This week I finally got around to repotting a red pine forest that hadn’t been worked on in a while. Midway through, I paused to take note of the different techniques I was using to do the work. Midway through the repot I’d started by combing out the mat of roots growing along the bottom […]
Repotting
What to do when akadama is in short supply
Akadama, particularly when mixed with other media, is a great medium for growing bonsai (see “All about akadama” for details). Over the course of the last year, akadama has become harder to come by for several reasons: Global demand has increased. Mining slowed down due to heavier than normal rainfall. Shipping congestion has delayed shipments. […]
Repotting a Sierra juniper with a compacted root ball
When a bonsai hasn’t been repotted in a while, the broken down soil and roots can fill most of the gaps between soil particles and make for a compacted root ball. It’s hard to keep bonsai healthy when water doesn’t move through the soil well, so the goal for repotting a tree with compacted roots […]
Repotting nursery stock – sekka hinoki
One species that I’m excited to work with over the next few years is sekka hinoki, Chamaecyparis obtusa ‘sekka’. Sekka are a dwarf hinoki cultivar with incredibly small foliage making them a popular choice for cultivation as shohin. I have a number of sekka hinoki in one gallon nursery containers that need repotting this year. […]
What kind of soil should I use for my bonsai?
I hear the question a lot, and it’s a good one. In my garden, I use mixes based on the species I’m growing and my development goals for the tree. I make adjustments for the health of the tree, my budget, and the availability of the ingredients I’d like to use. If I’m working with […]