Bonsai repotting and aftercare

Replanting a bonsai tree is a process that involves cutting old roots and branches of the tree for metabolism. Repotting can be done by beginners without fail by performing the procedure in a timely manner according to the tree species. But repotting aftercare is a little bit hard but if you get enough knowledge about repotting aftercare than there will be no problem for you even as a beginner.

The roots of bonsai are often branched if fertilizer and soil conditions are good, and the roots are filled with roots in a year to a few years.

Not only will it be difficult for water and air to pass through the pots with roots clogged, but there will be no room for new roots to grow, which will cause poor growth and root rot.

Fine roots that absorb water and nutrients have a life span of about half a year to one year, and plants sustain life by growing new roots.

Replanting or repotting is an attempt to create an environment where new roots can grow by removing old roots and replacing them with new soil.

Repotting will cut important roots during the process. Cutting the roots, which are also the support for plants and which absorb water and nutrients into the body, is major surgery for plants.

That's why you should know when and how to do it, and try not to overload the plant

1. Tools necessary for repotting

There are not so many special tools for repotting, but a minimum of preparation is required. The degree of need depends on the size of the bonsai, but please prepare the bonsai soil, pruning scissors, wire, bottom net, sieve, etc.

You can get it from Amazon.

Bowl

The bonsai pot There are tailoring bowl and cosmetic pots, but to everyday culture is said to be such a good soil pot and spoiled hot pot breathable and drainage tailoring pot has been suitable.

However, even if the tree is being tailored, it will be fun to manage every day if you put it in something you like.

There are various color shapes even for mass-produced pots of several hundred dollars each, so regardless of the tailoring pot, please consider the shape, color, and size that can be in harmony with the tree species and tree shape and enjoy the bowling. ..

It would be nice if it had functionality, but once you get used to it, you can bring it in well.

Most famous pots for bonsai are MICA BONSAI POTS and JAPANESE BONSAI POT. you can get easily these pots from amazon.

Pruning shears

The pruning shears used for pruning the branches are also used for organizing the roots. Like the branches, if you don't cut the roots as cleanly as possible, the cut ends may be damaged and it may take time to rot or recover.

For pruning straight roots and main roots, use well-maintained pruning shears to cut off as much as possible.

There are various types of pruning scissors, so it is best to avoid overweight or oversized scissors, and if possible, check the ease of use for your hands before purchasing.

It doesn't have to be expensive, but since scissors are the most used bonsai tools, I think it is better to have good ones at a shop that can be maintained.

It is also convenient to have craft scissors for small maintenance such as the pruning of twigs and roots and cutting of leaves. There are iron and stainless steel, but stainless steel is lighter and less likely to rust, so it is recommended for everyday use.

wire

The wire is used for trimming, but it is used for fixing fertilizer to the soil and for fixing pots and trees when replanting. If it is not fixed firmly, the tree will become loose and will not stabilize, making it difficult for new roots to grow.

There is a wide range of thicknesses, but for small bonsai species, it is recommended to use a thickness of 0.9 mm to 1.6 mm as a guide. Please use a relatively thick and firmly fixed one for repotting. Copper wire is easily oxidized and rusted, so it is convenient to have a coated aluminum wire.

Wire cutting

It is a tool for separating the wire used for fixing.

Substitute with pliers or nippers, but this special wire cutter is useful for detailed work. Since the distance from the fulcrum to the blade is short, it can be cut so well that it can not be compared with nippers, etc. due to the lever principle.

Prices range from a few thousand dollars to 10,000 dollars or more, but it is easier to use the wire cutter as well as the pruning shears, as long as you have the best pruning shears.

Bottom net

It is used to prevent the outflow of soil from the bottom of the pot. The mesh size is selected according to the particle size of the soil, but if it is too large for the soil, the soil will spill, and if it is too fine, drainage will be poor, which is not good.

Neto net (for very small bonsai)

In the case of grass in a small pot or a very small bonsai tree, the soil used is also small, so you cannot use a commercially available bottom net. In this case, it is convenient to use a net that is made of sturdy material and has a small mesh to refill the screen.

It will be easier to use if you divide the screen reshuffling net into small pieces and stretch them between books. Since it is not strong enough, we also recommend copper or stainless wire mesh that can be reused many times. Fine mesh bottom nets are also available in some bonsai gardens and the internet.

