Turkey oak root work

[szelelaci]

I picked up a turkey oak from a nursery this year. I felt in love with it because the trunk hase nice taper, and gentle movement too. I am about to reduce the root ball and trunk chop it next spring, and want to change the soil. I am a bit clueless how to do it, because the current soil is a big chunk of clay, very solid. I removed some of it, to see how the surface roots look like, and I couldn't carry it out withouth damaging the fine roots.
What would you suggest? Change the soil partially this spring, only a third of it for example, and repeat it the following seasons with the rest, or try to be gentle as possible and do it in one go?

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

gentle stream of water can wash all the clay out without tearing up roots.

I'd probably do it all in one go.

Spring just before buds open, is the ''thought of as best season'' or normal repotting time generally accepted for most species.

A few weeks after summer solstice is when I have done root work on my bur oak seedlings with good results. This is now the time that many repot their Mugo pines, I've also repotted Jack pines and Japanese black pines at this time.

There is a widely accepted as ''second best'' season for repotting that begins middle of August and runs through autumn. This is when Chaenomeles and Diospyros are recommended to be repotted. Other species can be repotted at this time.

Your climate will play a role in when to repot. If you have brutally hot and dry summers, repotting in autumn after weather has cooled down might be needed to give tree time to recover before the next brutal summer. If your winters are brutal, your only choice might be spring because the tree will need time to recover before the next brutal winter.

So think about how your climate affects your tree and decide which season is the best time to repot.