Repotting An Epic Potentilla Bonsai Material

Repotting an upright tree to create a cascading bonsai. Most trees and plants grow upwards so representing a tree hanging off a cliff often requires a dramatic angle change. Knowing when to repot a bonsai tree causes beginners confusion. These indicators are what I look for to start repotting a bonsai tree or bonsai material.
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[@shanewatson8581]

Amazing tree, i wouldn't have gone cascade. However, im looking forward to seeing how it develops. Hopefully, your lower weaker branches survive

[@grobonsai]

Cheers Shane, not surprised it’s not everyone’s preferred choice

[@shanewatson8581]

@grobonsai the most important thing is that you're happy mate. Im seriously looking forward to updates

[@sylviahardy4568]

That's another species you've added to this newbies bonsai to-do list 😂😍

[@grobonsai]

One of my very faves, easily top 3 in my most loved species list. Depending on the day they can be number one :) The thing to bear in mind is their vein-specific growth habit and preference to bud from crotches.

[@grobonsai]

How is Spring progressing in your garden - started any repots yet? Links: Newsletter: bit.ly/bonsainewsletter Support GroBonsai: www.patreon.com/grobonsai Tools: wazakurajapan.com/ref=grobonsai (affiliate link) 10% Coupon for wazakurajapan.com: GROBONSAI I may earn commission on sales at wazakurajapan.com - thank you for supporting GroBonsai

[@sbragaglia]

Trees in my neighbourhood are showing signs of springs, my plants not yet… same have been doing well anyway as I built a sort of growing tent in my garage… The tree looks amazing, but I’m not completely sold by the over-complicated anchoring, cut the pot, replace the missing part with wood (and rubber), etc. you’re skills are amazing anyway, including video-making!

[@jgreen8336]

Excellent technique on that tie down job.

[@grobonsai]

Thank you! Cheers!

[@XaviersBonsaiRetreat]

Great to hear someone else use the term bonsai shuffle for this time of year! I love this tree Darren and I really learn't something watching the securing approach you used. It looks good as a cascade but I definitely prefer the original potting angle. Enjoy the 'false spring'...my maples are already starting to leaf out :)

[@grobonsai]

Hehe yeh I hear that term from time to time

[@BlueJayBonsai]

Wow, love this potentilla! Best of luck with the cascade repot. I have my fingers and toes crossed for you!

[@grobonsai]

Thanks Jay!

[@stevetippin]

You would be insane to split those. LOVE that tree as is.

[@grobonsai]

Yeah - it's not like I need more trees haha thanks Steve

[@stevetippin]

Love your channel by the way. You were the first bonsai youtuber that I watched non-stop when I really got the bonsai fever and I often rewatch older videos (but I love the new stuff). Keep up the amazing work.@@grobonsai

[@almac2598]

Thanks Darren. I wouldn't have thought of a cascade.

[@grobonsai]

Cheers Al, it everyone’s cup of tea but that’s ok

[@paulgeddert6125]

Personal preference as to what you ultimately decide. I'm not a fan of cascades / semi cascades. The power and beauty of that trunk is lost a bit as a cascade. I'd prefer it upright, and branching reduced to compact it in.

[@grobonsai]

Yeah I hear ya! I went with the cascade form this time based mostly around the emergence of branches all at the same height of the trunk. If that wasn't the case I doubt I'd have even considered cascade. That said, I'm excited about the future of this tree in it's cascade form, the potential of this tree cannot be understated (in my opinion of course) - I'm supremely lucky to be it's keeper

[@terryc8674]

Very nice video and a BIG thanks for sharing 👍😊

[@grobonsai]

Thanks for your continued support Terry

[@alessandromezzavilla9487]

Great work, I think the change really suits this tree (which is already unique in its own right)! Perhaps you could address the "weak side" by pruning some of the strong branches + growing the cascade in a sort of upright position (I heard some people do it for a season or two when the cascading piece shows signs of weakness). that should rebalance energy, although perhaps it's too far into its own spring to prune :( Regardless, one of you best projects and probably the best potentilla trunk I've seen, so keep at it

[@grobonsai]

Thanks that’s a good idea

[@amandawelch9125]

Looks great. This winter has been so wonky, I hope mine survives.