Sphagnum

It is a sphagnum moss used for planting Western orchids, but it is also often used for bonsai to fix the soil and protect the moisture after harvesting and replanting. The roots pruned when replanting are very damaged and weak against drying, so sprinkle the sphagnum moss that has been rehydrated with water over the plant to maintain humidity and temperature.

After a while, various bacteria will reproduce and turn green. If the temperature rises, it gets damp and warps, which is bad and should be removed. If you cut it into small pieces with scissors before use, the roots will not get tangled when you remove it, making it safe.

You can use sphagnum as it is, but it is better to use rubber gloves because there are people who get rash with preservatives.

Root cutting

As the name implies, it is used to separate the roots of a bonsai tree. It is also used for thick roots and when potting up locally planted materials. You can also cut the hump.

Tweezers

Tweezers can be used for a variety of purposes such as pest control and shoots, but it is useful when you want to perform detailed work such as loosening the roots of bonsai trees that have been removed from pots or dropping old soil.

Although there are rakes for root loosening, bamboo skewers and tweezers are sufficient for small bonsai. The one in the photo is a little hard, but I am concerned that it is a precise one, so it is just right for replanting. It is recommended that you have a trowel for rooting as shown in the photo so that you can fill the soil and smooth it.

You can loosen the roots to some extent by hand, but it is very convenient to have it when performing more elaborate work or treating a diseased root.

Each manufacturer has various sizes and shapes, so it's a good idea to have some for each application.

Bamboo skewers

It is useful for loosening roots and filling soil after planting. In addition to replanting, it is convenient to have detailed work at hand.

Even if you don't buy it, it's a good idea to wash out the unused chopsticks and yakitori bamboo skewers and save them.

Bamboo skewers with easy-to-grip handles as shown in the photo are recommended.

sieve

It is also used for adjusting the soil size and removing fine dust. Rather than using the soil as it is, it is better to drain fine particles with a sieve to remove fine dust and make the particle size uniform.

I think it is better to select one for medium, small, and fine grains and one with 3 to 5 different meshes and use it properly. It is also possible to collect the separated fine dust and use it as a dumpling after solidifying it with water.

For fine dust removal, it is also easy to put soil in a fine mesh washing net, wash it with water and dry it in the sun. This makes it difficult to collect fine dust, but since fine dust does not fly into the air, it can be done on the balcony of an apartment or condominium.

Palm broom

It is used to smooth the surface of the soil as a finishing work for repotting. It is often used for large bonsai, but it is recommended because it has a palm-size that can also be used for small bonsai. It looks natural and can be used for cleaning after work.

2. Time to repot

Replanting is a heavy burden for plants, so the time to repot is limited. It is common for the seedlings to take less burden and recover faster, but depending on the tree species, it may be replanted around the rainy season during the growing season or in the fall.

Also, please note that a suitable time will differ depending on whether the plant is warm or cold.

① Replanting in early spring

The best time to repot is when the new shoots move most plants become less active as temperatures drop and become dormant from autumn to early spring. The trees that have passed the full-fledged autumn have accumulated enough power to prepare for the next year's sprouting, and the roots have a strong ability to regenerate.

Therefore, replanting in the early spring when the tree finally starts its activity causes the least damage and the recovery is quick.

A good time is just before germination in spring (in the Kanto region from mid-February to early March) . However, since the sprouting condition differs depending on the winter management, tree species, and individual differences, you should replant the plants in order, starting with the ones in which the buds have moved, depending on the condition of each tree.

If the number of pots is large, the number of plants to be replanted will be large and the work will be difficult. It's no wonder if you select what needs to be repotted this year and work on it every day.

Plants of the Rosaceae family are replanted in the fall to prevent root cancer disease, but other trees are also affected by cold damage, so pre-emergence is preferable.

② Replanting during the rainy season

During the rainy season, the temperature is hot and humid, and the growth of plants is active. Recovery is quick after replanting, so it is convenient for replanting tree species that are vulnerable to cold. In addition to citrus fruits, azaleas, stone garlic, and other warm-temperate tree species that are susceptible to cold, it is also possible to replant Morimatsu and Mashiwa during the rainy season.

