securing the tree, make sure you nailed the angle and placement***

 

[bwaynef]

Having another issue. Be back in a minute to finish up.

 

[bwaynef]

Test.

 

[bwaynef]

Oops! We ran into some problems. Please try again later. More error details may be in the browser console. <-- That's the message I keep getting.

 

[Tieball]

I’m reminded of project management steps. Every step is identified in a specific order and assigned to a person....in this case...you. I liked project management....it creates organization and proper order of steps toward completion. I still practice project management today...I think it’s built into my brain's operating system now.

You might need to go right back to the beginning and indicate the preparation steps....tools, new pot (if needed), substrate mix, wire needed, water, hoses and so on....before actually beginning to take the tree out of the pot. Nice!....of me....adding more work for you.

So....I get what you’ve outlined. I’m exhausted after all the steps you did to repot....time for a nap.

 

[bwaynef]

After tree is SECURED in pot, add soil around outside.
-Chopstick soil around edge of rootball.
-Where rootball isn't, no need to chopstick.
-Don't have to chopstick all the way to the bottom of the pot
--Disturbs drainage layer and coarser soil levels.
-Chopsticking soil in doesn't take a lot of time. 1-2x around the rootball is plenty.
-Add soil as needed when pockets are discovered.
-When finished chopsticking, with left palm (for righties) facing away from trunk, push down on nebari with index and thumb and with your right hand in a fist, tap (firmly but gently) with right palm to further settle soil.
-Use broom and magic dustpan to level soil surface.
--Soil surface should be ~1/8" below rim of the pot.
-Once soil is level & flat, tamp soil down, working from trunk to edge of pot.
-Use fingers to press tamp down at edge of pot.
-Use tamp to firm soil by tapping/firming from the pot toward the trunk and back to the edge, stopping to press (gently) with your fingers when you get to the edge of the pot.
-Go all the way around pot tamping it down and using fingers on tamp at the edges.

After soil is added and tamped, water tree until water runs clean.
-Turn spray on facing away from tree.
-Use gentle spray
-Keep spray moving around soil.
-Spray down the pot as well to remove any dust.
-If not windy, add THIN layer of sieved sphagnum moss to soil surface to reduce transpiration
--Shohin and wet-loving trees, cover soil surface with thin layer of moss.
--Everything else, only cover surface above rootball with thin layer of moss.
-Wet it down.
-(If windy, wet moss before adding to tree.)

 

[bwaynef]

I’m reminded of project management steps. Every step is identified in a specific order and assigned to a person....in this case...you. I liked project management....it creates organization and proper order of steps toward completion. I still practice project management today...I think it’s built into my brain's operating system now.

So I guess this is proof that project managers are unnecessary. I'm very much NOT a project manager, but did a pretty good job of it.

You might need to go right back to the beginning and indicate the preparation steps....tools, new pot (if needed), substrate mix, wire needed, water, hoses and so on....before actually beginning to take the tree out of the pot. Nice!....of me....adding more work for you.

Much like my response to the project management office here, I'll tell you that you can take what's there.

So....I get what you’ve outlined. I’m exhausted after all the steps you did to repot....time for a nap.

There are a lot of steps in most of the parts of bonsai we do. I just bothered to write as many of them down as I could remember.

 

[Tieball]

Much like my response to the project management office here, I'll tell you that you can take what's there.

I always squeezed for a bit more....and added steps. Details...PMs like details....and the ever popular accountability from those responsible to complete tasks.

 

[Adair M]

Wayne, you should work the bottom of the rootballs, get it flat, BEFORE working the tops and sides with bent tip tweezers.

 

[M. Frary]

There are a lot of steps in most of the parts of bonsai we do. I just bothered to write as many of them down as I could remember.

You did a pretty great job Wayne.
A great job.
I did one of these step by step things on air layering before.
You will never satisfy everyone.

 

[bwaynef]

I always squeezed for a bit more....and added steps. Details...PMs like details....and the ever popular accountability from those responsible to complete tasks.

I’m sure you’re a great guy, but you’re why people don’t like project managers.

 

[bwaynef]

Wayne, you should work the bottom of the rootballs, get it flat, BEFORE working the tops and sides with bent tip tweezers.

The only use of root hook or bent tip tweezers that I mentioned before working the bottom was for finding the nebari. I go on to say that for an established bonsai, this step isn’t necessary. Think tree coming out of a nursery container. You have to know where the nebari is before you can know how much you can safely remove from the bottom.

Respectfully, this step involves a class of tree you don’t generally work on.

 

[Adair M]

The only use of root hook or bent tip tweezers that I mentioned before working the bottom was for finding the nebari. I go on to say that for an established bonsai, this step isn’t necessary. Think tree coming out of a nursery container. You have to know where the nebari is before you can know how much you can safely remove from the bottom.

Respectfully, this step involves a class of tree you don’t generally work on.

Ok. For a first time potting, it’s coming out of a black plastic nursery can, and wouldn’t be wired in, either. Therefore, I was reading this as a “repotting”.

And, I have taken hundreds of trees thru the process of their first potting. And teach classes on how to do it!

 

[bwaynef]

Ok. For a first time potting, it’s coming out of a black plastic nursery can, and wouldn’t be wired in, either. Therefore, I was reading this as a “repotting”.

And, I have taken hundreds of trees thru the process of their first potting. And teach classes on how to do it!

Again, I meant no disrespect with that comment. I was just trying to make the point as to what kind of tree this applies. I'm sure you've done it a ton. Its just not generally what (I've seen) you focus on.

 

[Adair M]

That’s because I don’t have to, anymore! Lol!!!

It should be noted that potting (or repotting) trees that are early in their development as bonsai is FAR more difficult than potting established trees.

 

[bwaynef]

I took the day off to start repotting (in earnest anyway) and just read back through this only-useful-to-me-it-seems post on repotting but it jogged a few things in my memory so it was worth the time. Repotting season's my favorite ...and I'm about to get started.

(Its cold out right now though, so I may've been using this as an excuse to put off going out in the cold. 46ºF right now, but warming (quickly) to 70ºF today!)