Emergency Repot for sick bonsai | Fixing Japanese Maple root problems

[@GrowingBonsai]

I hope you enjoy this video. I do hope to hear from you what your experiences are with suffering bonsai, and how you deal with their problems, and or questions you might have. Please let me know your thoughts!

[@HOLLYHOUSE11]

Help!! My roommate was gifted two bonsai and theyre dying because she stuck them outside and left them. I want to cut the wires off and set them free after I get them healthy. Can you please, please help me before it is too late.

[@codygeiger7253]

@@GrowingBonsai do you have an easier way of contact so I can send you a few pics. Thanks so much

[@BlueJayBonsai]

That is such a cute little tree! 😍 Great job saving it for the owner!

[@GrowingBonsai]

haha, it is lovely isnt it!!

[@sadoldgit313]

For an emergency repot I wouldn’t have dared intrude on the roots that much! That’s about as much as I do for a Spring repot!

[@abhishekdg2185]

This is not true ! Sometimes like this situation you have to do exactly what the OP did . Better even provide bottom heat after repot . In Japan , people repot any time of year . What matters is the after care

[@greenmachinesweden]

Nice little tree. Good work rescueing it.😀👍

[@GrowingBonsai]

Thank you! I hope it helps some people!

[@tobywilson4876]

Hi Jelle, your presentation style is very concise and helpful. Keep posting 🙏

[@GrowingBonsai]

Thank you so much Toby. I do try to keep the content to the point. Some manage to share a 5 minute video in an hours of fluff! :)

[@brianparnell2256]

Great job. As a newcomer to bonsai, probably to late in life lol your videos are full of great instruction.

[@GrowingBonsai]

Never too late! Enjoy the road you are on, and you are always right on time! Enjoy Brian!

[@TOMSAI]

Sehr gutes und lehrreiches Video ! Danke Jelle 👍

[@GrowingBonsai]

Ohw, thank you! Glad you like it!

[@SyriusStarMultimedia]

I only have to repot 1 of my 40 trees this year. I repotted most of my trees last February and completed the rest when the weather was very calm in the fall. Nice video.

[@GrowingBonsai]

thx! Sounds like a calm spring for you!

[@xxstanc3don3xxtwitch23]

Very well explained and demonstrated. This will help alot of people..

[@GrowingBonsai]

Thank you so much! Do tell your friends :)

[@BONSAIenCORTO]

In these cases, repot on a bigger pot, try to undo the outer without breaking roots and water by immersion, which is a great way to water it. Also Leonardite humic acids can help to improve substrates.... Great video.

[@GrowingBonsai]

also an option. I find summer repot on maples is no problem though, and this is easier for the owner to manage

[@natrjack965]

Hi jelle another great video my friend your videos are a inspiring and I find them very educational many thanks for sharing your knowledge...

[@GrowingBonsai]

Hi michael, thank you for your kind words. Inpires me to continue making videos!

[@andylancop]

Well done. Very informative.

[@GrowingBonsai]

Hi Dennis, very happy to hear this! Hope there was something new for you there!?

[@douglasmadlock3929]

Awesome, good looking out man.

[@GrowingBonsai]

:) Thank you Douglas!

[@douglasmadlock3929]

@@GrowingBonsai so I'm kind of new to bonsai, got a couple trees going. Would one only emergency repot in the middle of spring or summer if it where a life or death situation? Other than that, you'd wait for the end of winter before the buds pop to repot if needed?

[@Bregadze_]

Very useful! Thank you!

[@GrowingBonsai]

Great to hear! You're welcome!

[@StevenDuran-ri5dq]

Hi Jelle! I love your videos! I have a ? about doing an ER repot. Ordered a nice Katsura, about 16in tall from soil. Looked great when I got it (2weeks ago) but it continues to get black wilted leaves. It is in a pretty deep round pot (8inWx5inD). with fairly compact soil in the middle and just a little less on outer rim. Soil consists of coconut husk and river sand particles. I’m worried because more and more leaves are blackening daily. When I water I check my moisture meter and it holds water for a long period (days). It gets morning sun afternoon shade. No pests or fungi. Would you recommend an ER repot or should I wait? Love to hear your thoughts if poss. Cheers!

[@thiesthiesen7565]

Und wieder ein sehr tolles Video!! Gruß, Harro

[@GrowingBonsai]

Welcome back Harro!

