Examples of Bud Swelling

[The Warm Canuck]

This is my first real year of re-potting. Maybe a silly question but I'm second guessing or maybe misinterpreting what I believe to be bud swelling. The Temperatures have just starting going slightly over freezing here for the last few weeks with next week going to be really warm. I don't want to miss my window on my deciduous trees, but I don't really know what I'm looking for, It's visible when the bud starts to break but I'm not sure what a swelling bud looks like and I don't want to start re-potting too early. Can someone show me some examples of bud swelling. My trees are: The trees I'm concerned with are Amur maple, Red Maple, Larch, Lindon, Chinese Elm and Japanese Maple. Note the JM and CE are kept in my garage in the winter and will be taking them out today. Here's the temp for the last few weeks in my area: (Note it's in Celsius and that the past weeks are the actual highs and lows and it was below freezing frequently).

 

[HorseloverFat]

Taanishi!

Buds swell when they become either larger/visible or regain color in dormant buds..

You're north of me... Probably zone 4/5 (I am 5aUSDA)

I'd bet your buds are swelling.. especially in winter storage. I popped my coldframe open this week and began setting up my tables.

Pics of YOUR buds would be helpful here.

And if you repot.. just protect from freezes and frosts.

 

[Shibui]

It is actually hard to show bud swelling in a photo. They look much the same except slightly bigger each day but actual size is relative to different areas on the tree, different species, etc so no good just measuring an individual bud.
Look at the trees one day and try to remember relative sizes of buds then check a couple of days later to see if you can see any difference in size.
Toward the end of the bud swell stage you can see changes in colour as the buds start to open but repotting can happen way before that stage.

Don't get too concerned with exact timing. The repot window is far wider than some would have us believe. I start repotting deciduous from mid winter down here. They then survive regular nights just below freezing, sometimes down to -3 or 4C with no problem. Obviously in areas where it gets properly cold in winter you'll need to wait for night temps to warm up a bit. Daytime temps are probably not as relevant as cold nights.
You can even repot safely after green appears through to leaves almost full size as there's still relatively little water demand at that stage.

 

[Adamski77]

The rule I developed for myself is following "find one bud on the tree that has anything green already" ... that's the repotting time for deciduous (with some exceptions). If there is one that popped means the rest of smaller ones already swollen...

 

[leatherback]

I started repotting over Christmas. These trees have frozen multiple times since then. Especially for Larch I sometimes wonder whether repotting in winter is not better than in spring. Freezing of the rootball in general is of concern because finer roots are generally not designed to dear with deep frost. I am not convinced that repotted or non-repotted makes a big difference. BUT I am in a mild climate. Zone 4-6 might have very different experiences.

The closer to budbreak you repot, the faster a tree can respond to your rootwork, reducing the risk of infection. To me that is the MAIN reason for repotting near budbreak (Naturally, next to repotting after bud-break putting you in risk of a hot spring and the tree drying out more quickly than it can take up water).

With the forecast you have now, I would not hesitate and start getting my act together.

 

[Glaucus]

Would be cool to do a time lapse on a bonsai during bud swelling. Or even backbudding after pruning.
Have been playing to do the same for azaleas, but didn't invest in the tech to do so.
I am sure I am going to move the plant and mess up the alignment.

 

[rockm]

Buds get bigger, but there is a phase for many trees (maples, elms, in particular) where there are visible lines of green that appear on the bud. Those lines expand and eventually become the edges of leaves. It's that phase you look for as the window for repotting.

 

[pandacular]

This would be really great to have. I could see someone like Jonas or BVF making a great blog post about this.

It’s great advice to say repot when buds swell…if you can tell!

Here’s one example I found, but it would be even better with some comparisons of the same buds in dormancy, as well as after breaking:

Swelling Buds

Signs of life around the garden the other morning. I’ve started to walk round and inspect things a bit more often, expecting to see buds starting to swell on some plant/tree species. I&#821…

scratchbonsai.wordpress.com

 

[Paradox]

This is something you learn by observing your trees often (daily if possible). You will begin to notice when things happen. I've done this enough years now, I know when I should start seeing buds swelling and start looking at the trees more leading up to that time.

You're probably looking at mid to late March where you are (Ontario) at the earliest unless it gets very mild for a few weeks

 

[pandacular]

You're probably looking at mid to late March where you are at the earliest unless it gets very mild for a few weeks

Maybe for maples; I expect to start repotting pines in the next few weeks. Seattle is an incredibly mild climate, with the forecast firmly in the mid 40s to 50s for the next few weeks.

 

[Paradox]

Maybe for maples; I expect to start repotting pines in the next few weeks. Seattle is an incredibly mild climate, with the forecast firmly in the mid 40s to 50s for the next few weeks.

For YOUR area.

I was answering for the Ontario area that the OP is from.

Where I am pines and maples usually start in March. Pines and trident maples usually about the same time. Japanese maples a little later.

 

[pandacular]

Fair enough, I misinterpreted as I had just hijacked the thread from last spring.

 

[Paradox]

Fair enough, I misinterpreted as I had just hijacked the thread from last spring.

Haha. Yea and I also thought it was current since you posted

 

[dbonsaiw]

Never attached photos from my phone before, but found these helpful.

 

[stewarjm192]

The rule I developed for myself is following "find one bud on the tree that has anything green already" ... that's the repotting time for deciduous (with some exceptions). If there is one that popped means the rest of smaller ones already swollen...

ive always used this for my reference, and its done me well, also, pines can be repotted as soon as root activity begins, which is long before bud swell, so if you have a pine, lift the tree out of the pot and check on the roots, if they havent started to grow fresh white tips, drop it back in for a few weeks.....

in 5B I havent seen strong signs to need to think about this yet, usually not for another few weeks, although my new chojubai has pushed a few leaf buds already

as stated elsewhere, if movement has begun, the window is big, so just be mindful to protect against frost

 

[GGB]

This would be really great to have. I could see someone like Jonas or BVF making a great blog post about this.

Actually, Harry Harrington has a great article on bud swell with helpful photos.

When to Repot Your Deciduous (and Broadleaf) Bonsai – Bonsai4Me

bonsai4me.com

 

[sorce]

I'm with @Adamski77 .

"Bud swelling" here can be a 2 month period, cant call it on that alone.

Either way.

Repot in summer, it's safer.

Sorce

 

[The Warm Canuck]

Never attached photos from my phone before, but found these helpful.

Excellent examples!

 

[Cajunrider]

When my trees start to have teenagers' face, the buds are swelling.

 

[Cruiser]

Swelling buds comparison. Two separate euonymus trees. Same day.


Green peeking through spreading bud scales. Buds rounded, plump.


Bud scales still closed. Less conspicuous.