Bonsai care - how to repot a bonsai tree | Part 2: reasons to NOT repot

[@iamlowkeyedits]

I already have 3, 2 year old plants I'm working with. Listening to you is very informative and calming xo

[@BlueSkyBonsai]

Thanks, glad you're enjoying my videos! 🙏

[@jackiemonroejemfpv4204]

I like this guy chilled and laidback personality. It feels like he is sharing a secret.✌️😎

[@BlueSkyBonsai]

Hahaha that's the kind of comment I enjoy reading 😊 Thanks Jackie!

[@shaolinshadowsoldier]

Great reminders, how easy it is to get carried away when bonsai fever takes hold!

[@BlueSkyBonsai]

Thanks! Yes it's very easy to get carried away with bonsai when you get right into the zone! I've found watching others' videos a great way to satiate my bonsai fix when it's too cold or wet or dark outside.

[@PumpkinBecki]

Really enjoying this series Dave 😊 Excellent advice and a cheeky peek at all your trees 😎😍xx

[@BlueSkyBonsai]

Thanks Rebecca, glad you're enjoying it! I have to get down to finishing part 3 now before easter... gotta get it out my system! And in another video I think I will have to show all the Other trees, including over 100 cuttings and seedlings of this and that, it's probably about time that I started sending some of them to subscribers! 😁

[@TheBonsaiGarden]

Always very well delivered. Clearly and concisely explained and nicely edited. Keep up the great work David 👍

[@BlueSkyBonsai]

Thank you Jason! More coming soon 😊👍🏻

[@care4animals114]

Thanks heaps Dave, you covered a lot. Glad you explained the seasons cycle of growth etc which I didn't know

[@BlueSkyBonsai]

Thanks, I'm glad you found it useful!

[@RosarioCostanzo]

Hi Dave, very interesting video! Remembering to be sure to have enough soil before to start a repot is a great tip!!! I think it's one of the most underrated things for people who starts with bonsai. Specially at the beginning, it's easy to make this mistake. Thanks for sharing it!

[@BlueSkyBonsai]

Thanks so much! I suppose it's one of those things that in one way seems like common sense, but for sure I've been caught short before, with not enough soil and I had to cover the roots with the old extracted sloppy soil until I bought some fresh akadama. Cheers!

[@jeffhurst4744]

Another informative discussion on repotting . Six good reasons. I express all to friends/relatives new to Bonsai. Keep them coming my friend.

[@BlueSkyBonsai]

Thanks Jeff, really appreciate your encouraging feedback. Part 3 coming soon!

[@isidroalbertgarcia2396]

Nice Dave! Thanks again!

[@BlueSkyBonsai]

Cheers Isidro! 👍🏻

[@DoBonsai]

My name is DO Bonsai and I'm going to be talking about only one reason why everybody should watch your videos. You realy teach Bonsai.

[@BlueSkyBonsai]

Thanks a lot DO Bonsai! AND EVERYONE PLEASE WATCH DO Bonsai's channel, I have been really enjoying his videos over the last year 🌳👍🏻

[@DoBonsai]

@@BlueSkyBonsai ohhhh thank you very much bro.

[@BlueSkyBonsai]

@@DoBonsai 👍🏻😊

[@bobbymalta73]

You'r such a Phenomenone mate im learning a lot from you.. Bless you and your Dear ones.🤝

[@BlueSkyBonsai]

Thank you Bobbymalta!! Merry Christmas to you and your loved ones!

[@katedodd79]

Great info', thanks Dave. Your garden is beautiful. I'm obsessed with watching/staring at the buds break and tiny leaves on my Hornbeam - just love spring. And (cross fingers) may be able to have 2 friends in the garden next weekend to show off my crude bonsai bench!

[@BlueSkyBonsai]

Thanks Kate! Yes those little buds are really beautiful, I could watch them all spring if I didn't have to do 50 more repots... Would love to see your bonsai bench! So is Boris allowing houae visits now? I guess in the garden is not a major risk..