[@davidlahr7226]

Hello Jelle. Perfect Video for me again! I really have a problem with my trident maple. I think I overwatered it and it didn’t started pushing buds. For now I tried the emergency repot. I really hope it will take it! Any other advices left? Greetings!

[@GrowingBonsai]

Keep it humid. Give it some warm space (Tridents seem to like warmer weather) and wait. Not all my trees have pushed yet. Still spring time!

[@bonsaiprospek127]

Im present brother

[@GrowingBonsai]

welcome!

[@josemoreira-]

Great video as usual! How do you select which roots to cut? Just the longer ones?

[@GrowingBonsai]

Hi Jose, normally in a repot you would focus on reducing roots that are getting too big for the nebari. In an emergency repot you remove as little as possible. I tried to only remove the circling ones.

[@watsup6084]

Great job on saving that tree! Have you ever tried the peter chan sphagnum moss method? (Basically just putting it in pure sphagnum moss) What do you think of pond containers?

[@GrowingBonsai]

I have not tried that method. I have never seen the need for it. Why use that if you have good substrate. Spaghnum just makes a wet ball that is hard to get out of the roots later! Pond containers? I find them to dry out fast.

[@watsup6084]

@@GrowingBonsai Thank you for the reply Jelle. Yeah, I had the suspicion about the sphagnum moss.

[@GrowingBonsai]

@@watsup6084 it is a well-known technique though. I have heard good things, but I see downsides which I do not like. Personal preference?

[@bobmccarlie382]

Thank you for the video. I have a young (10 inch high) Deshojo maple in a nursery pot and soil that I got last fall. The nursery said to let it grow for a couple of years before repotting it because it had just been potted that spring. However, it was slow to start budding this spring, and the leaves are crinkled or somewhat curly, instead of the normal flat shape of a maple leaf. I’m thinking the nursery soil is staying too wet, even though I only water it when the upper inch of soil is dry, usually every 5-7 days. I’ve thought of doing some form of emergency repot to try and improve it’s health. Do you have any advice?

[@GrowingBonsai]

tricky to give advice without seeing the tree. Have you ruled out other problems such as fungal, insects or overfertilizing?

[@bobmccarlie382]

@@GrowingBonsai I suspect it’s root fungus issues based on the constant moistness of the nursery soil it’s in. I’ve been avoiding watering until the top 2-3 inches of the soil is dry. It seems to be doing better as a result. I will definitely repot it into Akadama next spring.

[@kylepurvis6231]

Bob, it the tree is still struggling, try slipping it into a taller nursery pot with coarse gravel at the bottom, like 3-4 inches, this will allow the soil to drain completely into the gravel allowing better oxygen. It’s a bandaid, but it will help prevent roots being too wet. Good luck.

[@garyjohnson2989]

When is the correct time to repot a Maple if spring is not the ideal time??????? Plz

[@EscapeandExplore-nb4og]

What jelly type did you use to cover the branch to prevent from diseases?

[@Danonito_flavor]

Where do you hold club meetings? I'm trying to find a bonsai club close to me (Zuid Holland) . I'm also not Dutch so makes things a bit more difficult :')

[@GrowingBonsai]

I am afraid I am in the east. I am in clubs in Oldenzaal, Steinfurt and Dusseldorf. This first I will teach the beginners classes again this fall, but it is too far I suspect

[@andreis.4584]

Alessio, I am not Dutch, not into bonsai clubs as well as I am living near Rotterdam )

[@aldoushuxley3704]

Great video, friend. I admire the editing and "shape" of this upload.. Great information.. made me realize I gotta "get with it" and start using chopsticks... it just seems "rough" when potting DRY substrate into rootmasses. When I saw that "last repot" mesh in the mass... I almost puked.. ...almost. 😂 Keep 'em coming Jelle.. Do you like Tatarican or Ssp. Ginnala?.. Cause I can grow THOSE! 🤓

[@GrowingBonsai]

Hey my friend, Good to see you here again! I love the ginnela. Unfortunately they are somewhat expensive here. I have one, which dropped a part of the trunk and is on my "to be dumped" list. Still considering planting it in a growbed for 5 years though!

[@GrowingBonsai]

Unfortunately, the multiple-mesh situation is not unique. Good thing is, you know you can keep cleaning out the rootball further and further!

