Restoring a Japanese beech

You never know what you’re going to find when you repot a tree for the first time, or when you finally get around to addressing a tree’s major flaws. The Japanese beech below was due for a reboot. The tree’s owner began by working on the roots.

Japanese beech

Poor nebari

In addition to removing rotten, dead roots, the tree’s owner worked to flatten the base of the rootball. By carving away unnecessary wood under the trunk, we can encourage the lateral roots that help flare the base of the trunk and create taper. After grinding away for a while – a blister-inducing activity – signs of an old air layer appeared. Although it’s common to use a tight band of aluminum wire when air layering beech, its best to remove the wire before it becomes embedded.

Evidence of an old layer – flashes of aluminum wire

With the rootwork complete, the tree’s owner planted the beech in a large box to encourage rapid root growth. In a few years, we can expect a lot of improvement in the roots.

In the new pot

Not sure if this is the front or the back – time will tell