[@katedodd79]

@@BlueSkyBonsai - No, we won't be allowed to mix indoors until mid-May (and only if R number goes down), but hoping he announces Monday that we can meet up to 6 people outdoors.

[@BlueSkyBonsai]

@@katedodd79 fingers crossed for Monday then. Here in Spain we're not allowed to travel between the autonomous regions but we can travel out of the country or into the country. Such disjointed rules. People are travelling home for easter on cheap flights via other countries to avoid the regional lockdown.

[@JGGPilot]

Dave! Thank you for the awesome video!

[@BlueSkyBonsai]

Thanks José Antonio!

[@Bonsaicare86]

Thank you for the great explanation

[@BlueSkyBonsai]

You're welcome! Thanks for watching 😊

[@gentkapiti5528]

Great content THANK YOU

[@BlueSkyBonsai]

Thank YOU too, I appreciate your comments! 🌳👍🏻

[@tasanastasi7799]

Thanks Dave love your shelving hope to do similar this spring ;)

[@BlueSkyBonsai]

Thanks Tas! Looking forward to spring :)

[@stevenliddell9705]

Out of all the Bonsai Masters on you tube. I would recommend this channel or (Back Garden Bonsai) if you want to learn anything other than how to climb a mountain or use a dremel🤣 another great video Dave 👍

[@BlueSkyBonsai]

Thank you so much Steven! I also really enjoy watching back garden bonsai's videos. Cheers 😊👍🏻

[@wadmadhushan4434]

Very important vedio clip. Thank you sir

[@BlueSkyBonsai]

Thanks WAD Madhushan! I always appreciate your comments.

[@mattbrennan647]

Two thumbs up. Another informative video. Thanks

[@BlueSkyBonsai]

Thanks Matt! 👍🏻👍🏻😁

[@bonsaimadeinaceh4267]

Good jobs my friends 👍👍

[@BlueSkyBonsai]

Thanks so much! 🌳👍🏻

[@BostonBonsaiIdiot]

I’m totally torn on what to do with my monster Norway maple. I need to chop that 6’ leader back down to continue to build the trunk, I know that for sure. I had also planned to repot it this spring since it’s been two years. I’m not sure if it’s pot bound, and I worry that if it’s not, lifting it out to check will cause a huge mess and it will be a struggle to get it back into the pot (it’s a giant pot with a ton of soil). I also want to continue to expose the deadwood on the trunk that is currently buried so that it doesn’t have weird striations of rot lines when it’s all finally exposed. FURTHERMORE (last variable, I promise), I repotted one of my smaller NMaples and to my surprise/ horror, the roots had gone crazy and filled the terra cotta pot that the tree was in. Turns out they’re extremely vigorous (video to come). David, this is hard. How the hell do I make these decisions? Signed, A desperate idiot

[@BlueSkyBonsai]

Dear Desperate from Bonsai, don't despair! Your dilemma is soon to be resolved (ha that's easy for me to say sitting in a car in the queue of a BK drive thru, yes wifey is away and I haven't dusted off the BBQ yet.) Anyhoo, here's what I would do. Repot it now and give it a good root prune, start developing the radial root base and remove the downward, and underground fat woody roots... do that now and it will carry on leafing out like nothing has happened. Then at about end june when it has drunk up all that sun juice for a few months, chop the top then. I have a tall thin sycamore in the exact same situation. Needs a top chop but that can wait until summer. Root pruning soon to minimise any risk, although from what you've said about the NMs there probably isn't much risk. Looking forward to your vid!!

[@BostonBonsaiIdiot]

@@BlueSkyBonsai and so it is said, so it will be. That will be the plan. Thanks bro, and don’t be ashamed; the BK drive through is a special treat for all and is NEVER NOT delicious!!

