Conflicting info on repotting juniper?

[Pigskin Pete]

I have a small juniper procumbens in a little pot and I would like to upsize it to allow for trunk growth.

Early spring is what some sources recommend. However, I read an article that stated early fall is better because the tree is focusing on root growth and this will help the repot be more successful. That same article stated that repotting in spring slows foliage growth because the tree is recovering from the repot when it should be bursting new foliage.

I would love to repot this tree today. I'm in zone 7b and we are now seeing nightly Temps suggesting early fall.

Thoughts for a newbie?

 

[Mike Corazzi]

Little pots are for experts.

 

[Sagebrush]

I have a small juniper procumbens in a little pot and I would like to upsize it to allow for trunk growth.

Early spring is what some sources recommend. However, I read an article that stated early fall is better because the tree is focusing on root growth and this will help the repot be more successful. That same article stated that repotting in spring slows foliage growth because the tree is recovering from the repot when it should be bursting new foliage.

I would love to repot this tree today. I'm in zone 7b and we are now seeing nightly Temps suggesting early fall.

Thoughts for a newbie?

I have repotted juniper when necessary in spring due to nursery potting media. Also have recently repotted juniper in fall based on information in "Bonsai Today Masters Series Junipers." Pushed the timeline a bit later than suggested based on my 8b location. Have at least one more to do. All doing well. Verdict is out until spring.

 

[Japonicus]

Regardless of timing, most important to be very healthy going into root work.
Posting a picture may help in the health assessment.
A bit late now I would think. September would've been better.
Post a pic of the whole juniper and lets have a look at the foliage.

As for up potting unfortunately procumbens does not gain much girth in a pot in 20+ yrs.
Better in ground or pond basket or Anderson flat to gain girth.
In ground is easy to let go and lose precious interior growth.

 

[Dav4]

A better repot time might be in about 4-5 months or so as spring comes on and the juniper becomes active.

 

[Pigskin Pete]

Here is the tree, as requested above.

 

[BrightsideB]

I have cut 3/4 roots and most the foliage on small healthy nursery junipers as well as wired at this time of year in 7a and they are growing fine years later. Obviously stunted growth but that was the point in creating small juniper bonsai.

I would focus on trying to create bonsai with your material. Much larger procumbens can be bought at nurseries (not Home Depot) for like $20. This will take years to get to the size of a $20 procumbens. You could have a small developing bonsai by that time with this material. When I started I put small procumbens in larger pots and realized I was spinning my wheels. Better to just put in the ground and forget. Work the roots every other year. But you won’t have a bonsai anytime soon if you focus on growing out small material. Better to get practice with the inexpensive material and do the techniques and motions of creating bonsai. Maybe put some in the ground or large pots for a tree for 5 years later.

 

[Pigskin Pete]

I have cut 3/4 roots and most the foliage on small healthy nursery junipers as well as wired at this time of year in 7a and they are growing fine years later. Obviously stunted growth but that was the point in creating small juniper bonsai.

I would focus on trying to create bonsai with your material. Much larger procumbens can be bought at nurseries (not Home Depot) for like $20. This will take years to get to the size of a $20 procumbens. You could have a small developing bonsai by that time with this material. When I started I put small procumbens in larger pots and realized I was spinning my wheels. Better to just put in the ground and forget. Work the roots every other year. But you won’t have a bonsai anytime soon if you focus on growing out small material. Better to get practice with the inexpensive material and do the techniques and motions of creating bonsai. Maybe put some in the ground or large pots for a tree for 5 years later.

In that case, what would you say about the timing of repotting this now in non-organic material in a traditional style pot?

 

[BrightsideB]

In that case, what would you say about the timing of repotting this now in non-organic material in a traditional style pot?

Whether you do a repot now and it pulls through the winter fine. It won’t make a difference than doing in spring because it won’t be growing during winter.

I think your tree may be a little deficient in micronutrients. The lime green/ yellowing can be a sign of that. These junipers are pretty hardy. I think if you style anytime before a repot in early spring and fertilize it (springtime once growth starts again) will bounce back and have the darker green healthy foliage. I’m spring once you see small buds is a sign to repot and start fertilizing. Just make sure if using chemical fertilizer to follow instructions it can kill the tree if overdone.

Since you are just starting out try not to get to attached to a tree. Most kill their first tree. This hobby/practice takes patience and a lot of people have anecdotal ways to keep their bonsai through years of practice. Getting a couple more junipers to just mess with and examine is definitely worth it. Rummaging through landscape nurseries is good. I spent hundreds on material when I started and killed some and others had years to recover from my inexperience. So I mellowed out and bought cheap stuff to practice with. Over the years you will get a much better understanding of what you can do. It’s unlike any other practice I’ve ever done.

 

[Lorax7]

I have cut 3/4 roots and most the foliage on small healthy nursery junipers as well as wired at this time of year in 7a and they are growing fine years later. Obviously stunted growth but that was the point in creating small juniper bonsai.

