Comments on: Repotting a trident maple: root-work

By: Repotting a trident maple: finishing touches « Bonsai Tonight

Repotting a trident maple: finishing touches « Bonsai Tonight — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 16:03:20 +0000

[...] hard part is over. After Removing the tree from the pot and Preparing the pot; after Working on the roots and Securing the tree in the pot, we’re left with the finishing touches. The first is adding [...]

By: xwires

xwires — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 05:16:24 +0000

Thanks Tom. John covered rake use well. There are big and little rakes, but both generally do one of two things, without regard to size. Multi-tine rakes are great for removing soil from a rootball while single-tine rakes and tweezers are best for removing soil from roots you’re going to keep. We typically leave good roots near the surface to develop the nebari and remove the roots that grew at the bottom of the pot.

It’s rare that I spray roots as they don’t tend to dry out while I work. Temperature and humidity are a big part of this, and the roots are usually moist – but not wet – to begin with. If I leave a tree alone for a while mid-repotting I drape a moist towel over the rootball. When, however, I notice that the roots are dry, especially when I’m working with bare-root or collected material, I spray as necessary.

By: John Kirby

John Kirby — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 03:11:32 +0000

Tom,
When you work with Boon you learn to use the 3 tine tool on the bottom and tweezers or a single tine tool on the top and sides. This is what Boon teaches and when you are at Boon’s this is what you do, I have taken this process home and use it on my trees. It works.

John

By: tom tynan

tom tynan — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 02:14:24 +0000

This is a great five-part series; a few comments about the way you work…are you periodically spraying the roots during this process, of course a function of how long you work on the roots and the temperature [quite mild I would assume]. Also….the root rake you are using has 3-tines; what is your experience with a single tine root rake – any thoughts on which is easier, less likely to damage roots….

thanks again…Tom