Chopstick vs Root hook for repotting

Re: Damage. When you see someone hacking away at the roots, it's most likely that they know that's the part being pruned away anyway. You WILL damage roots no matter what you do. You can lessen the damage with careful application of power where you need it. I use a homemade brass root rake with a highly polished, slightly rounded point. It can "hack" out stubborn roots or be used more carefully to comb out individual, tiny feeder roots.
 
Well, I use the screwdriver for screws................. :rolleyes: :)

These are great........
Great… thanks for being so…. helpful….


Root hook to tease out roots and remove old soil. Chopstick to work in new soil.
yeah, maybe I wasn’t specific enough in my question. I have seen people use root hooks to tease out roots and remove old soil. I have also seen folks like those at Mirai only use chopsticks to tease out roots.

The hooks seem to be aggressive to me and I would think they would risk being a one step forward, five steps back type of approach.

so I guess I am asking if others here use root hooks to tease out roots and remove soil with great success or if they take the more gentle approach of using a chopstick (or other “rounded wooden tool” since the word “chopstick” seems to trigger some people)
 
If you have nice soft fresh soil sometimes a chopstick stuck down in and wiggled around will loosen soil up enough to let the hands dobthe rest of the work. Other times you need a damn saw. We're manipulating nature, and oftentimes nature has its way whether we like it or not 👍
I love your TM quote. We probably have much in common.
 
When you see someone hacking away at the roots, it's most likely that they know that's the part being pruned away anyway. You WILL damage roots no matter what you do. You can lessen the damage with careful application of power where you need it.
I like this^

Good thread to remind us to be mindful of our preciouses < didn't think that was a word but spell check does.
I've found nothing in my tools cleans old soil out from the underside of the crown better than a root hook.
It's very efficient, and honestly I use the hook way more untangling juniper roots than a chopstick.
I'm more aggressive with roots from a nursery can, especially when I'm removing 60-70% and will be using the root sheers
on most of the damaged roots, then I ease up as I get closer to the crown.
 
I use both: a sharpened chopstick to carefully clear away surface soil and reveal the nebari, root hook to break up the mat of circling roots around the outside of the rootball and the mat at the bottom of the rootball, chopstick again to separate tangled roots once I’m getting inward to the roots that I intend to keep, and chopstick in the right hand simultaneously with pointer finger of the left after adding the new substrate to push it into any remaining air voids. I buy bamboo chopsticks because the cheap disposable kind you get at most restaurants won’t hold a point for long. I use my concave cutters at an angle to cut the chopstick to make it pointed. The rationale for making the chopstick pointy is that a pointed chopstick tends to glide in between the roots and actually causes less damage than a blunt chopstick. I also use a rubber mallet to tap the sides of the pot after adding the new substrate to help settle it in a fill air pockets (something I saw a Japanese master doing in a YouTube video - Kimura, if I remember correctly).
 
Re: Damage. When you see someone hacking away at the roots, it's most likely that they know that's the part being pruned away anyway. You WILL damage roots no matter what you do. You can lessen the damage with careful application of power where you need it. I use a homemade brass root rake with a highly polished, slightly rounded point. It can "hack" out stubborn roots or be used more carefully to comb out individual, tiny feeder roots.
I think this may be the real answer I am looking for that it’s going unstated in the videos I’m watching
 
I use both: a sharpened chopstick to carefully clear away surface soil and reveal the nebari, root hook to break up the mat of circling roots around the outside of the rootball and the mat at the bottom of the rootball, chopstick again to separate tangled roots once I’m getting inward to the roots that I intend to keep, and chopstick in the right hand simultaneously with pointer finger of the left after adding the new substrate to push it into any remaining air voids. I buy bamboo chopsticks because the cheap disposable kind you get at most restaurants won’t hold a point for long. I use my concave cutters at an angle to cut the chopstick to make it pointed. The rationale for making the chopstick pointy is that a pointed chopstick tends to glide in between the roots and actually causes less damage than a blunt chopstick. I also use a rubber mallet to tap the sides of the pot after adding the new substrate to help settle it in a fill air pockets (something I saw a Japanese master doing in a YouTube video - Kimura, if I remember correctly).
This is great and so helpful. Thank you for the thorough explanation of technique. Being all by my lonesome, I spend a lot of time reading and rewatching videos to pick up techniques, and there are many things that are difficult to gain a good understanding of when that is my primary means for learning.
 
I is both chopstick and a root hook. The other tool is a fork with a 50 to 60 degree bend half way up the tines
 
Thought that was a sweet potato at first glance 😆
At first glance, the handle looks like one of those lucky rabbit’s foot key chains that used to be sold a 5 and dime stores.
 
The hooks seem to be aggressive to me and I would think they would risk being a one step forward, five steps back type of approach.
This seems to pre-suppose that root removal is damaging. I've found the opposite to be true. Most of my trees grow faster and stronger in the year following root pruning which seems to indicate that root removal is not the big issue that some seem to believe.

I use a single time root hook exclusively. Definitely the best tool for the job IMHO

I don't comb out the mat of roots at the bottom. They are only going to be cut off after combing so why bother? Just cut through the root ball to remove that mat.
Same for roots circling the pot. All will eventually be cut so no point combing out. Just use shears to cut round.
That should leave radiating roots and it is easy to rake out remaining soil if required then final root trim before repotting.
 
This seems to pre-suppose that root removal is damaging. I've found the opposite to be true. Most of my trees grow faster and stronger in the year following root pruning which seems to indicate that root removal is not the big issue that some seem to believe.

