Repotting Juniper

[tree4me]

I have a few junipers in nursery pots or large training pots that, over the next few years, I'd like to get into nanban pots. If no other work is done other than reducing the rootball and replacing the old soil what would be a reasonable time frame/schedule?

say from this pot ...

to this...

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

3/15/2108

 

[tree4me]

3/15/2108

I feel your reply insinuates that I may have not given enough information or is that me reading into it...lol? A lot of my trees are still in nursery containers as that seems to be when i lose the most trees, after repotting. My plan is to reduce the rootball height by 30% and half bareroot late winter early spring next year. Are thinking I could get it down to that size pot in 1 season?

 

[Rusty Davis]

I want to watch this. I lose mine after the repot as well. I think I need more organic in my soil as I can only water in the evening. Or set up an automatic system. I like the one you have pictured

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

I feel your reply insinuates that I may have not given enough information or is that me reading into it...lol? A lot of my trees are still in nursery containers as that seems to be when i lose the most trees, after repotting. My plan is to reduce the rootball height by 30% and half bareroot late winter early spring next year. Are thinking I could get it down to that size pot in 1 season?

Sure, you can get those into smaller pots, and it's fine to nearly bare-root junipers. The big roots are usually what dictates pot size, so get rid of the big roots only, and keep all the small feeder roots. The challenge I see with your example is that your tree has very little foliage, so the top is weak, and that means the roots aren't getting much 'photosynthetic encouragement'. If you really want to get that juni in a smaller nanban, let the foliage bulk up all year without pruning it, then you can reduce the roots next spring and it should be fine.

I'd start by sawing off the bottom half of the rootball, then combing out all the soil, working from the outside-in, and from the bottom-up. Remove the heavy roots that won't fit in a small pot, and keep all of the fine feeder roots you can. Get help if you're new to it. Junipers are forgiving when they are healthy and have plenty of foliage.

 

[tree4me]

The challenge I see with your example is that your tree has very little foliage, so the top is weak, and that means the roots aren't getting much 'photosynthetic encouragement'. If you really want to get that juni in a smaller nanban, let the foliage bulk up all year without pruning it, then you can reduce the roots next spring and it should be fine.

So this year feed heavily and allow too grow. In Feb/March 2018...

start by sawing off the bottom half of the rootball, then combing out all the soil, working from the outside-in, and from the bottom-up. Remove the heavy roots that won't fit in a small pot, and keep all of the fine feeder roots you can.

or is sawing the rootball etc. a task that can still be done now?

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

or is sawing the rootball etc. a task that can still be done now?

No, too late. Let it grow this year so it can handle a heavy root pruning next year.

 

[RNbonsai]

Can you do basic wiring the same time as the root work?

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

Can you do basic wiring the same time as the root work?

I wouldn’t recommend it unless you’re going easy on both ends, and have good aftercare skills.

 

[BunjaeKorea]

Less is more, slow is fast, fast is dead.

 

[RNbonsai]

If anyone needs helps or pointers on the dead portion of Bonsai, lemme know! I specialize in embalming.

I won’t touch mine again till she’s growing then. Thanks