Emergency Maple Repot

[wifisenpai]

I repotted a Japanese maple late summer (zone 6b) due to extreme root bound from nursery. It isn’t a brand new tree and definitely has a few years on it. I cut back a few roots and my idiot self forgot to adding root hormone. If I added some to water and used it kind of like a fertilizer, would that work to increase the chance it survives? I know to keep it out of sun and wind. Using a standard bonsai, well draining mix. This is the root hormone I have
4X Mycorrhizae Rooting Hormone,... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CL5H6JXQ?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

Thank you.

 

[pandacular]

Mycorrhizae is not a hormone, I would not trust any product or promoter who uses the phrase “Mycorrhizae Rooting Hormone”. I don’t believe real rooting hormones are recommended for transplanting. In fact, from research I have read, even transplant fertilizer has little evidence in its support.

In other words, it is likely for the best that you left it out. The only things that you can to affect repot success are improve technique, timing, and aftercare. How is the plant doing now?

 

[Deep Sea Diver]

Just my thoughts…. Wondering why a root bound maple required a summer repot?

Best
DSD sends

 

[Shibui]

Rooting hormone, mycorrhiza and other transplant aids don't seem to do any harm but I've also never seen any advantage from using any of them either.
You chose to transplant out of season so now it rests with the tree to see if it will survive or not.
Maples can survive summer transplant and root prune. Usually the leaves will turn brown but that's only the tree reducing water losses to match the reduced root capacity - just like if we don't water enough. After a few weeks most trees will grow new leaves.
Had you asked before doing this I would also have urged patience and some alternative techniques to get the root bound tree though summer but done is done and can't now be undone.
Fingers crossed that your maple will survive this drastic operation.

 

[wifisenpai]

Just my thoughts…. Wondering why a root bound maple required a summer repot?

Best
DSD sends

When I tried watering it, it would mostly just stay piled up on the surface. Some roots clearly didn’t look healthy (black a squishy) and had a pretty bad smell.

 

[wifisenpai]

Mycorrhizae is not a hormone, I would not trust any product or promoter who uses the phrase “Mycorrhizae Rooting Hormone”. I don’t believe real rooting hormones are recommended for transplanting. In fact, from research I have read, even transplant fertilizer has little evidence in its support.

In other words, it is likely for the best that you left it out. The only things that you can to affect repot success are improve technique, timing, and aftercare. How is the plant doing now?

Thank you for your reply. I’m didn’t know this. I’ve been taking good care of it and it seems to be doing well. I guess only time will tell.

 

[wifisenpai]

Rooting hormone, mycorrhiza and other transplant aids don't seem to do any harm but I've also never seen any advantage from using any of them either.
You chose to transplant out of season so now it rests with the tree to see if it will survive or not.
Maples can survive summer transplant and root prune. Usually the leaves will turn brown but that's only the tree reducing water losses to match the reduced root capacity - just like if we don't water enough. After a few weeks most trees will grow new leaves.
Had you asked before doing this I would also have urged patience and some alternative techniques to get the root bound tree though summer but done is done and can't now be undone.
Fingers crossed that your maple will survive this drastic operation.

Thank you for your reply. I considered taking it out of the pot and leaving it to dry out a bit and just putting it back but after seeing the black roots and smell, I decided to repot. I did a lot of research about summer repots for maples with a lot of contradictory information. Some people say it’s ok, some say it’s not. I just wanted more input, especially about the “rooting hormone” I have. Again, thanks for your reply and everyone else who has.

 

[Shibui]

but after seeing the black roots and smell, I decided to repot

You did not mention root rot earlier so I guess we assumed you just repotted because of being root bound.
Emergency repot puts a different spin on this. When death is likely then possible death from out of season repot becomes a more attractive option.

Yes, it can be successful, as mentioned above, but there are many factors in play so survival is far from given. Fingers crossed that yours can come through this. I'd be keen to hear when you have news - one way or the other.

 

[wifisenpai]

You did not mention root rot earlier so I guess we assumed you just repotted because of being root bound.
Emergency repot puts a different spin on this. When death is likely then possible death from out of season repot becomes a more attractive option.

Yes, it can be successful, as mentioned above, but there are many factors in play so survival is far from given. Fingers crossed that yours can come through this. I'd be keen to hear when you have news - one way or the other.

Apologies for leaving that out. I cut it all out and well over half the entire root mass. The foliage still seems fine. Also it’s a Shishigashira JM.

I’ll try to keep it alive and the thread updated. I do really appreciate the advice.

 

[johng]

hmmm...water pools on top but has root rot....

 

[Bonsai Nut]

I cut back a few roots and my idiot self forgot to adding root hormone.

Never apply rooting hormone to roots. Apply rooting hormone where there are NO roots and where you want new roots to issue - for example a cutting or an air-layer. Applying rooting hormone to roots can burn the roots - or can potentially have the exact negative influence of the one that you were desiring. Rooting hormone is an example where if a little is a good thing, more is not always better.

