Japanese maple slip pot help

[drip]

How should I slip pot this japanese maple, bought it a few weeks ago from a local nursery, want to move it to a bigger pot because I see roots growing out the bottom. What type of soil mix should I use for this purpose? Also there’s a bunch of roly polys and centipedes in the current soil, should I relocate them somewhere else? Also when can i move him to bonsai pot? Year or 2?

 

[baldone]

If you're moving to bigger pot and not doing much root pruning, I would think your good. I repot Japanese maples about any time of year in pots that size.

 

[drip]

If you're moving to bigger pot and not doing much root pruning, I would think you’re good. I repot Japanese maples about any time of year in pots that size.

Mainly concerned if it’s limiting its growth during this season. What soil mix do you recommend?

 

[Jrmcmich]

Current pot appears to be sufficient based on tree size. If healthy I’d think of waiting till next spring and then do a repot and cam start root work

 

[penumbra]

What soil mix do you recommend?

I would use a growers mix like Pro-Mix and add pine bark fines 1 to 1.

 

[drip]

Current pot appears to be sufficient based on tree size. If healthy I’d think of waiting till next spring and then do a repot and cam start root work

So it’s fine leaving it in here or would slip potting increase growth?

 

[Jrmcmich]

Hard to know what’s going on underneath but you can also have a pot too big making it harder to not stay too wet. How long you had tree?

 

[Hack Yeah!]

Welcome @drip , tell us a little more about your goals and where you are located. What size/ style bonsai do you hope to achieve with your new piece of material?

 

[drip]

Hard to know what’s going on underneath but you can also have a pot too big making it harder to not stay too wet. How long you had tree?

Had it for about 3 weeks now, watering daily pretty much

 

[drip]

Welcome @drip , tell us a little more about your goals and where you are located. What size/ style bonsai do you hope to achieve with your new piece of material?

Hello, thank you for the welcome, I would prefer a small-medium sized bonsai. Styling wise not sure yet, would prefer something really dramatic like windswept but that is probably too advanced for me. I heard that certain types of JM work better for certain styles so if you could recommend one that would be great (Atropurpureum). I also like the very very neat broom style trees. Looking to hopefully keep the tree for as long as I live, I’m in chicagoland area zone 5b.

 

[shohin_branches]

This tree should be fine in this pot for the remainder of the year. Repot next spring

 

[drip]

This tree should be fine in this pot for the remainder of the year. Repot next spring

I have some concerns with too much soil loss during watering, should I just add more dirt?

 

[SeanS]

I have some concerns with too much soil loss during watering, should I just add more dirt?

how are you losing soil through watering? The sides of the pot are pretty high above the soil line so unless you’re using the fire hose connected to your fire truck before you head off for your shift at the fire station I don’t see how you’d be losing soil.

 

[drip]

how are you losing soil through watering? The sides of the pot are pretty high above the soil line so unless you’re using the fire hose connected to your fire truck before you head off for your shift at the fire station I don’t see how you’d be losing soil.

LMAOO, maybe i’m overthinking it but i see dirt wash away through the drainage holes everytime i water it, not much but i feel like overtime it would make a difference

 

[Shibui]

want to move it to a bigger pot because I see roots growing out the bottom.

A few roots at the drain holes is not an indication that larger pot is needed right away. Roots grow out and down so the first place they end up is drain holes at the bottom of the pot. There should still be plenty of space in the pot for more roots to grow.
The current pot is definitely adequate for the size of that tree.
Upsizing the pot MAY give a little more growth but may also cause unforeseen problems and result in less growth or even death of the tree. Given the time of year I would leave it as is and concentrate on good watering and adequate fertiliser to maintain growth this Summer.
Repot next Spring so you can start work on the roots to give a better root system for bonsai and life in a smaller pot.

The little bit of soil that washes out of the drain holes should not matter over a year. As more roots develop they will usually hold the soil better and slow any loss.

Also there’s a bunch of roly polys and centipedes in the current soil, should I relocate them somewhere else?

These guys (if they are the same as roly polys and centipedes here) typically don't do damage to the trees. They are usually just hiding out in the pot during the day and go out to find other food at night.

Also when can i move him to bonsai pot? Year or 2?

This depends what standard of 'bonsai' you aspire to.
Skinny trunk 'mallsai' type bonsai can go into a bonsai pot soon then just continue to trim as required. Development will slow right down and the trunk will stay skinny for many, many years.
Thicker trunk, old tree type bonsai needs time to develop. Typically we might spend 5-10 years encouraging the trunk to thicken and develop some bends to give an impression of age before even considering a bonsai pot.

 

[drip]

A few roots at the drain holes is not an indication that larger pot is needed right away. Roots grow out and down so the first place they end up is drain holes at the bottom of the pot. There should still be plenty of space in the pot for more roots to grow.
The current pot is definitely adequate for the size of that tree.
Upsizing the pot MAY give a little more growth but may also cause unforeseen problems and result in less growth or even death of the tree. Given the time of year I would leave it as is and concentrate on good watering and adequate fertiliser to maintain growth this Summer.
Repot next Spring so you can start work on the roots to give a better root system for bonsai and life in a smaller pot.