However, it has a great transpiration effect, so be careful as it may be withered even if the water runs out a little.

Tree-cutting species such as maple and maple can also be replanted in appreciation pots after cutting the leaves.

③ Autumn repotting

Since plants of the Rosaceae family such as longevity plums, bokeh, and wild roses are susceptible to root diseases (root head cancer disease), it is common to replant them in the fall when bacterial activity declines, also for disinfection.

For disinfection and sterilization, a streptomycin-based disinfectant such as coconut mastomycin solution is used.

It is possible to replant warm climate citrus fruits and black pine trees around autumn (mid-September to early October).

However, plants replanted in autumn will suffer more cold damage than usual, so be careful in protecting winter. Some lovers dare to repot in early spring to avoid the risk of winter.

3. Replanting procedure

When repotting soil, it is easier to remove the root if it is dry and the work is easier, so refrain from irrigation in advance. Prepare some tools for potting and some candidate pots. Even if you have a pot you want to put in, you will not know if it will come in as you want unless you remove it from the original pot and arrange the roots.

It is also important to carefully decide in advance the concept of the position and angle to plant, and it will be a practice of pot matching.

01, remove from the bowl

First, pull out the root bowl. Since the root and the bottom of the pot are fixed with wire, remove the fixed part with a wire cutter, taking care not to damage the remaining root.

There is no problem if you remove it immediately, but it will be difficult to remove those that have been planted in inner pots or deep pots and have not been replanted for many years.

Please be careful about the replanting interval and the shape of the pot, as it may cause you to break the pot.

First, check the root condition of the potting material. The pot seedlings that I often see are those that are planted thick and potted up or those that have been cultivated for several years with seedlings and cuttings. Even if you like the above-ground part and buy it, you can not understand what the root is like without extracting it.

When digging out, it is not uncommon for the trunk to be hidden further and for the radish to stretch like a tuna. With such a material, the roots will be well organized, and starting from the start and making the roots.

02, organize roots

There is no problem if the trees are cut down hard. while working, be careful not to damage the roots you need and use a root loosening tool to remove the old soil.

Loosen the roots from the bottom soil and its surroundings, and finally wipe off the old soil, moss, and dust from the top soil with a toothbrush.

Although it depends on the tree species, it is safe to reduce the amount of soil dropped to about half for young trees and 20-30% for finished trees and old trees.

After dropping the soil, prune the roots. Trim the roots according to when the soil was dropped. Some roots need to be treated for the first time after they are purchased, so be sure to clean up the roots by using branch cutting.

If you do not do this, you will not be able to get good roots as one root and only the shoots will grow. Those that branch well and have a lot of fine roots do not die much even if deeply pruned, but roots of legumes such as burdock root dandelion and waterless sparrow and roya persimmons may die when cutting radishes. 

03, put it in a bowl

Once the roots have been removed, add them to a new bowl. As well as the size and the number of roots to be left, the pots that fit will differ depending on the tree species and tree shape, so prepare some candidate pots.

Also, once fixed, it will be troublesome to redo it, so decide the planting position, direction, and angle.

There are some rules for bowl selection, but the range of personal enjoyment is free. The color shape is your preference if you pay attention to the size of the pot so that you do not have to forcibly arrange the roots when you need to change the pot before the exhibition.

However, if you try to put it in a small bowl forcibly, it will be out of shape and difficult to manage. You can make a good tree by tightening the pots, but sometimes it is important to loosen it and grow roots.

It is safer to use a tailoring pot if the tree is weak, the tree is in the process of being tailored, or the roots are largely arranged. Let's put it in a pot that suits the size and vigor of the tree.

04, add the bottom soil and the source fertilizer

1) Attach the pot bottom net to the bottom hole of the pot prepared in advance. At this time, you can pass through the wire that fixes the tree.

2) Lay rough ground thinly on the lower layer. For Goro soil, use a well-drained material such as Akatama soil, Amagi sand, and river gravel, which have large grain sizes. you can read this article for the best soil for bonsai.

Furthermore, add basic soil to about 1/3 of the pot. At this time, if you pay attention so that the center becomes a mountain shape, it will be difficult to create a gap between the root and the soil.

3) After laying the soil on the bottom, put slow-release fertilizer such as Magamp K as the basic fertilizer on it.

