Maples, How much root reduction to reduce bleeding?

[The Warm Canuck]

I have some JM's that I'll be re-potting from grow bags to shallow wood grow boxes this spring, and wood like to do some hard pruning / trunk chops at the same time. I'd like to keep as much root mass as possible but don't want the trees to excessively bleed either.

So, how much root reduction is necessary to stop the bleeding?

 

[leatherback]

I think the first reply question would be..
Why do you care about some water loss?

That being said.. If you transfer trees in development, it is worth woring the roots well, so you develop a better nebari over the years. You only have that chance when you are repotting. So I would reduce my rootbaal as much as needed to correct the nebari.

 

[Piedmont Bonsai]

Agreed with @leatherback unless you have massive wounds, bleeding isn’t that big of a concern with maples.

 

[leatherback]

Agreed with @leatherback unless you have massive wounds, bleeding isn’t that big of a concern with maples.

Thx,

For the OP:

 

[The Warm Canuck]

I think the first reply question would be..
Why do you care about some water loss?

That being said.. If you transfer trees in development, it is worth woring the roots well, so you develop a better nebari over the years. You only have that chance when you are repotting. So I would reduce my rootbaal as much as needed to correct the nebari.

I guess listening to Ryan Neil has got me paranoid. There's so much disagreement on the issue, and I don't have the experience or care to loose anymore trees...haha

 

[leatherback]

I guess listening to Ryan Neil has got me paranoid. There's so much disagreement on the issue

Why, what does he say?

In general it is worth the effort to listen to a few people.

 

[The Warm Canuck]

Why, what does he say?

In general it is worth the effort to listen to a few people.

High water mobility trees being those that bleed profusely in the spring, this bleeding beeing starches, ie enregy. So he recommends against heavy pruning until the leaves have hardened off and the trees, energy is more balanced.

I believe you where involved in this discussion on this thread I posted a while back:

Confusion with JM trunk chop timing

I'm confused on recommendations for trunk chopping a JM. I'm sure it's circumstantial but I see a lot of different opinions on the matter. Ryan Neil caterogorizes Dicedous tree is two categories, High water mobility and low water mobility. High water mobility trees being those that bleed...

www.bonsainut.com

 

[Piedmont Bonsai]

It is true that in general you should wait until the spring growth has hardened off before making big wounds on maples, but I think Ryan Neil’s reasoning behind that is flawed.

Ryan has admitted on podcasts before that he didn’t really work with deciduous trees that much during his apprenticeship, so personally I don’t follow his advice on the subject.

 

[Shibui]

My experience is that relatively little root reduction seems to stop maples bleeding when pruning in spring.
Having said that, I agree with @leatherback . Getting roots right is well worth any possible loss of growth - if there is any loss of growth from root pruning. I have yet to quantify reduction in growth V root reduction but subjectively I'm becoming more and more convinced that root reduction has way less impact on subsequent growth than many growers seem to believe. I know that I still get good regrowth after severe root reduction on trident maples.

 

[RoadManDenDron]

As has been said you want to do as much root reduction as your confidence will allow, it gets more 'bang for your buck' when repotting,

What i then do is cut off 1 small branchlet and come back after 20 mins to see if it has 'bled'

 

[The Warm Canuck]

As has been said you want to do as much root reduction as your confidence will allow, it gets more 'bang for your buck' when repotting,

What i then do is cut off 1 small branchlet and come back after 20 mins to see if it has 'bled'

Oh I like that approach.

 

[leatherback]

Just keep in mind. It is a bit of water with some sugar (Not starch, that is not soluble) and a few electrolytes.
All stuff your tree has plenty off in reserve if healthy.