[@grobonsai]

I’m sure it will, they are surprisingly tough even though they look completely dead all winter

[@koenvanmeerbeeck8724]

wow nice...what a labor of love

[@grobonsai]

Thank you!

[@kliether33]

Honestly I preferred it as a beautiful moyogi, and I'm not sure the effort and risk of completely reworking this entire tree from top to bottom will pay off.

[@grobonsai]

That makes sense if you prefer the upright form

[@BonsaiCornwall]

Yep totally see where you’re going with this one mate. Excellent video as always. Your method for safely tying in the tree was awesome to see because I think I would’ve struggled! Happy early spring ;)

[@grobonsai]

Thanks mate!

[@Chris-oq6kn]

Awesome tree . I have a mugo pine in training just like this. Now next year im going to repot what do i do with the roots sticking up in the air do i cut back flat at the top root mass to put it in a bonsai pot or try and push the root mass down so its not hanging in the air like that? Nice tie down method never saw that before

[@grobonsai]

Pines are a different beast. You have to go slower with them, give them a chance to respond. As such I recommend placing the branches and foliage in the cascade form first, keeping it in its existing pot but rotated. This gives the buds and needles chance to adjust. It means you need to find a way to keep the current rootball/pot horizontal. Sometimes putting it in a pot for support, sometimes building a wooden box. The issue is if you do the repot to change the angle first, the foliage will be upside down and the tree will suffer two blows - one to the root system and one to the foliage. So by styling the branches first but keeping the roots intact, only the foliage is impacted. Then you come and do the repot when it has recovered. You'll find that gravity has taken care of a lot of the roots. But you'll need to do the repot bearing in mind the tree needs a minimum amount of roots to survive. So how far you get depends on your confidence that the tree will survive. If you can't process all of the skyward roots, you'll need to do similar to me here - bundle them up in soil and most.

[@Chris-oq6kn]

@@grobonsai thank u. Ive styled the tree and its on its angle . I plan on trying to repot next year to a bonsai pot . Ill see what gravity does to the roots and hopefully it just starts growing in the right way

[@treeaddict]

Beautiful material there! All my trees have started waking up-but, Im in Florida-so probably good on 2nd coming of winter...

[@grobonsai]

I'm not jealous of your climate, no not me, uh-uhh not one bit haha

[@QuestionableCooking-n1w]

Nice material, will be interesting to see how the root ball takes to so much of it being above the soil line.. water will want to wash around the ball, not through it. Splitting into 2 lesser trees when together when this one looks so nice seems unnecessary gambling lol .. look forward to the update on this one, lots of great potential

[@grobonsai]

Yeah I’ve done similar on a shohin scale so will be interesting on this size tree

[@QuestionableCooking-n1w]

@@grobonsai its a great piece of material, look forward to seeing the progression

[@Bonsaicrazy]

Great video mate best of luck with that tree hope it works 👊👊👊

[@grobonsai]

Thanks!

[@vdng786]

Wow that's a really nice tree. Where did you find that it?

[@grobonsai]

I purchased a collection of trees from someone who was no longer interested. This was one of them. Actually this tree was one of the main reasons I bought them!

