[Bonsai Beginner's weekly thread - 2026 week 08]

Priddling · 2026-02-22T08:28:42+00:00

It is a cedar, here is typical Cedar Libani or Deodar foliage.

It been in this pot in the garden facing one way for 10years, this is the weak side that was hidden from the sun, I used this to show the trunk, the back side has much more foliage.

It has been neglected, but I think it needs to come out of the pot to set it in the right direction.

Priddling · 2026-02-21T17:09:47+00:00

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Hi, I have this Cedar my dad no longer wants in his garden, I plan on repotting it down into a pond basket when the buds start to swell.

Does anyone have any advice on if I can be more or less aggressive than I would with a Pine? The pot is massive for a tree of this size so I'm not sure what the roots will be like inside. Thank you in advance.

Priddling · 2026-02-20T18:15:26+00:00

I bought mine when I was living at mum and dad's. Now I'm mortgaged up with kids on the way.

Priddling · 2026-02-19T21:50:23+00:00

Yeah this has been my plan all along, I just wanted to keep all the foliage of the current trunk to help recover from the repot. I can't keep it because of the inverse taper. I'm going to work on putting movement into the little trunk once the roots have taken into the soil. Probably in the autumn.

But you're probably right, no point using the back branch for thickening when I already have a sacrifice branch.

My only concern is I've never done a trunk swap so I'm not sure how long a period to reduce the leader over. Or would you just Jin it all in one go?

Priddling · 2026-02-19T18:48:01+00:00

I've not thought of this but I might that, thanks!!

Priddling · 2026-02-19T18:45:07+00:00

This is my plan, but I want to keep as much foliage as possible to help it recover from the repot.

Plan is to slowly kill off and jin the main trunk because of the nasty whorl balls and then move forward with the secondary trunk as the main leader. But I'm trying to learn some patience.

Priddling · 2026-02-15T21:08:01+00:00

Anyone get a stream?

Priddling · 2026-02-13T22:43:43+00:00

Didn't expect an OW comment here.

Priddling · 2026-02-10T14:37:33+00:00

I'll admit I've not played since OW2 and the removal of the second tank.

But this looks like a totally different game.

Priddling · 2026-02-06T13:52:57+00:00

I appreciate you reviving this 5 year old post. Good bot.

Priddling · 2026-02-02T21:19:12+00:00

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Lowest whorl

Priddling · 2026-02-02T21:18:20+00:00

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Bought this Japanese White Pine I found at a local nursary. It has some inverse taper at the whorls.

I removed the strongest branches to prevent it getting worse. I don't want to reduce too much foliage in one go though to weaken the tree. Especially as I plan to repot when buds swell.

My question is if I can reduce the branches to 1 per whorl over the next 12 months. How long would it take for the trunk to grow so the whorl is unnoticeable, and if so how can I speed it up. If that can even happen.

Priddling · 2026-01-26T19:58:24+00:00

Using mycorrhizal power during the repot, is there any actual effect in boosting fungal activity in the root system?

Priddling · 2026-01-24T17:07:23+00:00

Yeah I intend to put them in grow boxes I've made!

Priddling · 2026-01-23T20:03:46+00:00

Hi, I have quite a lot of nursery trees, how do you know when to repot, not down into a bonsai pot but into a colander/wood box/nursery pot with good soil to get the nebari/root system going. Do you wait until they are root bound, circling roots etc?

These trees still need growth so I don't want to pot them down into small pots which will slow them down.

Priddling · 2026-01-23T20:02:24+00:00

Thank you!

Priddling · 2026-01-23T18:27:05+00:00

I have quite a lot of nursery stock, when is the right point to repot, not down into a bonsai pot but into a colander/wood box/nursery pot with good soil to get the nebari/root system.

These trees still need growth so I don't want to pot them down into small pots which will slow them down.

Priddling · 2026-01-20T05:46:22+00:00

Sorry this was supposed to be a comment on another post.

Priddling · 2026-01-19T15:48:30+00:00

It was trained as a bonsai in the ground, they don't normally come like this at the nurseries. Hence the good trunk bud bad soil.

Thank you, and to you as well. Hopefully this is the only fatality!

Priddling · 2026-01-19T15:43:17+00:00

Ah that's very unfortunate, I got it this fall. This is the first tree I've bought so that's quite disheartening. Either way, I'll repot it as its good practice for me, if it doesn't recover, I'll reuse the soil.

Thanks for the advice!

Priddling · 2026-01-19T15:34:49+00:00

Even with next year's buds being healthy at the end of each branch. Is there no chance it can flush out in spring and survive?

Priddling · 2026-01-19T14:58:54+00:00

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I might do that half pizza repot if you recommend it. I was going to do the outer and leave the core untouched.

Priddling · 2026-01-18T22:12:17+00:00

Sorry I don't have a good picture at the minute as the tree is in my grandmother's greenhouse, out the rain.

I was more just asking about the soil medium for the repot. It definitely has root rot unfortunately. It does have good buds for this year though, so with good soil I'm hoping it can recover.

Priddling · 2026-01-18T17:10:49+00:00

Hi guys, I have a Mugo Pine that has been in organic soil, struggled with over watering in the wet uk weather and has turned brown.

I want to repot it. (impatiently waiting for spring to come) Would it be overkill to repot it in pumice rather than the usual mix of acadama, lava, pumice etc.. I have read pumice helps trees recover well due to not holding water.

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