I use a single time root hook exclusively. Definitely the best tool for the job IMHO

I don't comb out the mat of roots at the bottom. They are only going to be cut off after combing so why bother? Just cut through the root ball to remove that mat.
Same for roots circling the pot. All will eventually be cut so no point combing out. Just use shears to cut round.
That should leave radiating roots and it is easy to rake out remaining soil if required then final root trim before repotting.
Yes, I am definitely proposing that there is such a thing as “too much” root work that could damage the health of the plant, and specifically damage done to parts of the root ball that will be left after the repot.

it is my understanding that even sections of the roots you leave behind should be combed out to removed compacted soil in order to reduce water retention, provide better circulation, and thereby encourage a more healthy root system.

I really like the suggestion to simply cut away portions that will be eventually cut away anyway. Though I don’t have any shears large enough for this at this time…
 
Yes, I am definitely proposing that there is such a thing as “too much” root work that could damage the health of the plant, and specifically damage done to parts of the root ball that will be left after the repot.

it is my understanding that even sections of the roots you leave behind should be combed out to removed compacted soil in order to reduce water retention, provide better circulation, and thereby encourage a more healthy root system.

I really like the suggestion to simply cut away portions that will be eventually cut away anyway. Though I don’t have any shears large enough for this at this time…
For the portion that will be cut away, I am liable to use anything from a sawzall to a big ole cleaver I have. For the portion that I want to keep the fine feeder root, I am much more gentle. I often just use bamboo chopsticks for that. Heaven knows I have plenty of those things.
 
I also use saws, root hooks, fingers, chopsticks, etc. Whatever works. IMO the folks are Mirai tend to be a little "precious" with some things. Using chopsticks to clear bulk soil from a nebari is a needless waste of time. Sure use chopsticks for more detailed removal, like in or close to the nebari where a root hook can damage surface roots, etc. Nothing, however, beats a root saw in removing the bottom of a compacted root mass.

As for damaging roots being a bad thing, well, that's kind of a silly thing to say if you do bonsai. Pruning roots results in new, more productive younger roots to replace them. The longer and thicker the root, the less efficient it is in serving the tree. Old trees can die because their roots and top have grown so much, they're physically incapable of transporting nutrients. With bonsai, that process is interrupted, with more efficient roots and top growth.
 
yeah, maybe I wasn’t specific enough in my question. I have seen people use root hooks to tease out roots and remove old soil. I have also seen folks like those at Mirai only use chopsticks to tease out roots.

The hooks seem to be aggressive to me and I would think they would risk being a one step forward, five steps back type of approach.

so I guess I am asking if others here use root hooks to tease out roots and remove soil with great success or if they take the more gentle approach of using a chopstick (or other “rounded wooden tool” since the word “chopstick” seems to trigger some people)
Ryan's approach of using a chopstick is centered around a few things. First the chopstick is typically sharper and has a hard edge and a soft edge (bamboo outside vs inside). He mentions that a sharp edge will create a cleaner cut for better healing. I'm no botanist, but the idea makes sense to me. Hitting something with a dull point will "bruise" the root compared to a clean stab or cut which would heal better. He also mentions that you aren't inserting it an pulling, but it is a much more loose scraping of the outside layer of soil. Another things is that when he detests the root hook/rake, he is aiming at the insertion and pulling/yanking of roots to pull them free (which you can do less effectively with a chopstick, and I'm assuming he is generally talking about more refined trees. This rips the roots and does not provide an environment of healing to recover quickly.

He also lauds the chopstick as a more effective way to insert soil as opposed to a metal chopstick or other tool without a slanted angle at the tip. This allows it to function in a way that actually pushed soil into the pot rather than create holes.

All that said, I think there is a time for younger, vigorous, root bound nursery stock to be met with a root rake to save you tons of time and work. If you've ever used a chopstick on a severely root bound nursery stock plant you'll see what I mean. Two different tools for different purposes. I don't tease out the root from my collected yamadori with a root rake before potting them into pumice, but I also don't reduce the root ball of a 24" box olive tree with a chopstick (probably a sawsall or chainsaw tbh)
 
Ryan's approach of using a chopstick is centered around a few things. First the chopstick is typically sharper and has a hard edge and a soft edge (bamboo outside vs inside). He mentions that a sharp edge will create a cleaner cut for better healing. I'm no botanist, but the idea makes sense to me. Hitting something with a dull point will "bruise" the root compared to a clean stab or cut which would heal better. He also mentions that you aren't inserting it an pulling, but it is a much more loose scraping of the outside layer of soil. Another things is that when he detests the root hook/rake, he is aiming at the insertion and pulling/yanking of roots to pull them free (which you can do less effectively with a chopstick, and I'm assuming he is generally talking about more refined trees. This rips the roots and does not provide an environment of healing to recover quickly.

He also lauds the chopstick as a more effective way to insert soil as opposed to a metal chopstick or other tool without a slanted angle at the tip. This allows it to function in a way that actually pushed soil into the pot rather than create holes.

All that said, I think there is a time for younger, vigorous, root bound nursery stock to be met with a root rake to save you tons of time and work. If you've ever used a chopstick on a severely root bound nursery stock plant you'll see what I mean. Two different tools for different purposes. I don't tease out the root from my collected yamadori with a root rake before potting them into pumice, but I also don't reduce the root ball of a 24" box olive tree with a chopstick (probably a sawsall or chainsaw tbh)
Yeah, like I said, Mirai tends to be precious. 😁

If you have three hours to devote to shifting between the "soft" and "hard" side of a chopstick when you're repotting, you probably don't have a real job...or kids, or a dog...This is great, but if you've been doing this a while, you already know not to rip and pull with any instrument you're using.
 
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