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Re-potting junipers
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Author:  BGOG [ 01 Jun 2012, 13:15 ]
Post subject:  Re-potting junipers
Quick one for you all:

I've just seen this on a Juniper species guide.
"Can also be very successfully repotted during the warmth and humidity of August, however avoid repotting during very hot days."

Is this correct? Would I be able to re-pot a juniper in the slightly less warm and humid conditions of a Yorkshire summer, or will I have to wait till next April?

Thanks, as ever

Phil
Author:  DEA [ 01 Jun 2012, 13:49 ]
Post subject:  Re: Re-potting junipers
I find that with GOOD aftercare, you can almost repot junipers any time a year.
I wouldn't rootprune too much when there's chance at (night)frost though.
I just repotted mine about a week ago. (end of may)
Author:  BGOG [ 01 Jun 2012, 13:53 ]
Post subject:  Re: Re-potting junipers
DEA wrote:
I find that with GOOD aftercare, you can almost repot junipers any time a year.
I wouldn't rootprune too much when there's chance at (night)frost though.
I just repotted mine about a week ago. (end of may)



Thanks for that

It's a cascade juniper that I'm hoping to move from a flat shallow pot to a tall thin pot, so I'm guessing this will need a lot of root pruning. Would this affect when I do it?
Author:  arihato [ 01 Jun 2012, 21:16 ]
Post subject:  Re: Re-potting junipers
No, it might even reduce the need for root pruning. Just comb out the roots.

You might want to take in account the way the high pot holds it's water.
A shallow pot holds more water then a high pot of the same capacity.
The water the high pot holds is in the lower part of the pot.

So the soil might look dry but the tree will have ample water in the lower part of the pot.

BTW: potting Kengai style Bonsai in high pots is Chinese way of potting cascades.
In Japan the Kengai and Hankengai are potted in containers that are mostly as wide as they are deep.

Sorry the inner school master is loose again. :ugeek:
Author:  BGOG [ 05 Jun 2012, 09:16 ]
Post subject:  Re: Re-potting junipers
arihato wrote:
No, it might even reduce the need for root pruning. Just comb out the roots.

You might want to take in account the way the high pot holds it's water.
A shallow pot holds more water then a high pot of the same capacity.
The water the high pot holds is in the lower part of the pot.

So the soil might look dry but the tree will have ample water in the lower part of the pot.

BTW: potting Kengai style Bonsai in high pots is Chinese way of potting cascades.
In Japan the Kengai and Hankengai are potted in containers that are mostly as wide as they are deep.

Sorry the inner school master is loose again. :ugeek:


Thanks, hadn't considered any of that.

I might post a picture of the bonsai and the pot, see if you think it'll work together.

Cheers
Phil
Author:  Xavier de Lapeyre (xtolord) [ 05 Jun 2012, 11:52 ]
Post subject:  Re: Re-potting junipers
I really hate those explanations that goes with "months" to explain when to perform some action.
I live in a tropical island and most of the "months" suggested are completely off the chart from the tips / recommendations.

Even those vegetables and flower seed packets use months to explain when to sow.

My point is that its not really the months but the general weather conditions that should be right.
Having 1 warm days followed my 30 extremely hot days would negatively affect your repotting if you are not careful to protect your newly repotted tree.

Dont forget that the one who posted the comment might NOT be in the same region / zone as you are.
Its like those youtube videos that explain how to do a bonsai by hard prunning a ficus leaving no leaves on the tree.
But there is no warning telling you NOT to do the same with conifers or pines.

The same applies here.
You should know your overall weather patterns and decide if its safe to do the repotting.
If you feel like the weather is getting warmer and warmer, delay it off or do it anyway and take precautions to prevent the soil from completely drying out or the tree from wiltering.

Another factor to take into account might be the strength of the tree itself.
By repotting, I suppose you imply some root pruning.
Does the tree seem fit enough to support the stress?
Author:  arihato [ 05 Jun 2012, 12:07 ]
Post subject:  Re: Re-potting junipers
Xtolord, you are absolutely right.

I would not dare give you advise about repotting, other then stating the conditions you need to be successful. And as I have no experience of caring for Bonsai in the tropics, I would hesitate to say anything and would ask more questions to get some idea of how and what.

It is the reason behind the 'Location' below your avatar.
BTW I did not take your comment personally 8-)
Author:  Xavier de Lapeyre (xtolord) [ 06 Jun 2012, 06:15 ]
Post subject:  Re: Re-potting junipers
:) Sorry about my last post, was not pin pointing anyone in piticular.
Just the use of named months to explain when to perform a task on the bonsai in general.
The august part of the original message set me off :oops: :
BGOG wrote:
"Can also be very successfully repotted during the warmth and humidity of August, however avoid repotting during very hot days."


Like DEA said :
DEA wrote:
I find that with GOOD aftercare, you can almost repot junipers any time a year.


Just dont rush in, think it well before hand.

Consider the different factors, some would be :
+ Does the tree seem strong enough [ bright green leaves? or browning one? Does it have enough foilage? ]
+ How will the roots react in the pot [ Like "Arihato" said, if its a long thin pot, you can and should leave the roots intact as the water will be down the pot ]
+ What aftercare will be needed [ green house, protection against hot weather, misting [?], etc ]

Dont make the same mistake as I did :P
I repotted my juniper and did some pruning at the same time and unfortunately cut off my sacrificial branch - which I did not know at the time was the sacrificial branch as all were in full growth. Kind of sad about it now, but I cant glue it back...
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