I have been reading and watching videos for the last couple months. Talk about information overload. I finally started compiling notes, like I was back in college. I’m very much a beginner when it comes to most things bonsai. Since joining this fantastic community, I’ve really enjoyed learning the horticulture side of trees! I’m located in Orange County, California and have mostly oaks, couple beech, couple redwoods, crape myrtles… but I come here with my first post and questions regarding this beauty, which I was lucky enough to acquire for my birthday.
This tree came from Mendocino Coast Bonsai. It will need repotting when the next time is right:
How small should I go with its next home? Straight to a bonsai pot? Mica Training pot? Something else?
How much can their roots be fiddled with on this repot?
Can I also wire for structure at the same time as repot?
Am I waiting to see the tree set up buds (for spring) over “winter” to start repotting? Or before that? Or after the buds have just about opened?
There are at least two streams on coastal redwood in the library - I imagine most of your questions can be answered from them. However, my advice would be to only do one major thing per year - repot or style - particularly since you are hotter, drier climate than the tree came from.
Thanks! I’ve watched the coastal redwood videos several times each now and I’m still not clear on these answers, other than repot or wire in a year. I still plan on rewatching them again (probably a couple more times). Maybe I can figure something out from them.
Hi, welcome. Go slow, its easy to try and do it all at once when new. We have all been there. Observation is key, especially early on. Learn what your plants are telling you, keeping them happy, healthy and alive is all about observation. This thread may have some useful information for you. As for your ??s, some general feedback, not Redwood specific per se.
Have a few options. The roots will dictate the size of the pot once you see and work them the first time. You are likely to need a repot or two before a more “final” container.
Coming from a nursery container you will be the most aggressive in root reduction, it has likely been in that container for years.
Rule of thumb is one major move at a time. Because you shouldn’t repot until early 2023 you have time now to do some cleanup and pruning, potential wiring prior to the repot as your tree will have time to grow and recover between now and then.
Generally repot is while the tree is dormant, but temps are warming up and the trees are starting to awake. Not dead winter. Not post spring flush. That is what makes it such a scramble. In Texas that is late Feb./early March and a snap freeze can be a death nail to a freshly repotted tree. In SoCal your weather is less volatile. MIRAI is an amazing community, but a local club with members that have local knowledge on species, weather, and timing of work is an invaluable tool as well.
There are a lot of folks here from SoCal. Reach out. “Join a local club” is still the best advice I have gotten in bonsai.
I found that thread you linked, just the other day. That gave me a decent reference on how much to take off.
Would you think I could take the tree out of the pot and work the top soil down to get an idea of a font to wire and style? Not touching roots past the base of the tree being exposed?