[@BlueSkyBonsai]

@@BostonBonsaiIdiot hey now it's my turn to ask your advice, since you've got some good experience with dawn redwoods. Earlier in the local garden center I saw a group planting of 5 Metasequoias for only €65. First time I've seen any here. I wasn't looking for them; they jumped out at me and shouted BUY ME. But I didn't. Now I'm regretting. Are DRWs easy to maintain? All five were about the same height, shohin-ish, about 1/4 inch thick, but not really ramified - formal uprights... a future forest. Is 65€ good value for these? (Let's say $80 US) They're not common here so it seems good, but five twigs at $15 per twig is not exactly cheap.

[@BostonBonsaiIdiot]

@@BlueSkyBonsai Hmm...hard for me to say. The only one that I've ever bought was a much more developed tree (5'-0" or so when I bought it) and that cost me about $100, if memory serves me right. Doing the math, $85 for a few cutting-ish twigs does seem like a lot, but hey...supply and demand I guess. Part 2 of my response, "their growth habits/ vigor": They're fucking beasts. They grow incredibly fast and from what I've heard, they're hard to kill. Even if you buy that forest, it may be worth breaking it up into individual trees in their own larger pots (or the ground) to get them all thick, which would only take a couple of years. Part 3 of my response, "my cutting experience": I just opened up my DR cutting box for the first time the other day, and it seems like (spoiler alert) most have made it. I've got about 15 of them in pots now, and plan to make a MILLION cuttings very soon. If I can get my act together to send out either potted specimens or cuttings, I'll send you a bunch. I'm not a very worldly person and so I've never sent anything internationally, but Jared tells me it gets pricey real quick, so we'll see what I'm able to do. Hang tight...I'll let you know soon.

[@BlueSkyBonsai]

@@BostonBonsaiIdiot cheers man! That all sounds like good advice. I should give it a miss, it's probably not so great value, and I can wait... FOR THE BOSTON-BONSAI-BRED REDWOOD!!!! If the postage turns out to be expensive I can paypal it to you, you've just helped me save 65€ so you shouldn't take the hit on sending cost!

[@jacktaylor6190]

Liked that colander you used, they are great pots for Bonsai training.

[@BlueSkyBonsai]

Cheers Jack. Yes they are great for encouraging the fine roots. In summer 2022 I'll do another repot of that olive and reveal the roots.

[@jacktaylor6190]

@@BlueSkyBonsai I will look forward to that

[@BlueSkyBonsai]

@@jacktaylor6190 thanks! Well it's a long time to wait but I have plenty of repots to do in the meantime...

[@jacktaylor6190]

@@BlueSkyBonsai At my age it's what keeps me going, hoping I make it!

[@BlueSkyBonsai]

@@jacktaylor6190 sure you will! I can't think of a better way to spend my retirement when the year finally arrives.

[@BackGardenBonsai]

I’ve definitely broken most of these rules 🤣 even though I know I shouldn’t.

[@BlueSkyBonsai]

lol yeah I've broken most of them too, but I suppose it's about minimising risk rather than hard-and-fast rules. Most trees will survive repotting at the wrong time, but some don't...

[@stevenvitali7404]

Another great video, very helpful information, when I repot my indoor Chinese plum should I just take the whole plant out with the soil if the new pot is bigger and then use the acadama to fill in, or rake most of the old soil from the rootball and use new acadama soil, it's just that it looks like ordinary potting compost is in there, the plant has done really well tho the last 14 months, the new pot is 5 cm bigger all around

[@BlueSkyBonsai]

Thanks Steven! Because you very recently gave it a severe pruning on the canopy, I would wait another month until late April or early May, then carefully rake away the old potting compost, so you can start developing a radial root plane. One thing that Bonsai has taught me over the years, is to be patient with timing... work on the roots at the right time will make your future root work easier in years to come. However if you're really keen to repot it now then definitely the safest way is to keep all the old compost and slip pot it like in my video. If you do slip pot it, there is no risk to the tree, but then you will need to sort out the root system in the future. But that is perfectly okay if that's how you want to handle it now. Either way it'll do fine for at least two years in the bigger pot before needing the next repot.

