slip potting a JBP in Perth summer

[ADO]

Hi,

i recently acquired a nice JBP in a 28 cm nursery pot. upon inspection it is very,very root bound to the point that I am not sure how much water is making into the root mass below.
My worry is that, although it appears to be nice and green and healthy, the tree may decline over our hot summer as it struggles to grow and take in nutrients in its present very root bound conditions.

I understand that at this time of year it would be fatal to untangle that mess, prune and then repot. the options as I see them:

OPTION 1: t 'Simple Slip Potting' (thread by Bhodi-i think) in which a saw or knife is used to divide the root mass into wedges and then spread these into a new mix in a larger pot or grow box. I like this idea because I could get it into a grow box rather than a tallish pot.

OPTION 2: just put the whole thing, undisturbed, into a bigger pot and then prune and repot at the proper time in spring.

either way I will be using a mix mostly of sharp gravel, with less proportions of premium potting mix and perlite for moisture retention in this heat.

can anyone offer me any advice as to the advantages of these two approaches and which would be the most successful given our summer etc.?

thank you very much

Adrian

[alpineart]

Hi ADO , Slip potting in probably the best method .As with most plants in nursery pots for long periods the roots only grow out and down the outside of the pot leaving the center quite void of roots , 150 - 300mm pots i use this method consistently and at all times of the year . . With young JBP i have purchased from Shibui the entire pot is full of roots {very healthy vigorous stock}so i is almost impossible to use the Simple slip potting method as the roots are just too compacted . In this case i have just waited for the correct time or simply over potted as a precaution and regularly soak the whole pot submerged in water to ensure the center gets completely moistened .

Cheers Alpineart

[ADO]

Hi ADO , Slip potting in probably the best method .As with most plants in nursery pots for long periods the roots only grow out and down the outside of the pot leaving the center quite void of roots , 150 - 300mm pots i use this method consistently and at all times of the year . . With young JBP i have purchased from Shibui the entire pot is full of roots {very healthy vigorous stock}so i is almost impossible to use the Simple slip potting method as the roots are just too compacted . In this case i have just waited for the correct time or simply over potted as a precaution and regularly soak the whole pot submerged in water to ensure the center gets completely moistened .

Cheers Alpineart

Hi mate. thanks very much for the generous advice. Simple slip potting it is then.

cheers

Adrian

[nealweb]

Agree why risk hacking the roots in any way now in the middle of a heat wave. Just pot on into a bigger pot, keep moist and be patient. Do the root work later when the weather is better. no hurry
ps-i get what you are saying but it has survived to now so it should be fine with extra moist soil around it and good attention to care and then fix the root bound problem laetr on, chopping them now would be dangerous I guess (not that I have ever grown a pine before)