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botanical_bill

Pruning and Root triming

20 years ago

Hello. First, I want to say thanks for all the help so far. Tomorow Im going to one of our local bonsai shops that carries alot of quality japanese bonsai tools, and hopefuly books. So far things are going good.
Second, I just planted a juniper 3 days ago. I bought it from home depot in a one gallon container. I trimed the roots, took about 1/2 of them off and did a 3-4 small branch trim to make the stump neat looking. How long should I wait till I purn the tree? Im guessing that maybe in a week or so I can do this, or can I prune now. I though I would have to give the tree some time to adjust to the root pruning. Is now, its spring in florida, the best time to do the pruning?

Comments (5)

  • 20 years ago

    I'm not sure it's spring here in Florida yet. FEbruary will still bring some cold nights. However since you already pruned the roots you shoudl balance the tree out and prune the top. Keep in mind all that foliage that you have was being supported by that root system that you just removed 1/2 of. Which means the tree cannot support that much foliage with the amount of roots left. So if you take off some of the tree now it will be back in balance.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Orlando Bonsai

  • 20 years ago

    Actually it's been recently thought (and accepted I think by many experts) that the foliage reduction proportional to root reduction (within reason) is a bit of a fallacy and is not that necessary. I do think you're a little prune-happy and suggest you wait not only for spring, but until you have a good idea of where the long term design is going. You need to get the tree into a larger pot with room for roots to grow (cutting them was counterproductive) and the trunk to develop, then maybe in a year or two make some thought out decisions as I imagine your tree might be on the small side still, with few options for interesting styling. If I'm wrong, very sorry, please ignore.

  • 20 years ago

    Both replys make alot of sence. Ill admit that, yes, I was very root pruning happy! Mabye I should have only took about 1/4 off.
    I just came back from our local bonsai shop and bought a few trees. He is going to be getting resupplied on pruning tools in a week or so, Ill stop back out then to get those. Ill have to get some new soil that has clay, since I reused the orginal soil.
    The nursery has some very involved customers that were helpfull while I was there. Ill be going to the local club meeting tomorow. Id have to say the best thing about going there today was Ben Oki was there pruning 4 large trees. I didnt know who he was but after reading up on him on the net, Im kind of speachless.

    So I guess, Lucy, Ill take your advice, Ill repot with bonsai soil, and then let it sit for a year or two and let it develope. I did prun down some of the branches to equalize the amount of roots I took.
    Thanks again, time to go to B&N to get my book.

  • 20 years ago

    Clay? Clay? NO! Good peat-less compost or pine bark bits of 1/16" to 1/8", twice that amount of either chicken grit (from a farm 'Feed' store) and the last third crushed lava rock. No rocks on the bottom, nothing else. The grit and lava are for fast drainage - clay will do the opposite.

  • 20 years ago

    I goofed! It's 1/3 bark, 1/3 grit and 1/3 lava. NOT twice as much grit!

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