[@stevenvitali7404]

I will definitely wait another month and be patient, thanks again for your help

[@BlueSkyBonsai]

@@stevenvitali7404 you're welcome! When you do it, take a photo of the roots before and after the root prune because from one repot to the next you can easily forget how the root system was.

[@stevenvitali7404]

@@BlueSkyBonsai great tip, thanks, will do that

[@BlueSkyBonsai]

@@stevenvitali7404 👍🏻

[@anilbhardwaj271]

Hi Dev,Great information

[@BlueSkyBonsai]

Hi Anil, thank you! Hope you found it useful.

[@anilbhardwaj271]

Witch type soil i use in summer may june ,temprature is so high 45

[@BlueSkyBonsai]

@@anilbhardwaj271 I use 50% akadama, 50% organic soil, all seived to granules of 3mm to 5mm so there is good drainage. And... I water them A LOT in summer. It gets up to 40° here in summer.

[@rosemacaskie]

In winter trees round here, Spain, tees put on new twigs and after all, though the leaves fall off trees in winter they do hae green just under the bark, are they truly totally dormant?

[@BlueSkyBonsai]

There are a lot of species that are considered semi-dormant like Chinese elm. But even when dormant, there should still be a layer of green cambium under the bark. That green cambium layer is our best tool as arborists to judge if the tree is alive.

[@hobbledmantis1733]

Hey Blue Sky Bonsai, I have a video idea that would also be very informative. Would you do a video on The best type of Led lights to use for Bonsai indoor plants in the future??

[@BlueSkyBonsai]

Thanks Yoshii Son, great suggestion. Not sure I'm the most qualified person to do such a comparison or review of grow lights, I only have a couple of them and I rely on sunlight for 11 months of the year... however that kind of video sounds like a lot of fun to research and film so maybe I could do it next winter. 🌳👍🏻

[@packing999]

Great video. I thi k I focus too much on getting a nice radial root base that I don't let them develop long enough

[@BlueSkyBonsai]

Thanks! Radial root base is good, and it's fine to keep pruning them every year as long as you don't want the tree to grow much bigger.

[@jamaxk1373]

Where did you get your pot for the maple at 5:27? I'm looking for similar and all have lips or designs and I just want a nice cream straight sided oval pot

[@BlueSkyBonsai]

Try here: www.laosgarden.com/gb/new/2128-bonsai-pot-y2008ab.html

[@richardandrew01]

Hi Dave. Just wrote to ask some advice again. I have an olive tree bonsai here which leaves are curling and drying off due to overwatering. I didnt overwater it but i live where there is a lot of rainfall. The branches are still green, so i repotted it in well draining soil. Is there a chance that it will recover? The roots are brown and a bit mushy but there are still a few white roots. Can i remove the curling leaves or should I just let them on the tree? Thank you very much for your valuable advice. 😊

[@BlueSkyBonsai]

Hi, yes I think there is a chance it will recover in well draining soil. If the branches are still green and there are a few white roots I think it has a chance. I don't think you need to remove the curling leaves, it should drop the ones it doesn't need. Good luck!

[@migueschindler]

Amazing videos! you have a new subscriber. Would you say it is still a good time now to repot a Chinese Juniper to a shallower pot?

[@BlueSkyBonsai]

Thanks so much! Assuming you're in the northern hemisphere so its spring, yes it's a good time to repot your juniper. I have three different juniper species, I will repot all three later in spring. You can do it right up to june without problems. Thanks for subscribing, look out for part 3 coming soon!

[@gslad3901]

Hey there Dave! I had to do a repotting on my brazilian rain tree 2 weeks ago and now it is losing a ton of leaves and it is starting to worry me. Is there anything I can do to boost its health/ growth? any advice would be a huge help!

