Do the roots look pot-bound?

[isaaquitas]

Hello everyone, I had already done a similar post asking if I could re-pot my azalea after flowering but I assumed that my azalea wasn't bound. However, when looking closer I think it might be could anyone help tell me if it is? Since it's a new tree and it came from a slightly warmer climate in the same country can I still re-pot it or should I wait until next year if it is pot-bound?

 

[Bonsai Nut]

It doesn't look too bad. I would definitely wait - late May is not the time to be repotting azaleas, especially in Portugal.

 

[Glaucus]

yes

 

[isaaquitas]

It doesn't look too bad. I would definitely wait - late May is not the time to be repotting azaleas, especially in Portugal.

Thanks, does this mean I should wait until next year then?

 

[Bonsai Nut]

Thanks, does this mean I should wait until next year then?

Because you have mild winters, you can also repot in the fall after the heat of the summer has passed. You just don't want to repot going into the summer - dry heat and intense sun can be the death of a repotted plant. If you have to repot at this time of year (in an emergency) make sure you give your plant sun protection.

It depends a little on where you live in Portugal. I am assuming you don't get winter freezing temperatures.

 

[isaaquitas]

Because you have mild winters, you can also repot in the fall after the heat of the summer has passed. You just don't want to repot going into the summer - dry heat and intense sun can be the death of a repotted plant. If you have to repot at this time of year (in an emergency) make sure you give your plant sun protection.

It depends a little on where you live in Portugal. I am assuming you don't get winter freezing temperatures.

Thanks, I don't get very cold temperatures, the nursery where I get most my trees from says I should re pot after flowering

 

[Glaucus]

Repotting after flowering is the traditional time to repot in Japan. Meaning 20 to 30 years ago. With climate change and heating up of the places many people keep their bonsai, some satsuki in Japan started to do very poorly after post-flower repots.
Late may isn't fully a post-flower repot. The problem with such a repot is that immediately after you repot, it gets very hot, and possibly dry. And the demands of the roots and the stress on the tree is maximum.
Therefore, repotting late spring, post-flowering, or even mid summer can be very bad. Especially if you prune a lot of roots. Evne more so if you prune off most leaves, so the tree cannot shade itself.
Yes, in your climate you have an additional benefit of having more growth in autumn. Making autumn repots more efffective.
Nowadays the Japanese advice is that a late May & summer repot is the least ideal time of the year to do a repot. Every current Japanese source & expert says so.
This one is pot bound. If it were not, when you lift it, some soil remains in the pot. But it still looks very clean. It is only barely pot bound.
I would put this in a larger pot and only gently disturb the surface roots. But it all depends on your goals and the past history of this tree.
At some point you need to do an aggressive repot, remove most of the old kanuma, and remove at least 1/3rd of the roots, possible 50%. Those are not so safe to do in late May/Post flowering. You can never be sure what the summer wikll be like.
If it is a cool cloudy humid rainy summer, then that's fine. It you get a drought & heat wave, hot continental dry winds, then that's very different. Assume you will get the least ideal weather your climate can throw at you, just to be safe.

 

[isaaquitas]

Repotting after flowering is the traditional time to repot in Japan. Meaning 20 to 30 years ago. With climate change and heating up of the places many people keep their bonsai, some satsuki in Japan started to do very poorly after post-flower repots.
Late may isn't fully a post-flower repot. The problem with such a repot is that immediately after you repot, it gets very hot, and possibly dry. And the demands of the roots and the stress on the tree is maximum.
Therefore, repotting late spring, post-flowering, or even mid summer can be very bad. Especially if you prune a lot of roots. Evne more so if you prune off most leaves, so the tree cannot shade itself.
Yes, in your climate you have an additional benefit of having more growth in autumn. Making autumn repots more efffective.
This one is pot bound. If it were not, when you lift it, some soil remains in the pot. But it still looks very clean. It is only barely pot bound.

Thanks I will probably re pot in autumn then