Diary of a Noob

[MSU JBoots]

Knee deep in repotting I finally managed to get my trees out of winter storage and back on the benches. Thus far outside of the bare root of the maple I’ve repotted 2 junipers utilizing a half bare root method. Tonight I called an audible and went with the top half bare root method I learned from a podcast. The post of mine that got dug up a couple weeks back reminded me of the technique.

I hadn’t planning on utilizing it but the hinoki was horribly root bound with circling roots. Here it was before I put it back in the nursery pot.

I put it back in the nursery can then filled the top with bonsai jack soil and chopsticked it to fill in voids. I likely botched the technique and I’m not sure putting it back in its original nursery can with such a tall water column was wise but it’s likely too late now. Fingers crossed this one survives my ham handed approach this evening. Here’s the final product although it doesn’t show much.

 

[Horsefeathers]

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Apologies for quoting such an old post, but I was curious if you'll have to dig up the tree to remove the raffia or does it just decompose over time? Any updates on this tree?

 

[MSU JBoots]

Apologies for quoting such an old post, but I was curious if you'll have to dig up the tree to remove the raffia or does it just decompose over time? Any updates on this tree?

It’s doing well. Just leafed out over the last few days. I haven’t done anything but fertilize and let it grow since that repot. The raffia should just decompose per my understanding. I have been considering a trunk chop as I want to keep this tree a shohin but perhaps I’ll let it grow another season.

 

[MSU JBoots]

I repotted my large JBP. I was a bit surprised at how root bound it was although I probably shouldn’t have been since it was in such a small pot. It was pretty much full of coarse circling roots with very few fine feeder roots at the bottom. As is my tendency I ended up being a bit more aggressive than I had planned on. I’m really hoping it responds well as it has a lot of promise compared to the rest of my bench. Here are a few pics of the process. This was the start.
Here it was post combing out the roots.

Here it is all said and done. I might add some guy wires just to hold it more secure as though I tightened down the wire in the pot it was still a little wiggly.