[@BlueSkyBonsai]

Hi, where are you in the world? also do you have your Brazilian rain indoors or out? normally I wouldn't repot a tree in autumn, except slip-potting without pruning the roots. in any case you can help to reduce transpiration in the leaves (which should help keep the leaves even though there is less water available from the depleted roots). Cover the whole tree with a clear plastic bag, and mist with water inside the bag. keep it in light but not direct sunlinght. growlamps are good after repotting. it will probably throw off more leaves before it stabilizes and starts growing again. keep it in the high humidity and light for a few weeks, it should hopefully come back.

[@gslad3901]

@@BlueSkyBonsai I have my rain tree indoors under a full spectrum grow lamp. I repotted because it looked like it was getting root rot in the starter pot it was in (it was but not too severe). I am in the US in New Mexico so it''s pretty dry here most of the year..

[@BlueSkyBonsai]

@@gslad3901 so definitely the bag trick should help. Also no fertilizer until after you see plenty of new growth. Fert does not help revive plants; the fertilizer salts in the roots make it harder for the roots to suck up water when they are unable to supply enough water to the leaves.

[@josephcowan651]

Question if i start a repot and don’t have enough soil to finish the job would i be okay to soak the roots until i get more soil? I’m not in this situation yet and i likely wont be for some time as i just started my first trees and i’m starting from seeds. So this is a question for future knowledge. (I love the channel by the way keep up the great work)

[@BlueSkyBonsai]

Thanks! Yes, you can put the roots in water for several hours, or in the worst case you can even leave them in water over night. But you don't want to leave them in water for more than a day or two because they will be starved of oxygen. Also leave it in the shade so the water doesn't heat up in the sun!

[@josephcowan651]

@@BlueSkyBonsai thank you! Thats good to know if i ever find myself in that situation the reply is much appreciated.

[@viniciuslanabr]

Hey Blue Sky Bonsai, did you use an RF 85mm f2 lens to record this video?

[@BlueSkyBonsai]

Yes! All the across-garden filming was done at 85mm f/2. Also, some of the first 2 munutes of this video so you can see how it looks when you walk about shooting with the lens kzbin.info/www/bejne/ioOyn6miepl9fJY I also used a gimball stabilizer to keep the picture perfectly horizontal.

[@viniciuslanabr]

@@BlueSkyBonsai Thank you very much!! I intend to put my camera on the tripod and film myself sitting talking to the viewer. The video would be close up on my face and neck with the background blurred. Would this lens work well for this type of video with f/2 for good background blur?

[@BlueSkyBonsai]

@@viniciuslanabr yes you would get very nice smooth background blur. But the 85mm with your head and neck filling the frame at aperture f/2, your eyes would be sharply in focus while the front of your nose and back of your ears would already be out of focus. That's how thin the focal plane is at f/2 at 85mm. It means if you move you head forward just a couple of inches, your eyes will move out of the focal plane, and out of focus, unless the lens AF keeps up with your movement. So at that close distance, you might need to either stop down to f/4, or try at f/2 and see how well the AF tracks you as you naturally move your head forward and back. I've found the R6 tracks focus better than the RP. Have you tried the RF 50/1.8 lens? It's a lot cheaper and you might find similar results. Especially on a tripod. The 50/1.8 doesn't have image stabilizer like the 85/2 does.

[@viniciuslanabr]

@@BlueSkyBonsai I intend to buy a Canon R8 as it suits my budget. My main goal is to have a great background blur, to make my presence on screen stand out.. I think I'll go for the 85mm. What do you think of the Canon EF 100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM?

[@BlueSkyBonsai]

@@viniciuslanabr I haven't tried the EF 100 macro but it's probably excellent. Having said that, the RF 85/2 is pretty good for macro even though it's not intended as such.

[@MrBananaxXx]

Is there a go to soil you should use or does it depend?

