taproots

[kcb]

I am a newbie, and I have a tamarind I've grown from seed. It is doing very well, it is about two years old, but it got away from me; its not about two feet tall. I have done only a little top pruning and no root pruning. Can I go in and start root pruning now? I'm at a loss as to what to do about the taproots. Can I cut them back? I'd like to keep it at less than 3 feet if possible. Current pot is about ten inches deep.

 

[sorce]

@Anthony is the Tamarind Guy.

Welcome to Crazy!

Sorce

 

[AZbonsai]

Hi. Welcome. Where are you from is the 1st question? It matters. You can put that information in your avatar. The majority of work you do on your bonsai is driven by season. There is a time to trim, repot, fertilize, etc... so people will be able to answer your question more accurately if they know where you are from. Second question, do you have a picture of your tree. This will give people a better understanding of the health of your tree. It matters. As a general rule, you want your tree to be as healthy as it can be before you do any major work on it.

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

If your tree is actively growing, and is moderately healthy, you can repot and root prune and prune back the top of the tree too, all at once.

There are many myths about tap roots, what is true is that to get a tree into a bonsai pot, the taproots need to be cut off as flush to the trunk as possible.

Tamarind don't need taproots to survive, vast majority of trees do not need a taproot. The sooner they are cut flush to the radial arrangement of roots, nebari, the better.

I would get your materials together, pot & media, then go ahead and repot

 

[Anthony]

Images, please

 

[kcb]

Well, first off, AZ, I'm in east central Nebraska, on the seventh floor of an apartment building with no, I repeat, absolutely no outside access other than two to four hours of west sun through the window. Second, Leo near "da lake," it is extremely healthy and thank you for your helpful input on taproots. Attached is an image for all of you. in last two days it has a few new buds coming out on the branches. My thought was to start to move it into a "bonsai - style" shallower pot, but it may be too late for that.

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

Never too late. For what it's worth, bonsai often spend their youth, first 5 to 10 years at many times bigger than their final size. I would let it grow one more years without pruning or repotting. You need a trunk closer to 2 inches in diameter rather than more slender than a pencil. Give it another year.

 

[kcb]

Thanks Leo! And belated thanks, Source, for the referral.

kcb
“Many a good argument is ruined by some fool who knows what he is talking about.” ― Marshall McLuhan

 

[Anthony]

@kcb ,

aim for this type of density.
Good Day,
Anthony



Defoliated

 

[kcb]

very good thank you! Anthony