[@soberhippie]

I think, a lot of the growth on the new top have to be removed to make it look more in line with the cascading aesthetics. Also, this is an amazing specimen, at least, to me. I have one of those in my garden, it is about 20 years old, but it is about 4 cm thick, probably, because the soil is too wet. I'll try to dig it up this spring (we still have about a metre of snow round here)

[@grobonsai]

Goodness knows how old this one is then. I find they love water but need aerated roots, sounds like you could be right

[@gromageindustries6745]

Its interesting as a cascade but id prefer this tree as an upright tree. Its trunk is an amazing feature and i feel as a cascade its trunk is subdued and lost its power. Theres some age in this tree hopfully it wont be too upset by the change of angle. Sorry 🙏

[@grobonsai]

I found it relatively boring (relative to how outstanding it is for the species) like an s-shape on steroids

[@vinniecharity]

I’d leave the two trunks together, they will close that gap and create a nice thick looking trunk. This is a wonderful piece of material and has great potential to become an amazing bonsai…

[@grobonsai]

I agree with you! In the end there was a live vein crossing the two main ‘trunks’ so it made the choice easy. Good to hear from a new commenter - thanks

[@vinniecharity]

Though I love the tree’s original planting angle, I’m curious to see how it will look as a cascade…

[@simongore29]

It's a fantastic subject for a cascade. With trunk detail like that it would be well suited to an exposed root/neagari styling. You could always tilt the pot so the tree sits in an upright position for growth purposes and light exposure, the tilt it back down for cascade styling. Great video. Looking forward to seeing the progress of this one

[@grobonsai]

Yes that would be interesting let’s see what the roots do in the next year or two

[@DavesBonsai]

Excellent work!!! Love it!

[@grobonsai]

Thanks Dave

[@Notabot-2112]

Neat!

[@ashlyhigbee7917]

this is prob a dum thing but what if you keep turning it from straight up then side ways then straight up again to get like a curved trunk bc its has to grow up it will look naturaly curved?

[@grobonsai]

Yeah that can work, never tried it but yeh

[@thenaturecreater8906]

Amazing trunk! But as a cascade I I am not sure. I think have pulled them and made 2 trees.

[@grobonsai]

I hear ya

[@thenaturecreater8906]

@@grobonsai but you put in a lot of good work. Are you happy with it now?

[@marietta8807]

Awesome job on the repot! I´m really looking forward to the future of this tree! BUT as a paramedic I HAVE to ask you to please stop screwing towards your hand. You wouldn´t be our first patient with something screwed to your hand....

[@grobonsai]

I’m a walking health hazard - thanks for reminding me!

[@tomsbonsaidiary]

Another great video Darren, I think the tree will looks great as a cascade, especially once more branch structure work is done to it. Look forward to seeing updates. For sure best to keep as 1 tree, make it look a lot older than it may be 👌

[@grobonsai]

Thank Tom!

[@lidiagracielamontaldo4846]

Que especie d aBonsai es? No lo identifico. Gracias 🌎🌲

[@grobonsai]

Potentilla fruticosa

[@lidiagracielamontaldo4846]

@@grobonsai Muchas gracias. Soy profesora d Bonsai. Saludos 🌲🌲🌲

[@hiyoristernfunkel]

which tree species is this ?

[@galvanicmass]

potentilla

[@galvanicmass]

Oh shit he said it in the video 😂

[@grobonsai]

Yeah it’s Potentilla fruticosa

[@-Crataegus]

Ty

[@smokereapergaming3861]

No, keep it as a formal upright it's way better.why make the tree something it's not please keep it upright 😊

[@grobonsai]

I hear ya :D but super excited for this trees future as a cascade

[@smokereapergaming3861]

@@grobonsai I respect that I wish you good luck with it..

[@brucedeacon28]

👍👌

[@danielfonseca5007]

Very bold change, looking forward to progress late spring 😊

[@grobonsai]

Thanks same here, really excited to see how it goes

[@thevaluehorse]

keep as one tree. cascade is very nice. outstanding material. you have good bonsai-vision

[@grobonsai]

Thanks very much!

[@tompeppi2635]

❤

[@clifflrice]

that is quite a bit of engineering

[@grobonsai]

Haha yeah I hadn’t thought of it as engineering but I see what you mean

[@-Crataegus]

The trunk almost looks like and old fraying mooring rope!

[@grobonsai]

It really does!

[@edinborogh]

Awesome tree, beautiful video.

[@grobonsai]

Thanks 😊