[@BlueSkyBonsai]

It depends on a few things. Your location is a big deal because in Europe and East Asia and Australia, Akadama is a good soil for a lot of tree species, especially for maples. I mix in some pumice, and chopped pine bark, all smallish granule size. But you need more acidic soil for Azaleas and Camelias - I use Kanuma for those. Also if you're in USA - I have been told that imported akadama is too expensive and not good quality (crumbles too easily), so in USA you would need to find another soil granule type to substitute the akadama.

[@Deshojo78]

I’m guessing the tree will recover overtime if you trim the roots and the branches at the same time? Probably just slowed it down for a season or two?

[@BlueSkyBonsai]

@@Deshojo78 if a tree is in good health and very vigorous then potentally yes, it could just slow down the growth for that year. But if it's in poor health or not growing vigorously, then removing so much energy from roots and branches could kill the tree. Also I still wouldn't prune roots and branches of deciduous trees because they have a shorter growing season.

[@Deshojo78]

@@BlueSkyBonsai the reason why I’m asking is I did that to a Japanese maple last spring/winter. I pruned the roots and the canopy and I didn’t get much growth this summer. The tree is doing great so maybe next summer I’ll get more growth.

[@BlueSkyBonsai]

@@Deshojo78 yes I bet it'll spring back to life vigorously in Spring!

[@Deshojo78]

@@BlueSkyBonsai by the way, I love your book!!

[@BlueSkyBonsai]

@@Deshojo78 Thanks! Great to hear you like it. It would be brilliant if you could leave a review on Amazon, that might help others find the book! But no worries if you prefer not to of course.

[@SysterYster]

I failed to repot three of my bonsai. They have opened their leaves fully now and are growing. So, maybe better to just wait with the root cutting this year? Let them sit in a bigger pot?

[@BlueSkyBonsai]

You could either tourniquet the tap root, or just leave them for another year. Tourniquet will slowly deal with the tap root without the risk of trees suffering now yhey have leafed out. But leaving them for another year would also be perfectly ok, as long as their pots are not too small.

[@SysterYster]

@@BlueSkyBonsai tourniquet?? I don't know what that means. But I was thinking to slip-pot(?) them. Just move them to bigger pots and let them grow. They're not huge anyway, so some extra growing won't hurt. :)

[@SysterYster]

@@BlueSkyBonsai Oh! Did I tell you three of my horse chestnuts sprouted? :D They're so big... lol. I'm not sure they'll be very good as bonsai. XD But I'll try. :D

[@BlueSkyBonsai]

@@SysterYster please watch this video then you'll know almost everything you need to know about touniquets. kzbin.info/www/bejne/gZuXdIWgbpuapbc Congrats on the horse chestnuts! You *can* make them into bonsai but you might consider a taller bonsai than most so that the massive compound leaves don't completely dwarf the rest of the tree. The leaf size can be reduced somewhat but ultimately they look better as big trees than bonsai. We have one in the garden and I don't want one as a bonsai.

[@SysterYster]

@@BlueSkyBonsai Will do. :) Thank you. I watched Heron's Bonsai, and he said they work as big bonsai. So I thought I'd try. :) In the worst case, if I feel they are just too big, I'll plant them somewhere outdoors. :)

[@lilicesar8386]

TYSVM ♡

[@BlueSkyBonsai]

YW 😊

[@davidcastro6524]

Hola Dave! Acabo de descubrir yu canal y me parece muy interesante. Podrías habilitar la traducción al español en todos ellos? Muchas gracias!

[@BlueSkyBonsai]

Hola David, si miras mis vídeos en un ordenador, KZbin te da la opción de autotraducir los subtítulos en español. El app de móvil no nos da esa opción, por tanto en el móvil solo ves los subtítulos que he traducido manualmente. En algun momento cuando tenga tiempo, traduciré los otros vídeos también. Gracias por ver mis vídeos!

[@bobbymalta73]

Hello Friend what is the idea to use that kind of mash pots in 2:00 2:13? Cheers..

