How to go from a big pot to a bonsai pot

[Music4cash]

This is my first post here. I read the suggestions on how to ask a good question so hopefully this qualifies. I've done a fair amount of internet research and am much less sure about what I'm doing than I was before.
I live in northern virginia USDA zone 7a. I have a buxus microphylla that is in a big 2.6 gallon pot. I got the plant from a lowes 3 years ago, and put it in its current pot right away. I've done nothing else to it except for pruning off dead wood. So it's got a trunk and surface roots that I like but it's got a lot more growth than I think I need. The question is should I style it first and then put it in a bonsai pot, or pot it then style it? Also should I put it in a small pot right away or reduce the roots in stages? And finally what season should I do the repot and/or styling. This is my first bonsai and I think I did a good job of not messing while it grew, and I've had it long enough that it would suck if I killed it, but I'm ready to see it start to move along.

 

[Tidal Bonsai]

Pictures would help.

 

[Johnathan]

#1, you want to get it into a bonsai mix before styling I believe, dont want to waste time styling and get it perfect then it dies in transition to a bonsai mix.

....... but......

I'd start identifying a style for it now, and possibly even wire a few branches before everything "sets" for winter. Just not to much. Cause the tree needs strength for winter.

#2 you said it's got a trunk, but is it THE trunk?..... and this is my opinion, a bonsai pot would be for a tree that you're wanting to slow down. So I wouldn't put it into a pot unless you're happy with trunk size

#3, you've had it some time already and don't want to kill it. So don't rush it. If I remember correctly by us can be barerooted in spring.

Remember balance. And recovery. I'd put it into a bonsai mix in the early spring, then maybe a light prune in late summer 2019.

And yes pictures please!

 

[MichaelS]

This is my first post here. I read the suggestions on how to ask a good question so hopefully this qualifies. I've done a fair amount of internet research and am much less sure about what I'm doing than I was before.
I live in northern virginia USDA zone 7a. I have a buxus microphylla that is in a big 2.6 gallon pot. I got the plant from a lowes 3 years ago, and put it in its current pot right away. I've done nothing else to it except for pruning off dead wood. So it's got a trunk and surface roots that I like but it's got a lot more growth than I think I need. The question is should I style it first and then put it in a bonsai pot, or pot it then style it? Also should I put it in a small pot right away or reduce the roots in stages? And finally what season should I do the repot and/or styling. This is my first bonsai and I think I did a good job of not messing while it grew, and I've had it long enough that it would suck if I killed it, but I'm ready to see it start to move along.

You always work on the tree before touching roots. The wisest approach is to just thin it out a little, keeping (but shortening) those branches that you like and not worrying about wire for the moment. Buxus repot very easily. You can remove 75% of the roots from a healthy tree. This is done in the warm spring. After it has established itself in the new pot (1 year later) go back and have a more detailed look at it.

 

[TN_Jim]

Music4cash, I like your enital question very much. I should ask questions like this more often. What Johnathan said makes complete sense to me, thank you.

If you want to find a tree in a pot to break your mind, and along the line of your inquiry in some way maybe. In this thread (below) @JudyB has a tree in a pot that looks like it’s almost literally in a puddle of water...Amazing.
https://www.bonsainut.com/threads/hackberry-2.26449/page-3

This is not a forum, it’s a living museum

 

[Gsquared]

Yes, everything above the soil ine before you work on the roots. Get everthing trimmed and wired, then worry about the roots. Boxwood does take a hard root pruning, but you need to do it in the spring. But if you repot before you do any wiring or heavy pruning, you’re just going to wiggle the newly repotted tree in its pot which delays recovery.

 

[Music4cash]

This is my boxwood. I didn't turn it for a long time so a bunch of branches on the back died. I think I want to remove the second trunk but I'm not entirely sure yet. Thanks for all the great feedback. It sounds like I should leave it in the pot while I style it, and then repot it in the spring. How late can I style it before spring? Like I said I'm not sure what I want to do with it yet. I got a couple small plants from the nursery today to practice on before I do anything major to this one. Any ideas you guys have are appreciated.

 

[sorce]

Welcome to Crazy!

Realistically....

You are correct that one trunk has to go.
But then 2 of them other 3 have to go too..
And we still don't know how/where that other growth is starting behind...which also may have to come off.

So here is our conversational Starting point.


Great taper and Movement.

I'd whack it to here in the spring to get buds going on this "trunk", then repot it after the solstice.

S

 

[TN_Jim]

Maybe cover those exposed roots for winter?

 

[JudyB]

Many people style boxwood as a broom style tree, so you should decide what form you want before you start whacking off trunks...

 

[Cypress187]

The question is should I style it first and then put it in a bonsai pot, or pot it then style it? Also should I put it in a small pot right away or reduce the roots in stages? And finally what season should I do the repot and/or styling. This is my first bonsai and I think I did a good job of not messing while it grew, and I've had it long enough that it would suck if I killed it, but I'm ready to see it start to move along.

If you style a tree you want to reduce the stress on it, so better to style when it's firmly in a pot and then repot after that. I would reduce the roots in steps because you would want to have it growing as hard as possible after the chops, if you put it in a tiny pot it could limit it's vigor if there is not more room to grow (or put it in the ground).

 

[just.wing.it]

I may be going against the grain here...
But I have made adjustments to my "bonsai goal list" for every tree I own...
It always starts with getting the roots into a good substrate.

