Walter Pall's main blog about bonsai and his work with trees from day to day. Lots of good pictures of good trees and lots of valuable information about bonsai.
Friday, September 16, 2011
Japanese maple #13
Japanese maple, Acer palmatum, imported from japan, then a bit neglected, not repotted for at least five to eight years. The pot was WAY too small form a horticultural and artistic point of view. New pot b John Pitt.
14 comments:
Anonymous
said...
Were the roots pruned or did you just wash them out?
Can such late summer repotting be done normally/regularly on Japanese maples or did you do it out of necessity (for the tree)?
This is indeed a very beautiful tree. What is its age and how long have you had it for? Could you, as you are so kind in offering your knowledge tell us how you came to acquire such a beautiful tree. If the question and request is not apropriate please forgive me and iqnore my post. Thank you for sharing this with me.
To all who are worried about repotting now: This blog shwos how bonsai is done professionally. If I show something like this you can trust that it is the right thing to do. Repotting a Japanese maple in the middle of Semptember with full leave is perfectly OK in my climate.
My climate is very much lick New England, Northern Pennsylvania. In spring tempertures form freezing to 250 °C and the same in fall. I cannot see why in most temperate climates you cannot do the same.
Does someone here seriously think that I am risking a tree that costs more than 6,000 US$ just because I did not care enough abut the proper time to repot?
To repot after middle of Septmeber, like October, when the foliage will be gone is a BIG MISTAKE:
I doubt that anyone here is questioning your decision, Walter. I think it would be very interesting to hear the reasoning behind the decision to repot now vs in Oct vs in the spring. Specifically why would it be a mistake to repot after the leaves have fallen?
Jerry, if I repot from the middle of August to the middle of September the tree has until around October 20 to still grow and to get established in the pot with new roots. This is sufficient to make it ready for winter and next spring. It still needs a bit more protection though than a tree which was not repotted. To repot now with full foliage is OK because the days are rapidly getting shorter, cooler and more moist. The tree will not suffer and most probably keep the foliage. The foliage is ABSOLUTLY necessary for new growth of roots!!! Therefore to repot after the foliage has fallen as most books tell you is a big mistake. The tree will not be able to grwow new roots. It will have to wait until April. It cannot close some wounds from cutting off roots. It will need very good winter protection. It would have been much better to not repot in October but wait for April. To repot before that time will make sure that the tree will start well in spring. If you have the choice though and not many trees, wait until April, because it is a slightly saver time. In our climate proper winter protection is so critical.
14 comments:
Were the roots pruned or did you just wash them out?
Can such late summer repotting be done normally/regularly on Japanese maples or did you do it out of necessity (for the tree)?
Beautiful. Just repotted now or recently?
Hello Mr Pall,
This is indeed a very beautiful tree. What is its age and how long have you had it for? Could you, as you are so kind in offering your knowledge tell us how you came to acquire such a beautiful tree. If the question and request is not apropriate please forgive me and iqnore my post. Thank you for sharing this with me.
Kind regards,
Adam
Hello,
very nice tree, but when was this repotted? I always thought they need to be repotted when dormant.
sassa
walter,
can you comment on the timing of this re-potting? seems to be a bad time, or am i missing the boat? thanks for sharing
The roots were pruned just a little. Repotting a maple at this time is standard. But April is still a bit better in my area.
To all who are worried about repotting now:
This blog shwos how bonsai is done professionally. If I show something like this you can trust that it is the right thing to do. Repotting a Japanese maple in the middle of Semptember with full leave is perfectly OK in my climate.
Adam,
I have had this tree for 20 hours before I repotted it. It was negecletd for about five years
how is your climate like? when is autumn, spring what temperatures do you have at this time?
My climate is very much lick New England, Northern Pennsylvania. In spring tempertures form freezing to 250 °C and the same in fall.
I cannot see why in most temperate climates you cannot do the same.
Does someone here seriously think that I am risking a tree that costs more than 6,000 US$ just because I did not care enough abut the proper time to repot?
To repot after middle of Septmeber, like October, when the foliage will be gone is a BIG MISTAKE:
I doubt that anyone here is questioning your decision, Walter.
I think it would be very interesting to hear the reasoning behind the decision to repot now vs in Oct vs in the spring. Specifically why would it be a mistake to repot after the leaves have fallen?
Jerry,
if I repot from the middle of August to the middle of September the tree has until around October 20 to still grow and to get established in the pot with new roots. This is sufficient to make it ready for winter and next spring. It still needs a bit more protection though than a tree which was not repotted. To repot now with full foliage is OK because the days are rapidly getting shorter, cooler and more moist. The tree will not suffer and most probably keep the foliage. The foliage is ABSOLUTLY necessary for new growth of roots!!! Therefore to repot after the foliage has fallen as most books tell you is a big mistake. The tree will not be able to grwow new roots. It will have to wait until April. It cannot close some wounds from cutting off roots. It will need very good winter protection. It would have been much better to not repot in October but wait for April.
To repot before that time will make sure that the tree will start well in spring.
If you have the choice though and not many trees, wait until April, because it is a slightly saver time. In our climate proper winter protection is so critical.
Clear - thanks for the explanation.
Jerry Norbury
Amsterdam
I love the "mushroom" shape of this maple tree. Great looking bonsai and great picture quality.
I really appreciate the quality of all pictures on your website.
Really inspiring!
Thanks for sharing.
Have a nice day
Paul
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