Articles: Repotting Guide - Fort Worth Bonsai Society

Repotting Guide

Key Points To Keep In Mind
By Estella Flather
Only the root tips known as feeder roots take in moisture and nutrients. Trimming roots promotes more feeder roots. Leaf growth reflects root growth. For healthy tree tops there must be healthy active roots. Bonsai don't need large anchor roots. Wire holds tree in pot. Organic material in soil breaks down over time leaving only drainage material. Soil of root bound plants cannot absorb as much water. Drainage is slowed as roots take up air space in soil.
Repotting Schedules Ranked by Growth Speed
(These are recommendations only. There are lots of differing opinions about this.)
Repot every 2 years <==	<= After 3-4 years =>	==> Repot every 5 years
Fast growing deciduous trees:	Medium speed growers:	Slower growing conifers:
(Long running roots)	(Many have mat like roots.)
Elms	Juniper	Pines
Maples	Yaupon holly	Older collected junipers
Hawthorne	Ficus
	Boxwood
Yearly Timing for Root Pruning
Winter	Summer	Fall
Deciduous trees	Tropicals	After summer dormancy
Conifers		Junipers
Most trees except extreme heat lovers like buttonwood		Broadleaf evergreens
pH Sensitive Plants
Acid (soft water)	Neutral	Alkaline (hard water)
pH6	pH 6.5 ==> pH 7	pH7.5 ==> pH8
Azalea Japanese Maple Camelia Dogwood	Most plants	Buttonwood Native trees from calcium rich soils

admin 11/16/2019 77 reads Print