[@aldoushuxley3704]

@@GrowingBonsai ... This year is my "Ginnala Select" stock.... I have 20(ish).. but NEXT year, I will have taken cuttings of the best handful... We will make sure you have ginnala in the near future... *Creole Accent* I'ain't fraidda nuh customs forms, Boiiiah!

[@GrowingBonsai]

@@aldoushuxley3704 hahahaha. WHo's afraid of the forms? Form-Busters!

[@Kjbrunzo]

I know I'm a month late to this comment, but what is the main difference between Acer Tataricum and ssp. Ginnala? Almost a year ago I found a mislabeled maple at a small nursery (with great nebari and double trunk) and now I'm trying to decide which of the two it is. Thanks to anyone with any info/ comments.

[@antoniogonzalez8753]

Hello, I am new to bonsai and I’ve got a Japanese garden juniper that I bought in late April (middle of spring here in Denver). It came in a bonsai pot and in pretty typical, high moisture retaining soil. My concern is that this soil will lead to root rot which these junipers are prone to. Any advice on how to inspect my soil and roots to judge if it needs a repot? What is an ideal substrate for this species? Keep in mind the climate is relatively dry, and humidity is usually not above 40%

[@GrowingBonsai]

I think key is to just to eep your watering in check. Buuut.. I feel more junipers succumb to too little than to too much water. Any open well-draining substrate would work. More akadama and.or organics and smaller grains improves water retention

[@DrSticktrick]

Hey Jelle, Great Content as per usual. I have a large chinese juniper that is doing really badly. Bought it from a collection of someone who had not been able to properly care for it the last few years. I repotted it this spring but the whole rootball was like one big rock. So I decided to only remove 1/3 - 1/2 of the rootball and do the rest next year. Unfortunately this year it didn‘t start growing and instead up until now it lost about half of the needles. I watered it only lightly because I was afraid the remaining rootball could start to rot. Also did not fertilize it. How would you go on with it? Fertilize or not? Put it in or out of the sun? Water heavily or lightly?

[@GrowingBonsai]

Hard to tell without seeing the tree, or knowng your local weather. IN GENERAL junipers love water, as long as the rootball is not airless. For me, healthy trees start with healthy roots. Which is why I repot all trees as soon as I get them, unless it really is too dangerous to do so.That way I can get the substrate under control and water lots. Assuming the half you cleaned is well-draining, I would certainly water that frequently and well.

[@DrSticktrick]

@@GrowingBonsai Thank you for your help! I'm in west Germany. Bought the tree in Düsseldorf - I guess we are not that far apart. The problem when repotting was that the roots were so extremely condensed that you simply could not sort them out in any way shape or form. Basically all I was able to do was to cut off a big chunk and replace as much soil as possible with Pumice, Lava and Akadama. I also planted it in a bigger pot with large Pumice in the bottom for drainage so that the remaining rootball would not sit in water all the time. I have started watering it heavily a few days back and also gave it some fertilizer (Bio Gold) since doing it the other way around clearly didn't work. From here I guess I'll just wait and hope.

[@jonnecleef5548]

Hey Jelle. Leuke video’s, welke grondsoorten/ substraten gebruik je voor jouw bomen? Ik experimenteer al een tijdje met verschillende grondsoorten maar ik kan nooit de goede mix krijgen. Enige tips? Geweldig kanaal trouwens.

[@GrowingBonsai]

Ha Jonne, ik heb een basis mengsel van diatomous earth, boombast en een soort lava-achtig substraat wat als vloerisolatie gebruikt wordt. Alles nogal onconservatief. In de winter ga ik wel een wat uitgebreidere uitleg posten. Maar als je op bonsaitechniek.nl kijkt staat er meer info over. Dank je! Blij dat het bevalt!

[@1Crbodybuilding]

I have a shimpaku small one that is in bad soil. I really want to repot with fresh APL. Middle of summer in texas do you suggest doing this? Tree was attacked by spider mites about 2 momths ago and seems to be doing much better noe after several treatments growing new buds .but still not looking healthy enough and i am sure is because of the soil is sitting on. Quite compact

[@GrowingBonsai]

I would not do this in the middle of a hot summer, no.

[@maryweber4176]

In a few of the different shots of the tree, there were a few bugs in the discarded soil. Could they have been part of the problem?

[@GrowingBonsai]

The bugs are more often than not the result of the problem than the cause. In this case, the problem was compact soil & poor watering practices.