I've wasted too many years on certain trees, including Boxwoods, styling in a nursery container for a year+...only to have the tree die after its first repotting...and some never make it that far, they die from root rot in the shitty nursery soil.

So nowadays, I focus on roots roots roots and proper substrate....once the tree has had at least one whole season in the good substrate, and has regained its vigor, then I can safely worry about styling....and I never have to sweat that problem again!

Just my $0.02.

 

[Music4cash]

If I understand how it works correctly I need to remove foliage if I reduce the roots. So maybe I do some heavy pruning and then a repot like sorce suggested? Or can I cut it back now and repot in spring? It is certainly not in great soil I used potting soil and just put the whole root ball from the nursury into that without removing any nursury soil. Should I cover the roots with soil or with something else for winter? Thanks for the help everyone.

 

[sorce]

Or can I cut it back now and repot in spring? I

That is a killer for me here sure.
The winter.

S

 

[rockm]

If I understand how it works correctly I need to remove foliage if I reduce the roots. So maybe I do some heavy pruning and then a repot like sorce suggested? Or can I cut it back now and repot in spring? It is certainly not in great soil I used potting soil and just put the whole root ball from the nursury into that without removing any nursury soil. Should I cover the roots with soil or with something else for winter? Thanks for the help everyone.

In November, put that plant on a brick in your garden bed--mulch up over the top. Make sure the pot drains before you cover it completely. Do your pruning and root work in late March. For this one, I'd just saw off the bottom third of the root mass, comb out the roots and wash off the soil. Get a decent training pot deep enough (but not too big) to take the root mass, back fill with bonsai soil. Boxwood can take rough handling. Done this many times and I'm in N.Va.

 

[parhamr]

If I understand how it works correctly I need to remove foliage if I reduce the roots.

This is a myth from 19th century gardening literature. Current bonsai practice shows this isn’t needed and can be detrimental to recovery.

A good goal is to only perform one major reduction (roots or foliage) per tree per season. This is sustainable.

 

[Vance Wood]

This is a myth from 19th century gardening literature. Current bonsai practice shows this isn’t needed and can be detrimental to recovery.

A good goal is to only perform one major reduction (roots or foliage) per tree per season. This is sustainable.

Sadly this too is a myth when used as a rule for all trees.

 

[Music4cash]

I'm starting to think Bonsai is like fishing. If you ask 3 people a question you'll get 3 different answers, and to make things worse all 3 answers will be correct at least in some sense....The general consensus seems to be project the roots through the winter and then in spring do some work...either root work, pruning, or both...I live in a townhouse with a stone patio so I don't have a garden to bury the plant in for the winter. I've always just left it where it is without doing anything good the roots and it's been fine. Will I be alright if I just put mulch over the roots? Would soil be better than mulch?

 

[rockm]

I'm starting to think Bonsai is like fishing. If you ask 3 people a question you'll get 3 different answers, and to make things worse all 3 answers will be correct at least in some sense....The general consensus seems to be project the roots through the winter and then in spring do some work...either root work, pruning, or both...I live in a townhouse with a stone patio so I don't have a garden to bury the plant in for the winter. I've always just left it where it is without doing anything good the roots and it's been fine. Will I be alright if I just put mulch over the roots? Would soil be better than mulch?

I also live in a townhouse with a tiny, mostly patioed backyard. I overwinter 25 medium to very large trees back there.

The last few winters around here have been very mild. Slack winters can't be counted on. Leaving boxwood out with no protection over the winter can result in severe dieback, from branches to the entire trunk, or even the entire plant.

I overwinter all my boxwood starting in November. I let them get hit repeatedly by frosts and shallow freezes in early fall. the day after Thanksgiving(typically) I put everything into winter storage. For boxwood, I place them pot and all on bricks set on the surface of the patio. The bricks provide some air space between the bottom of the pot and insures the pots drain the snow/rain/sleet etc. from the bottom. I then pour hardwood mulch over the pots, piling it up a few inches deep onto the trunks of the trees. The bigger the mulch pile, the more stable the temperatures inside it...

 

[TN_Jim]

I'm starting to think Bonsai is like fishing. If you ask 3 people a question you'll get 3 different answers, and to make things worse all 3 answers will be correct at least in some sense....The general consensus seems to be project the roots through the winter and then in spring do some work...either root work, pruning, or both...I live in a townhouse with a stone patio so I don't have a garden to bury the plant in for the winter. I've always just left it where it is without doing anything good the roots and it's been fine. Will I be alright if I just put mulch over the roots? Would soil be better than mulch?

This may be controversial, and perhaps what Vance is saying as well, but if you feel confident in your technique/approach, you can bare root that boxwood & do a serious reduction to the canopy at the same time in the spring.

I did this with two this past spring. Yes, this is obviously very stressful on the tree, but one and done...both of mine have had the rest of the year to recover and are fine. This is species specific (Boxwood is one). Will try to post thread on these soon as I have many questions of next steps.

If you do not feel 100% confident in doing this I wouldn’t risk it.

I know that keeping trees in nursery pots and soil for years even, is a common practice, but it’s not mine. I would much rather know what kind of situation good or awful is going on in that black plastic pot than gamble on it being fine for an extended amount of time.

To this end, I agree with @Johnathan (his #1 above) & @just.wing.it 100%...if you’re gonna kill it, kill it in spring, but get it out of that nursery mess

rockm gave you solid very experienced advice moving forward. when there are many different ideas that are confusing I tend to lean towards those that have done it the most... my novice thoughts...

also..definitely mulch top for winter, not potting or garden soil