Repotting marathon 1

Spring is here - trees are budding out and many are in need of repotting. Some were trees we had last year that were getting difficult to water properly as the root balls compacted and the water started running off. Others were new trees we've got in that were in need of attention, some were trees in the wrong pots and some are customer trees that have come in to be repotted.

The Fagus crenata was in a small unsuitable pot used for import and it was difficult to water last year due to the large spreading plate nebari. I bought a large hawthorn because it was in a very nice japanese blue oval pot that looked a much better option for the beech

The roots are ok, soil is a bit dark and compact so I've washed off as much as possible with a hose

The pot is prepared with mesh, 2.5mm aluminium wires and a soil mix of Akadama, Kiryu and ezo grit. Then a sprinkle of Tibolar fertiliser pellets NPK 4:6:2 are added to sit the tree on..;-)

The tree is balanced on a couple of canes to check position and fit as it saves disturbing the soil and pellets if more pruning is needed - all seems fine so in it goes

The tree has a bit more room and depth to increase vigour   - now it will sit on the shaded side of the garden to recover

Next up a big tree ! Taxus cuspidata that is going to fit into the Aspinal pot in the background

I've been working on this tree 3 or maybe 4 years now and its coming along quite well - the current pot lets me pick it up easily now too. The Ezo grit is a great ingredient for big trees - it is very light so moving the trees is a bit easier.

Next up was a tree bought a few months ago that was in totally the wrong pot. A kashima (or maybe kotohime?)  clump acer in a massive Walsall Ceramics pot - its a lovely pot but not for any acer as it is 6" deep. 

This tree was incredibly heavy to get round onto the benches and once I got it out of the pot it was easy to see why..........pea shingle drainage layer and granite grit with compost. I'm really glad the tree needed repotting straight away as cold wet heavy soil like this is about the worst thing to put a bonsai in.

Now for some epic root reduction !!!!

Heavy woody roots are all cut off and every root growing downwards from under the fused plated underside of the nebari is cut off too. Now we are close to a flat fibrous pad - just a bit more off from all over

Now we have a maple in a proper maple pot

And here is the contrast between the 2 pots

Maples are happy when dry so there is no point making the job harder by using big deep pots and cold wet soil mixes. This tree needs some wiring and pruning soon - I'll give it a week or 2 to settle in though

Along with these I got a big hawthorn, a Rosemary, an Alder and 15 small acer clumps done !!

Hands are frozen now but back to it tomorrow

Rosemary in my first Stone Monkey pot