[@sbragaglia]

Hi Jelle (and channel), what can I do to revive a maple forest who suffered because of a heat wave (had Covid, couldn’t attend my plants). I watered the tree well to re-hydrate the root ball and removed all the leaves (all dry) leaving the stem. No change in 2 weeks. Shall I also shorten the branches, try an emergency repot, or just keep my fingers crossed? TIA! Great content, please keep posting!

[@GrowingBonsai]

less distubrance is best. I would leave it in semi shade, water when getting dry (do NOT) overwater. And just wait.

[@sbragaglia]

@@GrowingBonsai cheers! Thanks a lot! 🙏🙏🙏 Same thing for an apple tree 🍎, I assume!

[@ismoilomiliy97]

A ficus bonsai which I bought for my mother as a gift has fallen its leaves and looks like a dead bush now but probably still alive. She has been keeping it indoors without proper light and forgot to water it for few days. I took it back and realized that it was not wired to the pot and the soil has completely detached from the pot's walls. Should I do the same procedure as you did in this video or wait until it shows the signs of life and grow back leaves.

[@GrowingBonsai]

Always dificult to make recommendations in a distant fashion. I think I would support the ficus: Slightly larger pot and good quality potting soil to let it recover. Ficus in general has strong roots that can deal with lots.

[@DB-lz5rv]

Yes I have a Fukien tea tree and it is so loose in the pot and I am scared to repot it. I am not sure what kind of soil to replace this compacted soil that it is in. I have only owned it for a year, however one of the air roots is turning very dark…please help us! We do not want to loose Danielson 2

[@GrowingBonsai]

Fukien tree is a species I have little experience with, and I only hear bad stories, exactly because of the bad substrate. I use the same substrate for all my trees, with a little more organics for trees that spend considerable time in the living room for winter, so they do not dry out too quickly.

[@bogdana13]

Hi! I have a black alder bonsai that’s dying of root rot. Can I repot it now even though it still has leaves on it? The roots are all black and it’s super easy to take out of the pot. It’s very loose.

[@GrowingBonsai]

here I would not as frost has arrived..

[@cherylandrews3195]

I went on holiday for 4 days and put a tray under my tree wtih a bit of water thinking it wouldnt then dry out but then it was too wet and now the leaves have all fallen off. I scratched the trunk and its green. Any suggestions? other than no more holidays?

[@GrowingBonsai]

Stop scratching the tree. ( You do not nick someones skin to see whether he is alive either, do you?). Just keep the soil evenly moist NOT WET. And wait and see. Not much else to do

[@mollymaria2185]

Hi I need to emergency repot one of my bonsais but it’s mid-early summer and I don’t know what to do. Any advice on it

[@GrowingBonsai]

Hi Molly, dificult to say without seeing the plant itself, or knowing the species and problems!

[@wilsonmanch6773]

Hi. May I ask which type of Japanese maple is good for bonsai?

[@GrowingBonsai]

Many! Deshojo, Arakawa, Little Princess, regular green, Shishigashira are some of the ommonly used ones

[@gayefanner731]

40 to go!

[@GrowingBonsai]

1 more minute now!

[@gayefanner731]

Very laidback re 2K!

[@gayefanner731]

Nice n clear, with useful tips, thanku. It didn’t look as if you put any substrate on pot base i e under tree, why not please? ✌️

[@GrowingBonsai]

@@gayefanner731 I did, but I thought that was such basic info, it did not need mentioning :)

[@gayefanner731]

Well,perhaps it is basic, perhaps I’m thick, perhaps people might think substrate underneath will wait til proper repot?! We don’t all have your I.Q you know! God bless you 🙏✝️ ✌️🇺🇦🌻✌️

[@tezzasbigbuz3933]

4:00 don't forget the turntable

[@GrowingBonsai]

Ohw shoop. Let me go and check whether I took it afterwards

[@brucedeacon28]

👍👌🙂

[@GrowingBonsai]

Going through all videos ? :D

[@abrdds]

Why not let it soak in a bucket of water until it stops bubbling?? Easier to finesse the roots...Needs a bigger pot✊🏾

[@GrowingBonsai]

Hi, the problem with the roots is poor substrate with lots of organics. If you soak that, the substrate will further compact, leading to more root problems. Why do you think it needs a bigger pot? THe pot is on the large side for the tree.

[@iannoble6461]

13:44

[@GrowingBonsai]

What happens there?

[@sakekampstra8727]

Jelle leuk kanaal heb je !

[@GrowingBonsai]

Dank je wel!