Repotting Trivia—

Here are a few photos from this spring’s repotting in Seasonal Workshops. Each has a note about what we were doing. 

Often pots have few, small drain holes. Sometimes they are not in the lowest place in the pot. In either of those situations drilling new holes can help the pot drain. Pictured here is a diamond hole saw on a drill which, with a spray of constant water (helps to have a buddy), will easily and without much danger to the pot create new holes.

Making simple clips for small sized drain holes. Larger drain holes benefit from your more complicated clips. All have their use.

A young but large Winter Hazel—helps to have extra hands, even when familiar with the work. Repotting parties are a great way to get and lend a hand. 

A chunky Wisteria gets a repot. I find these do better with more frequent repotting. The water penetration is then better, important for this water-loving plant. And it reinvigorates the Wisteria, which, if it gets geriatric, will lose branches without a second thought. 

The root wad of the inside walls of a bag pot. Bag pots (shown in the next photo) can make our repotting more difficult, but they have an aesthetic purpose. Bonsai that have a low, or upward then downward, presentation often look very good in them.  

A small but old European Privet group, Ligustrum vulgare, found over 30 years ago as seedlings under hedges. Never wired. In mild climates this plant is evergreen, in cold, deciduous. Like most shrubs it has many fine roots and few thick ones. For a plant this size, a repot every 2 years insures vigor and water penetration. 

Root grafting is possible during repotting time, even if you don’t repot the tree. For more, see Stewartia Root Graft.

Old Satsuki azalea, a Kinsai. Usually modest-sized azalea are on a 3-year repot cycle. We’ve grown azalea in pure pumice without a hitch, and they do ok in akadama as well. Just a thought if you have trouble finding Kanuma. 

Holly is one of those finicky bonsai plants that with little provocation will rot roots. The fine roots often show grey or black areas near the pot wall, even when under shade cloth. Even older plants are sometimes repotted every 2 years to keep ahead of this problem.