repot a JBP (semi emergency)

[bonsaibeginer]

Hi all.
I know this is probably 4 months too early but I've had a JBP sitting in the corner of my yard for awhile, left to its own devices to grow on. The problem I noticed tonight is that it seems to have fallen over without me noticing. The front of the tree looks healthy as but tonight when I was just cleaning out some dead needles and realized how far over it had fallen.
I looks like I'm loosing a few of the lower branches that have been below the pot line and out of the sun. I tried to stand it up a bit without much luck.
my question is would I be able to repot this as gently as I can or should I rather try and tie it back up somehow and wait? I really don't want to loose any low branches...
any help would be appreciated. Thanks Grant

[shibui]

I think what you are talking about is 'slip potting' where you just lift the root ball out of the current pot and put it into another larger pot and fill around the edges with fresh mix. In this case - no problem. Slip potting can be done at any thime of year because there is no root trauma. There can be some issues with follow up watering because the old root ball is dense with roots so it is hard for water to penetrate and the new mix around the edges is light and water penetrates easily so special attention to watering is needed.
Even if the root ball falls apart and the old mix falls off there is no problem because you are not cutting roots off. Just put it all in the new pot and backfill with fresh mix.

I have not tried it but I know many very experienced bonsai growers who repot in autumn (which is now!) with success so even if you root prune you should not have any adverse reaction. I have done some trials of root pruning and repotting maples in summer and all have come through without missing a beat so I am certain that the windows for repotting are far wider than we have been led to believe.
With reasonable aftercare I think you should be able to repot your tree now without any problem.

[bonsaibeginer]

Thanks Neil.
I just didn't know how much damage I could do removing the tree from the soil at this time.

20140311_203222.jpg

20140311_203250.jpg

I did manage to "stand" the tree up a bit better in the pot, but only marginally. I have managed to source some diatomite in cairns so I might wait til the wkend and do a proper slip pot?

thanks again for the help Neil.
Grant

[shibui]

This is a common problem with many tree species but I think the issue is more of culture than the fact it has shifted in the pot.
All potted plants need to be rotated every week or 2 to allow light to all sides of the tree or the branches on the shady side will loose strength and possibly die.
Trees with strong apical dominance need proper pruning to reduce vigour in the apex and distribute some of that energy to the lower branches. You have to remember that trees like this are programmed to grow UP as fast as possible so as much energy as possible is sent to the high points and lower shoots are allowed to die. Lower branches will always loose vigour unless we prune the top to reduce its dominance.

[bonsaibeginer]

Thanks Neil
I did get this tree out to start work on it... This was to be the first tree I was planning to use the method set out by Chris in this post...
viewtopic.php?f=131&t=13737
So was going to start with candle cutting now and start developing the tree a bit better... Hopefully.

Thanks again
Grant

[shibui]

I did get this tree out to start work on it... This was to be the first tree I was planning to use the method set out by Chris in this post...
viewtopic.php?f=131&t=13737
So was going to start with candle cutting now and start developing the tree a bit better... Hopefully

It is now March. Candle cutting is Spring and the candles will have opened and turned into long shoots by now.
You can start the program but will need to start with

March/April Autumn prune. Cut vigorous shoots back to same length as weaker shoots (balances over all shape).Remove old needles to stimulate plant and create vigour. Allows sunlight in and encourages development of many new shoots.

.
With a young tree like this one you can cut anywhere that leaves some needles on the branches and you should get new candles forming from the base of many of the needles you leave on. Candle pruning can be next spring if it needs it.

[bonsaibeginer]

Hi Neil
I hope i have just called something by the wrong name instead of doing the wrong thing... This is what i cut off

20140313_205934.jpg

that is one that i have left here but some of them had needles starting to come out... I cut a few of the stronger ones off down to their base.

I think I need to get leongs book back from my mother in laws place.