Why can’t I have a little fun?
Ok...
Are you planning to transition it out of nurseryman’s soil and into inorganic bonsai soil? (Recommended)
Then you need to do a reduction and HBR repot.
Start off by pulling it out of the plastic pot, digging down to find the surface roots (which it appears you have done) figure out where the root flair is, and determine what you want for your nebari. If there are little roots above your preferred nebari, just cut them off.
Saw the bottom half of the root ball off. Look to see if there are any really heavy down ward growing roots. If there are, you want to soften them. Now tease the circling roots off the sides. Once you have them spread out, cut them off.
Now decide which half of the rootball has the worst roots. That’s the side we’re going to bare root. Using your room hook and bent tip tweezers, gently loosen up the roots on one side of the rootball. Try to get all the way under th trunk! You may use a gentle stream of water to help. Just be sure when using the water, to only wash the soil off the “bare root” side. The other side keep whatever is there.
Once you have it HBRed, then go to the remaining side of the rootball and tease out one to two Cm of roots. So that the side of the rootball is fuzzy. The bottom, cut smooth flat. No fuzzies.
Prepare your pit and put a layer of drainage soil, them make a little mound of bonsai soil. Place the tree on the mound, and apply pressure while you wiggle the tree down into the mound. Check to make sure you have it down far enough, and where you want it in the pot. It should be on the center line front to back, and a little off center side to side.
Now firmly tie the tree into the pot. So that it does not wiggle. In fact, you should be able to lift the tree by the trunk, and the pot lifts up, too! Then backfill with bonsai soil. Chopstick the soil in to fill the bare area, and around the outside of the remaining rootball. Once you think you have it all in good, tap each side of the pot with the meat part of your fist. The soil will settle more! Add more soil. The idea is you want the soil to be level in the pot, no mounding, and leave 1/2 cm of the interior rim showing. That will keep the soil from washing away when watered. Water well, until the water runs clear.
Then put it back into FULL SUN! Yes, I know that’s a surprise! But full sun will stimulate the roots to grow because it warms the soil. Over the next couple weeks, keep it watered, maybe a couple times a day. You don’t have to mist it, but it wouldn’t hurt to wet the foliage when you water. After about 3 weeks, resume fertilizing.
Easy peazy!
