My 1st Itoigawa

[Japonicus]

Also when when the tree is tied down the area gets more compact

Makes sense. Especially having less of a root mass to torque down on, than would be ideal.
This is an issue I've never experienced before as you describe above with a "lens effect".
Something I'd never heard of either really. Something I would think that would be more apt
to occur in HBR (a method I refuse to employ).

What size a drill would you recommend?

Would love to get some hands on training on how @Brian Van Fleet cages and ties down his root balls.
I've never really comprehended how he does it in 2D photos. Something I should learn before I retire from bonsai.

 

[Deep Sea Diver]

Especially can occur in HBR, yet have seen this in regular repots too. Haven’t cracked the code on this yet.

I think It depends upon the amount of roots and type of media. Any root ball can have compacted and or decomposed media over time, but occurs very much less in our experience in inorganic mix. More in field soil and media containing organic material.

Can’t tell the scale, but depending on the size we use 1/8” for small thru 1/4” for big bonsai” with 316 the most frequent.

Hope this information helps

Good luck
DSD sends

 

[Japonicus]

Especially can occur in HBR, yet have seen this in regular repots too. Haven’t cracked the code on this yet.

I think It depends upon the amount of roots and type of media. Any root ball can have compacted and or decomposed media over time, but occurs very much less in our experience in inorganic mix. More in field soil and media containing organic material.

Can’t tell the scale, but depending on the size we use 1/8” for small thru 1/4” for big bonsai” with 316 the most frequent.

Hope this information helps

Good luck
DSD sends

Especially can occur in HBR, yet have seen this in regular repots too. Haven’t cracked the code on this yet.

I think It depends upon the amount of roots and type of media. Any root ball can have compacted and or decomposed media over time, but occurs very much less in our experience in inorganic mix. More in field soil and media containing organic material.

Can’t tell the scale, but depending on the size we use 1/8” for small thru 1/4” for big bonsai” with 316 the most frequent.

Hope this information helps

Good luck
DSD sends

Thanks DSD
Root ball is probably 7" front to back as the pot ID is 7.75"

Water uptake is 1st sign of success after potting.
Water uptake was pretty non existant when I bought the tree. I feel the potting exercise in this instance would've been more beneficial had I bare rooted but that's even more stressful on a plant already experiencing root issues.
I tried. Will continue trying.

 

[Deep Sea Diver]

No worries, stuff happens one can’t predict.

3/16” will do the job, more than less.

Likely very true. It really helped to do hundreds of repots, many different species and size trees while volunteering, study group and at home in the past six years.

But who in there right mind does that?

Crossing my fingers for you, we all know what you must feel like.

Best
DSD sends

 

[Deleted member 47471]

I also agree on withholding fertilizer from a sick and weak tree.

In one of his master class videos, M. Kimura told his interviewers that trees behave like people when they are sick; they consume less calories. Attempting to force feed would exacerbate the root system and compound the problem due to decreased uptake and resulting imbalance in the roots/soil.

 

[Deep Sea Diver]

Final note….. even drilling complete please to cover with normal bonsai media, as appropriate.

Best
DSD sends

 

[Japonicus]

10-4 Over and out

 

[Ruddigger]

Aw shoot. Sorry.

 

[Japonicus]

Aw shoot. Sorry.

Well
I got nuthin lol.
Sure would like to know how the others faired from the same batch. Really think I just picked a bad apple + it never seemed to uptake water or dry out before potting down.