Nursery stock juniper - slip pot in larger basket or not?

[Storm87]

Hi all,

Just bought my first juniper form nursery stock (great discounts at this time of year!).
I was wondering if I could slip pot it now (mid October, zone 8a) in a lager basket with bonsai soil. I'm planing to let this one row for a couple of years.

See also the attached photo.

Thx!

 

[Vance Wood]

Hi all,

Just bought my first juniper form nursery stock (great discounts at this time of year!).
I was wondering if I could slip pot it now (mid October, zone 8a) in a lager basket with bonsai soil. I'm planing to let this one row for a couple of years.

See also the attached photo.

Thx!

Yes it could be slip potted.

 

[Storm87]

Yes it could be slip potted.

Thx. I'm uncertain if the basket isn't too large..is it?
Without pruning any roots, is it wise to discard some of the organic soil for better drainage during the autumn and winter? What would advised amount of retained soil?

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

I wouldn’t bother. What are you trying to accomplish by, a) doing it now, and b) putting it in a pond basket?

 

[Storm87]

Autumn and winter can be very wet in the Netherlands (therefore doing it now), a pond basket will ensure better drainage. Better ariation would stimulate fine routes to grow also, if i'm not mistaken. Those are my considerations.

 

[coh]

You could probably get away with it, but if it was mine I wouldn't slip pot it now. Just not enough to be gained in my opinion. This juniper has survived just fine in its current container for probably at least a couple of years, it will survive another winter just fine. If you just take it and throw it into that large container with the current (probably organic) soil surrounded by inorganic, what do you think you'll gain? I think you'll just be creating a soil differential issue which will complicate watering, and the roots probably won't grow all that much over winter anyway to significantly colonize the new soil.

Edit to add - if I were going to slip pot it now, I'd (1) find a container that is only slightly larger than the current one, and (2) use a soil that was close to the type of soil it is currently growing in.

 

[penumbra]

I would re pot it now into something more like bonsai soil and I would tease away much of the existing soil. I can do this now (and have on many occasions) in zone 6 and you are in zone 8 so go for it.
What you gain from this is that it is done and you can move on to something else. And I think the basket you have chosen is perfectly fine in size for your plant.

 

[TN_Jim]

You could probably get away with it, but if it was mine I wouldn't slip pot it now. Just not enough to be gained in my opinion. This juniper has survived just fine in its current container for probably at least a couple of years, it will survive another winter just fine. If you just take it and throw it into that large container with the current (probably organic) soil surrounded by inorganic, what do you think you'll gain? I think you'll just be creating a soil differential issue which will complicate watering, and the roots probably won't grow all that much over winter anyway to significantly colonize the new soil.

Edit to add - if I were going to slip pot it now, I'd (1) find a container that is only slightly larger than the current one, and (2) use a soil that was close to the type of soil it is currently growing in.

Picking what you’re putting down -this (moving to larger pot w/ relatively same soil) will also provide you an additional over-wintering layer of insulation around the current roots that will better help it throughout winter, and promote healthy material for when its time to ditch most of that soil and get to work.

A blanket of ~temporary bonsai soil seems like it will do much less for over-wintering.

 

[sorce]

Repotting it now is Completely Uneccesary.

Is your goal to grow it out larger?
If so, the ground is better.
Or.
As done for years now in the nursery trade, small increments up in size. They do this for size which is their $. They have it right.

If you want to style that tree at that size, the rootball IS good size or can afford to be smaller. Any moving up in pot size is working against that goal.

It was grown that way locally yes? As COH said, it will be fine. Don't let "Bonsai" get in the way of your Bonsai.

Sorce

 

[penumbra]

Is your goal to grow it out larger?

I think the op made this clear. And no one will disagree that the ground is better, but with a pond basket you will have a lot more control. I do both but those I put in the ground are going to be there pretty much untouched for at least 2 years.

 

[sorce]

I think the op made this clear. And no one will disagree that the ground is better, but with a pond basket you will have a lot more control. I do both but those I put in the ground are going to be there pretty much untouched for at least 2 years.

"Grow for a couple of years" could mean adding more branching, observing growth patterns, etc.

I'm concerned with the size of the rootball in relation to the final product.

2 years of growth can happen in that pot and be transferred safely to a bonsai pot afterward.

Sorce

 

[Wires_Guy_wires]

Fellow Dutchman here.. I repotted a scopulorum into a pond basket and the foliage grows double as fast compared to a nursery pot.
Our winters can be so mild that some plants continue growing for quite some time.
I slip potted three junipers in the dead of winter last year, and they didn't have any issues. However, I do have to note that the roots never left the organic soil, they just grew back into the nursery soil.
A good HBR repot in spring might be necessary to get rid of the nursery stuff.

On the other hand; there's no need for a repot right now.

 

[Storm87]

Thx for all the advice. The general consensus seems to be a) slip potting can be done now b) no need to do it now.
For now I'll let it be. Thx again!

 

[Vance Wood]

Thx for all the advice. The general consensus seems to be a) slip potting can be done now b) no need to do it now.
For now I'll let it be. Thx again!

There may be no need to do it now depending on how many trees you have and the amount of time it can gain you that does not have to be spent on this tree in the spring when more trees with needs dependent on spring may be affected.

 

[Storm87]

There may be no need to do it now depending on how many trees you have and the amount of time it can gain you that does not have to be spent on this tree in the spring when more trees with needs dependent on spring may be affected.

I'm fairly new in bonsai, so don't have a lot of trees (5 pre bonsai). Time wil not be an issue in spring. Thx for sharing your consideration.

 

[sorce]

I just super quoted @Japonicus ' thread to note his not repotting that juni for 11 years!
11!

No matter what the circumstances, we tend to have time on our side!

Sorce

 

[Japonicus]

Gonna be a wet Winter aye?
Nice foliage on a Gold tip or Sea of Gold? Juniper.
Either way they both respond very well to cutting back...2021.

Soil looks loose and permeable hasn't been long since it was potted. Wait.

Thin enough that the bones can breathe + thin enough that the foliage can breathe
but do leave interior foliage that you might cut back to in 2021. Remove interior foliage
that works against a final pleasing idea of a design, but also leave options.
Since you're going to be cutting it back anyway, you can locate branches that look to be working against
a perceived design, and remove some so the outer foliage gets a LITTLE more air movement.

Don't just up and remove a bunch of growing tips. Therein lies the strength it will take to recover from
what you're going to be doing in the Spring. Plan A- I'd forget slipping it. Feed very well proactively now, and work the roots
in the Spring, into bonsai soil. IF for some reason you don't work the roots in the Spring, THEN (plan B) slip pot in Spring, and cut back in Summer
2020 but not as aggressive a cut back as plan A.

Leave stuff to cut back to and you'll be fine. Leave good interior foliage on keeper branches, you'll be fine.
Leave it outdoors unprotected, you'll be fine as wine.

 

[Japonicus]

Here's a similar Sea of Gold on the left I potted up this Spring



...and here it is this evening. I see more gold in it in person not in the Sun light.
Now that it has recovered and not skipped a beat really, it will be cut back a good bit
next "July 4th-ish", and grown out from there.
Also leave in full Sun to keep the golden attributes.
If you view it from the top, you should be able to see soil surface through the foliage.
If not thin some more, before your wet season sets in.

 

[Storm87]

I wantend to share the first styling of this juniper with you. My first real wiring 'effort' as a beginner. I would love to get some feedback.

 

[coltranem]

I like the right hand side. I am not sure on the left. It is difficult to see your vision there. The wire wrapping the right trunk does not look anchored. It looks clockwise from start to finish unless it is counterclockwise 9n the branch coming forwards.