I would not advise doing that much foliage work on a juniper simultaneously with a repot. Just because they survived doesn’t make it good horticultural practice. It likely only worked because the tree was both young and very healthy (and you still weakened it to the point where it could’ve easily succumbed to a pest or pathogen if it had encountered one). Luck is not a sustainable practice over the long run.

 

[GSCarlson]

The nursery pot it is in seems plenty big enough to allow for root growth. I don’t think a bigger pot is going to have any advantages.

 

[Japonicus]

Here is the tree, as requested above.

Looks as though you've already removed xx% of the foliage.

 

[roberthu]

Fall repot requires more careful winter care. If you want to play safe, repot in the spring.

 

[Eckhoffw]

Like others have noted, wait till spring.
It will be fine in that nursery can another 4 or so months. It’s been in there for who-knows how long already.

Granted I’m in Zone 4b, but here in Minnesota, it’s not advisable to transplant conifers later than mid September.

 

[Hartinez]

or you could just dive in. It doesn’t look like you paid a whole lot for this tree, so at this point, it’s just house money. Find out if you can repot it and keep it happy from here till spring. If it doesn’t work, then you’ll know and you won’t do it again. If it does work, keep note of his happiness and vigor, in comparison to other junipers that I hope you have on your benches. If it’s not doing as well, great then you know the repotting in spring is probably better. If the tree just completely thrives between now and next fall, then it sounds like you’ve done something right. Do you have a pattern to follow.

 

[Eckhoffw]

or you could just dive in. It doesn’t look like you paid a whole lot for this tree, so at this point, it’s just house money. Find out if you can repot it and keep it happy from here till spring. If it doesn’t work, then you’ll know and you won’t do it again. If it does work, keep note of his happiness and vigor, in comparison to other junipers that I hope you have on your benches. If it’s not doing as well, great then you know the repotting in spring is probably better. If the tree just completely thrives between now and next fall, then it sounds like you’ve done something right. Do you have a pattern to follow.

Very good point. If you don’t have much invested in it, then, yeah, go for it now!
learning for yourself what you can, or cannot do to a tree in your experience, is huge.

I’m Almost embarrassed as to how many trees I’ve killed due to untimely and/or excessive work.

Just sayin though, if I had $ on the survival of this tree repotted now vs. leaving it in the can.?
Well,.. I’d leave it in the can.

 

[BrightsideB]

I would not advise doing that much foliage work on a juniper simultaneously with a repot. Just because they survived doesn’t make it good horticultural practice. It likely only worked because the tree was both young and very healthy (and you still weakened it to the point where it could’ve easily succumbed to a pest or pathogen if it had encountered one). Luck is not a sustainable practice over the long run.

Regardless of what could of happened to a $7 (cost of a sandwich) tree it didn’t skip a beat and is growing well.

 

[Lorax7]

Regardless of what could have happened to a $7 (cost of a sandwich) tree it didn’t skip a beat and is growing well.

Keep in mind though that the OP is a beginner in bonsai. So, what you say should factor in that the person you’re saying these things to needs a larger margin of safety for their tree to allow room for the small mistakes that every beginner makes. Remember that the goal is for them to be successful, thus growing the bonsai community.

Also, know that your experience with that young juniper will not translate to an older collected tree, for example. Better to develop good habits on the young material you have now so that you’re not killing trees when the price for your pre-bonsai stock is $300 instead of $7.

 

[BobbyLane]

Takes me back to something Ryan neil said: How do you get good at bonsai? "you get good at bonsai by killing bonsai" Ryan neil

What that means is, you shouldnt be afraid to work on material like this. Dare I say 'made to feel afraid'

Also its not so much that what you heard is conflicting advice. Spring isnt the only window to do tree work, its well documented now and also proven that most species have more than one window to do root work in, timings may vary from climate to climate, aftercare may or may not be needed. Most of you guys across the pond use greenhouses and garages. 'Mulching' seems a popular one now. But those are things you can experiment with for yourself. Its ok to try things, its ok to make mistakes and with material like this any mistakes made arent costly. You could just as easily kill this tree in spring by chopping off too much root. How much root is a safe amount to remove in any window? You learn these things not by what people tell you but by doing it for yourself, you gradually learn whats a safe amount by continuing to do the work and not by being afraid. Eventually you make your own rules.
So what if you repot now and the tree doesnt recover for whatever reason? Well, at least you took the first step in practicing root work, maybe the next time you'll try leaving a bit more root, or trying root work at a different time, or not teasing out as much, etc etc. Its the experiences that you learn greatly from, not from folk putting the fear of god into you

 

[BobbyLane]

I remember emailing Graham potter once in regards to a tree I just bought from him and how to go about hollowing it out which he suggested in the listing. His reply was, keep practicing, 'oh I must of done 100s of these in the beginning' 100s?? In the beginning??
What was it Walter pall said the other day: 'I collected some 2000 trees in the beginning'. WTF 2000?

and we sit here telling people to pussy foot about until spring because we are scared they might kill ONE $10 tree ffs people
thats not how its done.

KEEP BUYING TREES AND KEEP WORKING ON THEM!!!