The little bit of soil that washes out of the drain holes should not matter over a year. As more roots develop they will usually hold the soil better and slow any loss.


These guys (if they are the same as roly polys and centipedes here) typically don't do damage to the trees. They are usually just hiding out in the pot during the day and go out to find other food at night.


This depends what standard of 'bonsai' you aspire to.
Skinny trunk 'mallsai' type bonsai can go into a bonsai pot soon then just continue to trim as required. Development will slow right down and the trunk will stay skinny for many, many years.
Thicker trunk, old tree type bonsai needs time to develop. Typically we might spend 5-10 years encouraging the trunk to thicken and develop some bends to give an impression of age before even considering a bonsai pot.

Wow thanks for the help!!! So keep i’ll keep it in grow pots for a couple more years then. I saw little beads of fertilizer when I first bought it, maybe about 8 on the top soil, am I safe to add more? I have osmocote plus on hand. I’m not a huge fan of the trunk chop look, is there any other technique that will allow me to keep the tree short while it develops with decent taper? Or is major trunk chopping the meta?

 

[Nera]

how are you losing soil through watering? The sides of the pot are pretty high above the soil line so unless you’re using the fire hose connected to your fire truck before you head off for your shift at the fire station I don’t see how you’d be losing soil.

 

[Shibui]

I saw little beads of fertilizer when I first bought it, maybe about 8 on the top soil, am I safe to add more? I have osmocote plus on hand. I’m not a huge fan of the trunk chop look, is there any other technique that will allow me to keep the tree short while it develops with decent taper? Or is major trunk chopping the meta?

Should be safe to add more Osmocote. Just don't overdo it in case the previous application was recent but a bit extra does not usually hurt.
I don't like the huge trunk chop either. Don't understand why people do that. I tend to use smaller chops more often rather than a single huge chop. Regular cut back can achieve the same thickening and taper but with less scarring. Earlier chops will be healed by subsequent growth and toward the end of development chops should become smaller and smaller so as to be less noticeable. It may take a couple more years to reach desired trunk thickness this way but you will already have taper and good trunk movement. Big growth and big chop achieves trunk thickness quicker but then there's many more years to regrow the trunk, heal the major scar, grow branches and develop ramification so there's really no time saving by the time you have achieved a presentable, well ramified bonsai after a big chop.

 

[drip]

Should be safe to add more Osmocote. Just don't overdo it in case the previous application was recent but a bit extra does not usually hurt.
I don't like the huge trunk chop either. Don't understand why people do that. I tend to use smaller chops more often rather than a single huge chop. Regular cut back can achieve the same thickening and taper but with less scarring. Earlier chops will be healed by subsequent growth and toward the end of development chops should become smaller and smaller so as to be less noticeable. It may take a couple more years to reach desired trunk thickness this way but you will already have taper and good trunk movement. Big growth and big chop achieves trunk thickness quicker but then there's many more years to regrow the trunk, heal the major scar, grow branches and develop ramification so there's really no time saving by the time you have achieved a presentable, well ramified bonsai after a big chop.

Thanks! I’ll start researching, so when regularly cutting back, you just cut the main trunk down and select a new leader every time for taper? And then just leave branches in desirable positions?

 

[Shibui]

It varies depending on the age and stage of the trees and what you are trying to achieve.
Here are a couple I chopped yesterday. They are both aimed at really small bonsai. This is the first pruning for both.
Trident maple. Blue lines mark long internodes. Because I'm aiming for smaller bonsai long internodes in trunk or branches are not good. Remove all long internodes, even if you want the trunk or branch longer.
Red lines mark long, straight sections. The lower trunk has good bends. Straight sections in the upper trunk would look odd so cut to a side shoot that gives a good bend (and taper)

Not much left after removing long internodes and straight parts but new buds will grow and give more options for next year.


These tridents are a year older Previous chops have resulted in some bends and some branches. Remove excess branches so the trunks do not develop inverse taper. Chop again for change of direction and taper in both branches and upper trunks.


Green arrows show previous chops. Should be able to pick up change of direction and change in taper from previous pruning at those places.
This year's pruning to remove competing branches and apex, leaving better shaped or better positioned. Also remove long internodes, even if the branch/trunk needs to be longer. Much better to take another year than to live with a bare section for ever after.


Similar process for larger trees but cuts will be proportionally larger and we may be able to tolerate slightly longer internodes in larger sized trees.

At this stage these trees have been pruned once each year. The lower 2 will probably move to 2 or 3 trims per year to encourage more ramification and finer twigs. I'd be happy to spend 6-10 years to get good shohin sized trees from these but you may be satisfied with lesser quality and shorter time frame for your first tree.