[@BlueSkyBonsai]

Hi! We use those pots for the best fine root development. When roots grow to the edge, they meet air and light and stop growing (instead of wrapping round and round the pot). This encourages new fine roots to grow nearer the trunk base. For bonsai, we need as many fine roots as possible for best health within a small pot. Thick roots are only used for appearance radially on the surface (nebari), but under the soil thick roots take up too much space and don't help the tree in a pot. So for training the roots, we sometimes use these ugly air pots or colanders for a few years. HTH

[@carolficorilli9768]

how do you thicken bonsai trunks

[@BlueSkyBonsai]

Plant the bonsai in a big, deep pot and let it grow unhindered for 3 years. You'll see how, with much bigger branches and huge toal area of foliage, the trunk will grow thicker much faster (than in a small pot with frequent pruning.)

[@jonnecleef5548]

When are there new video’s? Would love to see more about the red maple (:

[@BlueSkyBonsai]

Thanks! Next video should come soon, time permitting. there are a couple of shots of the red Japanese maple Deshojo in it...

[@jonnecleef5548]

@@BlueSkyBonsai looking forward to it (:

[@BlueSkyBonsai]

@@jonnecleef5548 thank you, I hope it doesn't disappoint!

[@jacobhyslop6737]

my bonsai has a disease, going to apply fungicide today . Do I need to repot ? Hawaiian umbrella .

[@BlueSkyBonsai]

I don't know about the Hawaiian umbrella, but, I can tell you I never tepot at the same time as treating a problem like an infection or an infestation on the tree. If the roots have become potbound then sure, slip pot it into a bigger pot, but otherwise deal with the fungal infection now and repot next spring!

[@passdasalt]

Wait, I thought if you prune the roots you should also prune the branches to balance out the demand on the diminished root system? For example, a new tree bought from a nursery that you want to start to decrease the root ball.

[@BlueSkyBonsai]

If it's a vigorous grower in top health, which I'm guessing is the case being from a nursery, then yes you can use this opportunity to remove some branches and roots. But why are you in a hurry to do so? - It would be gentler and healthier long term to remove the branches now in summer and wait until spring to repot and prune the roots. Then you don't even need to worry about the balancing question. I wrote an article about it here: blueskybonsai.wordpress.com/2023/04/20/balancing-branches-and-roots/ Hope that helps!

[@passdasalt]

@BlueSkyBonsai Thanks for answering! I'm in Australia, so it's late winter here. It (lilly pilly) was vigorous but very pot bound. I reduced the roots and the branches by about a third. Hopefully, it thrives come spring!

[@suisekirussia..2526]

Красотища!!!!💓💓💓💓💓

[@BlueSkyBonsai]

Спасибо!!!! 🌳😊

[@BackSeatHump]

Where is this "part 3" then? I can't find it.

[@BlueSkyBonsai]

It's this video, 25 tips for healthy repotting. kzbin.info/www/bejne/qnWsg61ojqubnNk I just forgot to label it as part 3... I'll go back and change its name soon, and add part 3.

[@BackSeatHump]

@@BlueSkyBonsai Ta! 😄

[@clipngrowbonsai6946]

Hey Dave! Here again with my stupid questions 😇 so, have you ever had troubles with the infamous "perched water table" in your pots? If yes, then how did you manage to solve it?

[@BlueSkyBonsai]

Hi CnG, I like your questions! I never had that problem, because it's always so dry and warm here in Madrid in summer. The perched water table is a good thing in this climate because it only lasts an hour or so until the top and middle soil start drying and suck up the perched water by capillary action. In winter I tend to water a less frequently, but still always enough water to make sure water comes out of the drainage holes, so the perched water is being replaced by fresh, oxygenated water. If it were wetter and/or cooler here, then I wouldn't use larger stones on the base of the pot (larger stones at the bottom raise the level of the perched water table). I would also use less retentive soil - like more pumice & gravel, and less organic granules. But here everything dries in a matter of minutes (literally in summer) so I can use more retentive soil and a perched water table. That still water is fine if it's always temporary and replaced frequently with fresh oxygen-rich water.