If you do an emergency repot at this time of year, it is very important to protect the foliage. Because the roots will be compromised in the short term, you have to make sure that the foliage mass is not respiring more than the root mass can keep up with. Make sure to keep the maple in strong indirect lighting - but no sun. And do not overwater! Only water when the tree needs it. In the short term do not be surprised if water needs drop substantially because the roots can't take up as much water as they used to be able to.

 

[wifisenpai]

hmmm...water pools on top but has root rot....

Why is that puzzling? It pools on top and eventually goes down, but not like it should. It’s a slow, slow drain into the soil if that helps clarify

 

[Bonsai Nut]

Why is that puzzling? It pools on top and eventually goes down, but not like it should. It’s a slow, slow drain into the soil if that helps clarify

A photo is worth a thousand words, but here's what your description says to me: The tree came to you in a bad state - with the soil like a block. Water would not permeate the soil surface, and yet the bottom of the soil was remaining saturated and the roots were rotting due to lack of oxygen (hence the telltale smell of hydrogen sulfide). You had to do an emergency repot and are worried that you didn't use rooting hormone (which was not needed in this case). You use a mycorrhizae product which (though the description says it is a root hormone) is really just an inoculation of beneficial soil fungus. Won't hurt, and might help, but certainly not the miracle worker the product advertisement claims.

Does the foliage look ok? Is it drooping?

 

[pandacular]

Some pictures would do wonders here

 

[Deleted member 47471]

Why is that puzzling? It pools on top and eventually goes down, but not like it should. It’s a slow, slow drain into the soil if that helps clarify

Watering going down into the soil and roots is water received (though there is a reason for the delay but maybe not emergent or fatal?)

If water never penetrates, actions can be taken superficially to facilitate water penetration on the soil surface, but a repot is risky (as others have expressed).

 

[Deep Sea Diver]

Sorry… when folks create a thread titled Emergency repot folks tend to take a deep breath,

Drainage issues-The best solution we’ve found in my neck of the woods for very slow draining shin is to drill the shin. 3/16 long drill, let the drill find its way. Multiple holes roughly 6-10 in a gallon nursery pot, same for trees in pots and during repotting.

Has always worked to improve drainage through the shin if properly done. Hundreds of trees, positive results.

Root Rot-If one thinks they have root rot… on top of this treatment pour 50/50 3% Hydrogen Peroxide:H2O.. at least a pint. Ensure the pot is off the ground from then on.

If this doesn’t cure the root rot, which if really there, is darn hard to cure, it’s time to dispose of in the solid waste, not the compost. Otherwise all the compost will be infected.

But not either here nor there, what’s done is done.

Cheers
DSD sends

 

[wifisenpai]

Never apply rooting hormone to roots. Apply rooting hormone where there are NO roots and where you want new roots to issue - for example a cutting or an air-layer. Applying rooting hormone to roots can burn the roots - or can potentially have the exact negative influence of the one that you were desiring. Rooting hormone is an example where if a little is a good thing, more is not always better.

If you do an emergency repot at this time of year, it is very important to protect the foliage. Because the roots will be compromised in the short term, you have to make sure that the foliage mass is not respiring more than the root mass can keep up with. Make sure to keep the maple in strong indirect lighting - but no sun. And do not overwater! Only water when the tree needs it. In the short term do not be surprised if water needs drop substantially because the roots can't take up as much water as they used to be able to.

Hey, thank you. I’ll take this advice and use it. I’ll keep you guys posted in case you’re interested.

 

[wifisenpai]

Sorry… when folks create a thread titled Emergency repot folks tend to take a deep breath,

Drainage issues-The best solution we’ve found in my neck of the woods for very slow draining shin is to drill the shin. 3/16 long drill, let the drill find its way. Multiple holes roughly 6-10 in a gallon nursery pot, same for trees in pots and during repotting.

Has always worked to improve drainage through the shin if properly done. Hundreds of trees, positive results.

Root Rot-If one thinks they have root rot… on top of this treatment pour 50/50 3% Hydrogen Peroxide:H2O.. at least a pint. Ensure the pot is off the ground from then on.

If this doesn’t cure the root rot, which if really there, is darn hard to cure, it’s time to dispose of in the solid waste, not the compost. Otherwise all the compost will be infected.

But not either here nor there, what’s done is done.

Cheers
DSD sends

No need to apologize. You asked a legitimate question and tried getting more information, instead of some snobby comment that has no worth. I do appreciate this information, and maybe others who have my same issue in the future and are more clear minded than me will hopefully see this. I don’t think I’ve read or heard a good amount of this information. If I did, I haven’t added it to my notebook yet. I definitely will though. Thank you!

 

[Shibui]

Just reading through the last issue of Bonsai Focus and there's an article from Yukio Hirose pruning and repotting a Japanese maple in full leaf in June. He had pruned off more than half of the tree and looks like also removed some of the remaining leaves for the repot but if a Japanese bonsai expert can do it then so can most of us.

 

[baron]

if a Japanese bonsai expert can do it then so can most of us.

Thats feels like a very wrong kind of thing to say and might explain why so many trees die..