Watering after repotting....

Drewski

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I’m looking for some guidance on watering after repotting, as the title says. I’ve repotted a number of trees over the last couple of months, mostly into pond baskets with a pumice mix for some growing. A few went right into bonsai pot. All of them were nursery stock, and coming out of the typical soils you would expect. With some of the bigger ones I’m running into a dilemma. The pumice mix is dry, but the root ball is still damp/wet. These are all conifers (pines and yews), with some original soil left on. Should I be watering based on the condition of the root ball? Or the pumice mix?
 

Paradox

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How much of the roots are left in the old soil, are there roots around the outer edges of the root ball?
 

Drewski

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It will vary, but I tried to get some roots into the new soil. At the worst case, there will be loose roots on the edge of the root ball that will up against the new soil.
 

Wulfskaar

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Everywhere I have seen repotting, they all water afterward. I think it makes sense... the pumice has pores that will hold some water and you want those little roots at the edge of your root ball to start growing and reaching out into the new soil. I think having moisture in the new soil would help more than if it were dry. Also, you don't want the roots at the outer edge of the root ball to dry out.
 

Paradox

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Every time I repot a tree, I always flood the pot with water and I water when the new soil gets dry.
You want roots to grow and seek out water in the new soil. If that is try, they have no reason to go there.
 

Drewski

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Thanks. The feedback here is what was I thinking, but I had received some contradictory info elsewhere. I’m new enough to this hobby that checking with experienced folks is always a good thing.
 
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