Top Half Bare Root Repot

[MSU JBoots]

In this podcast they discuss an individual (Tom Feitzel, spelling?) who presented a new technique for repotting nursery stock. You can hear them describe the technique at 58:30. From my understanding they bare root the top half of the rootball and replace with suitable bonsai soil. They leave the bottom half untouched then remove it the following year. I’m curious if anyone was at this farm to table event and saw the presentation? Also curious if anyone has being doing it? It seems genius and Michael Hagadorn intends to start teaching it. I might have to try it on my Austrian Pine next spring.

 

[BobbyLane]

I did exactly this with a couple of nursery trees in the past couple weeks. no its not uncommon to tease out the top surface of a nursery pot, comb out some roots and replenish the top soil and leave the rest, or slice a little off the bottom too until a later date. I have dealth with many hornbeams like this. nothing new, enthusiasts have been working nursery material like this for years.
id still tread with caution on some conifers though.

 

[MSU JBoots]

How might one suggest going about repotting this Austrian pine next spring? It was quite drastically reduced in foliage last fall when I bought and let grow free so far this year. It’s quite root bound, doesn’t percolate well, and likely has a lot of circling roots.

 

[sorce]

Splitting those half makes more sense than the other side by side halfs.

Dig it.

Sorce

 

[nuttiest]

I wonder if you could dust some sulfur in there to alleviate root rot on bottom

 

[leatherback]

I wonder if you could dust some sulfur in there to alleviate root rot on bottom

Why would you add sulfur to the roots of a pine? You do not like mycchoriza?
Really, odd recommendation.

 

[nuttiest]

It would be to discourage rot where there is a soil change from the top substrate to the bottom. If the top substrate were new pumice, for example, to get fine roots going on top, a dusting of sulfur would help. Why ODD?

 

[leatherback]

It would be to discourage rot where there is a soil change from the top substrate to the bottom. If the top substrate were new pumice, for example, to get fine roots going on top, a dusting of sulfur would help. Why ODD?

Sounds like you have no clue what you are talking about, is all.

 

[nuttiest]

Sounds like you have no clue what you are talking about, is all.

Maybe sometimes you are correct.

 

[HardBall]

Here's a link to the guy's video presentation of the technique.

Tom Fincel, by the way...

 

[pandacular]

This is a technique I've had recommended from several of the very talented BSOP members with whom I have discussed repotting yamadori and field grown trees. The logic of the technique seems very sound, and I will be giving it a shot on my yamadori mountain hemlock. Thanks for the link to the presentation and the podcast.

Since this is somewhat of a necro-bump, I'm curious if anyone has used this technique and seen results in the past few years.

 

[MSU JBoots]

I still have not attempted it but now that you brought it up again perhaps I will try it this spring as I have about 10 trees to repot. Most all of them are coming out of organic soil.

 

[roberthu]

How might one suggest going about repotting this Austrian pine next spring? It was quite drastically reduced in foliage last fall when I bought and let grow free so far this year. It’s quite root bound, doesn’t percolate well, and likely has a lot of circling roots.

Bare-root the out layer this time. Then come back and bare-root the inner half 3-5 years later depending on how strong the tree responds.

 

[Shima]

Soji” is the Japanese word for the technique.

 

[ShadyStump]

I've been trying to plan out how to report a really big spruce coming up shortly here. I think this might be the way to go. The tree has it's own thread already, so I'll be updating there when the time comes.

 

[BonjourBonsai]

Thanks for sharing that. I've got a mugo that has been in a nursery pot that needs to be re potted. I had 3 others just like it. They are older trees. I used @Vance Wood 's method of cutting off the bottom half in late summer but it was too much to fast for them. It worked well for younger nursery mugos though. I will try this technique on the remaining one. I like it because it encourages the tree to grow new roots up top before cutting.

 

[RJG2]

Bare-root the out layer this time. Then come back and bare-root the inner half 3-5 years later depending on how strong the tree responds.

Yes, that's another technique for getting something out of a nursery can.

Soji” is the Japanese word for the technique.

Completely different technique and purpose.

I'd recommend watching the video provided.

 

[Shima]

Completely different technique and purpose.

Yep, commented on the wrong post. It was late.

 

[Paradox]

I have a nursery beech I am going to try this on