There are large, medium, and small grains, but the smallest bonsai is suitable for small bonsai.

4) Put the tree in a pot with bottom soil and original fertilizer to determine the position and angle, and temporarily fix it with a wire once it is decided.

One method is to pass the wire from the bottom of the bowl to the U shape in advance. If you get used to it, you may hold it down with your hands and fill it with soil, and then finally fix it with a wire.

Temporary fixing is the same as the screws on the furniture that you can assemble, lightly tighten it at the beginning, and secure it at the end.

It is better to loosen a little to hold the soil, and fine adjustment is also possible, so fix it in two steps.

5) Add soil for temporary fixing. If you put it on the whole, tap the pot lightly like shaking the sieve to fill the gap to some extent.

6) When the soil is sufficiently filled, insert the soil with a bamboo skewer so that the soil can be filled into even smaller areas without gaps.

The root is fixed with the wire passed from below

When you have enough soil, use pliers to firmly secure it. If they are not fixed or if the soil is not filled properly, the trees will sway and new roots will not grow, which will affect subsequent growth.

There are several ways to fix, and if the upper root is sufficient, you can bind both ends of the wire that passed through the bottom hole in a U shape with the root of the wire, or hook the wire to the root and fix it at the bottom of the pot. I can do it. When there are no roots to hook with only thin roots, or when planting in a thin pot that is difficult to fix, various measures are taken depending on the state of the root, such as tying the pot and trunk in a cross with a hemp string.

It is okay to tighten the pine nuts hard, but the tree roots with many fine roots tend to crush the tissue, so be careful not to use too much force to tighten the wires or overfill the soil.

Fixing in replanting is very important not only for the ornamental aspect but also for the subsequent growth, so it is best to make a number and gain experience. After the replanting work is completed, irrigate the bottom of the pot until it drains completely.

If a small amount of dust remains in the medium, the water will become cloudy at first.

It's best to apply a sieve to remove the dust, but if you can't do this, wash it clean. Repeat irrigation until the water flowing from the bottom of the pot is clear.

If you are worried, soak the pot in water with a bucket a few times, as the water will also drain the soil.

05, protect with sphagnum

Finally, rehydrate with water and sprinkle finely chopped sphagnum moss on the surface to prevent drying.

If you make it thick, it will get damp and insects will spring up, so it is important to put it thin. Although the moisturizing effect is low, it is also an idea to cut the fruit tree net to an appropriate length and cover it to prevent soil runoff.

Remove the sphagnum moss in 1-2 months when the rooting becomes stable.

Replanting time and interval of herbs

The grasses are tough and fertile, so they can be replanted at any time during the spring and growing seasons. Basically, rather than replanting, it is like splitting the stock when the root becomes severe.

The more water and fertilizer the more it will overflow from the pot, but if the management is good, it will grow well without being replanted for many years even if it is small.

It is good to grow slowly, but it is a good undergrowth for bonsai, it fits well, and it can be grown with almost no fertilizer.

If you cultivate in a small pot, it will tighten tightly, but if you do not have a pot, an empty coffee fresh container with a bottom hole and a lid for a plastic bottle are enough.

A well-made item can be mistaken for just by moving it to a dressing bowl, so you can enjoy it as a dressing table for a decorative seat or as a stand-alone unit

Bonsai repotting aftercare

.When replanting bonsai, there are four things to note: wind, sunlight, watering, and fertilization. For 2 weeks after replanting, place it in a place where it will not be exposed to wind and manage it.

When a strong wind hits, the rootstock that has just been replanted will loosen and the rooting will be bad, so use a vinyl string to connect the root of the rootstock to the outside of the pot and fix it.

You can manage the replanted bonsai in a place where it is exposed to the sunlight, but you can manage the bonsai trees that are shrubbery and the bonsai trees that have dropped a lot of root-soil indoors.

Do not sprinkle water vigorously, sprinkle gently, and don't forget to give leaf water. The replanted bonsai will not take root until at least one month has passed, so fertilize it when new shoots emerge and the tree becomes vigorous.

Beginners can improve the technique as well as the view of bonsai not only by improving the technique but also by looking at the bonsai by keeping the time of the tree species and gaining a lot of experience of replanting according to the procedure, so try the actual replanting work without fear of failure. Would you like to?