Question about defoliating and repotting an oak
- Thread starter bonsai barry
- Start date
PaulH
Omono
Nice tree. Do you know the species? Looks to me like a virginiana. If so I don't have experience. If its a coast live oak then I would defoliate if you are going to do a lot of root work. If not I would only partially defoliate removing just the larger and older leaves. This is what I do with my cork oaks.
Poink88
Imperial Masterpiece
Agreed, nice tree indeed.
My live oaks just dropped their leaves and got replaced with new ones the past couple of weeks. If it is a live oak (or similar), I bet you can partially defoliate it safely as Paul suggested.
BTW, I bought a live oak last week...chopped it to a stump and did the same with the roots. From 8 feet nursery tree down to less than 12" (including pot). We will see if it survives.
I did the same on another but smaller one last year...it is doing okay now.
My live oaks just dropped their leaves and got replaced with new ones the past couple of weeks. If it is a live oak (or similar), I bet you can partially defoliate it safely as Paul suggested.
BTW, I bought a live oak last week...chopped it to a stump and did the same with the roots. From 8 feet nursery tree down to less than 12" (including pot). We will see if it survives.
I did the same on another but smaller one last year...it is doing okay now.
Last edited:
kirk@localbonsai.com
Mame
i believe the idea here is to balance the roots and the top - is that what we're suggesting here guys?
kirk@localbonsai.com
Mame
poink88, I like your sense of adventure!
Poink88
Imperial Masterpiece
In a nutshell, yes.
It may sound careless but it is a calculated one. Health of the tree and timing is very important.
Poink88
Imperial Masterpiece
Just checked the pics...the other one was chopped 2 years ago (not last year). From 4 feet down to 6" (from top of soil) w/o any leaves left (same as the one done recently).
When I got it (5/19) and after a bit less than 2 months (7/17).
See the rootball loose in the pot? It was rolling w/o the pot (and losing soil) at the back of my in-laws pick-up while traveling 300 miles to me. I also did not know they had it until the following day. Pic was taken while I am re-hydrating it and being soaked. They are tough.
When I got it (5/19) and after a bit less than 2 months (7/17).
See the rootball loose in the pot? It was rolling w/o the pot (and losing soil) at the back of my in-laws pick-up while traveling 300 miles to me. I also did not know they had it until the following day. Pic was taken while I am re-hydrating it and being soaked. They are tough.