[@clipngrowbonsai6946]

Haha i hope you would always reply even when your channel gets bigger 😄 Thanks a lot for the explanation, it's very dry here, humidity below 25% and temps around 40°C but my perched water table sits for a while in the bottom of the pot (my bonsai soil mix is 1:1:1:1 of coarse sand, perlite, crushed bricks and leaf compost respectively all sifted to a size larger than 2 mm) , how long do you reckon is detrimental for the roots?

[@BlueSkyBonsai]

@@clipngrowbonsai6946 there is no standard length for pruning the roots. But when you're repotting you want to get the roots short enough that they fit radially in the pot with a bit of space to spare at the ends. Evidently this means the smaller the pot, the less the root mass you have remaining. So keep the leaves humid for a week or so after, especially on the day and day after repotting. no direct sunlight for a week or so, and no fertilizer for about 6-8 weeks after repotting. On the day of repotting, the roots go into "root shock" and don't supply enough water to the branches so you have to stop the leaves from transpiring during that time. Transpiration sucks in water through the leaf veins (xylem) but if that water isn't available, the leaf withers and dies. Hence keep it 100% humid the day of the repot. HTH.

[@pjbabu2169]

Hi David sir how r u This is PJ I Watch u r videos and i follows ur suggestions Sir i have japanese red mapple, I surch some online shops but there no sales japanese mapple Please, if u don't mine courear to me red mapple😔

[@BlueSkyBonsai]

Hi PJ, thanks! But I'm sorry I can't send any, I have only two red maple bonsais and I'm obsessively in love with them!! I'm sure you understand.

[@edinborogh]

Awesome video! Thanks for the content!

[@BlueSkyBonsai]

Thanks! Wow you were quick to watch & comment 👍🏻🍻

[@JungleScene]

Im in a predicament with a mugo pine and whether or not to repot: Its in development in a nursery pot and has blight. the soil they planted in is way too much organics and not draining enough which is likely the cause of the blight in the first place. I know you arent supposed to repot a sick tree, but what if its potting situation is the cause of the sickness. Should I repot and risk losing the tree, or do I try and make due even with unideal soil situation and try to get it healthy first?

[@BlueSkyBonsai]

Here's what I would do. Unpot it and inspect the roots, smell the soil. Get rid of bad soil, compact, densest soil and if you see any rotting roots it's always best to get rid of them before the rot spreads. Then slip pot the remaining rootball into a better draining pot with good draining soil under and around the edges. Then in end-Aug or September you can re-assess its health and if it has recovered decide if you want to properly repot. Mugos are fine with repotting at the end of summer - I have a mugo and have repotted it in september twice, didn't even blink. (Several years ago I read on Bonsai4me that mugos are unusual in that they seem to prefer repotting in late summer, and my experience confirms that) You probably haven't got the time to watch back through all my videos, but if you're interested last year I did a video on slip-potting. kzbin.info/www/bejne/rnupkmCaqLOCb6s If you do decide to slip pot it, then you give yourself time - you don't have to repot it properly this year, you can leave it until next year if the tree hasn't recovered by this September. HTH.

[@shaolinshadowsoldier]

Great reminders, how easy it is to get carried away when bonsai fever takes hold!

[@BlueSkyBonsai]

Hehe thanks again! You posted twice but that's fine with me! 😁👍🏻

[@shaolinshadowsoldier]

@@BlueSkyBonsai That's odd! I think maybe I hit send at the exact same moment that my connection transferred from data to wifi. Good for the channel though I hope!

[@BlueSkyBonsai]

@@shaolinshadowsoldier wow that's good timing! Yes I've heard that more comments on the first day is good for the video, but TBH I don't have anything to compare against.. but I do really appreciate hearing from everyone.