Should I repot now or wait?
Patti Chicago Zone 5b/6a
3 years ago
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'little gold angel' ficus b. repot to gritty now?
Comments (4)So what month is this? Lol - I'm just poking you in the ribs like a friend would before he weighs in. ;-) I just helped Kris on another thread, so I hope she sees yours and is listening in here, too. Small trees are a high% of dynamic mass (100%?). The % of dynamic mass determines in part the tree's ability to resist stress & strain. Another way to put it that's easy to put into perspective is young plants have a greater will to live and will tolerate more indignities than older plants. That you have a good light set-up sort of extends your window of opportunity. While it's still probably not the best option, I think you could repot now. If Kris is listening in, and what I said seems to possibly bear on what I said in the other thread, feel free to reopen the conversation and we'll look at your options again. Where to begin to produce a bonsai from a young plant ................. that requires more than one book. Bonsai is a 4-dimensional art form, with "life' being the 4th dimension. The purpose varies by person, but I suppose I'd settle on personal satisfaction as its true purpose. The goal is different than purpose. The goal is to, through the use of a wide and ever expanding variety of techniques, to manipulate a tree (or plant) into something we might find that has been living in nature for a very long time. IOW - we want to build an old-looking tree that looks natural. I think we grow into the goal as we progress in the art. I don't think it's unrealistic to assume that the beginner's goals vary significantly from the goals of the more experienced growers. If you were experienced, we'd understand already that you need to let the plant grow unencumbered until the trunk is thick enough to look natural supporting a tree of the ht you have envisioned. There are 'rules' in bonsai that help you learn how to break them. ;-) Some of the rules involve proportions. For example, a perfect bonsai will have a trunk base thickness about 1/6 of the o/a ht of the tree above the soil line. That would mean if you want a 12" high bonsai, you should wait until you have a 2" thick trunk and then start building it. This is unrealistic for beginners for a number of reasons. Beginners just want to get a tree into a bonsai pot and enjoy admiring and taking care of it a. I applaud any who make the effort to build a relationship with their plants, and bonsai can be particularly rewarding in that regard. You'll have as much fun & satisfaction from your new commitments as I from mine. How about if we take a look at it before we plot a course that gets you to what you have envisioned for the plant in the shortest time while still safeguarding the trees vitality. Remember always that when you're working with bonsai, you're on tree time, which can be much more enjoyable (and considerably different) than people time while you're immersed in it. If you don't already know what I mean, I hope some day you get to find out; but while you're on tree time, you'll find that patience is part of the equation. You'll work & wait, work on the tree, then wait for it to recover so you can take the next step that brings it along on the journey to the destination you've selected for it. Al...See MoreRepotting mesembs and other plants into gritty-type mix
Comments (4)Adromiscus in this type of soil? 1-1-1 you plan to use ? No, but you could use a small amount of the C&S thats been sifted Can also use truface but all my adros are turface free I use organicly composted granite with sifted sized silica.... * Turkey grits* In my honest opinion are to big for them, smaller sized chicken grits would be better. There are some adros that eventually build a caudex I add some perlite to the adros that do Don't over pot they are in growing season now if you are to repot them then suggest you do so ASAP or a week ago. You can also wait untill late spring- early summer when they are in slumber. What Adro(s) did you get ?...See MoreOK to repot in November?
Comments (6)As a general rule it is safer to repot at the beginning of the growing season. But, believe it or not, I personally prefer to repot my cactus plants this time of year because there is not much else to do so it gives me the opportunity to carefully inspect my plants. I always find and kill some pesky mealy bugs. After repotting dozens if not hundreds of times over the years, I cannot recall any detrimental effects - but I repot into a just barely moist soil mix, and I keep the repotted plants warm for 2 weeks before they go back out into the cold greenhouse, and I do not trim any roots. I also know my plants are healthy. They will be ready to grow and bloom in the spring. I am not a believer in following age-old mantra that is preached in literature and other reading materials. That is not "scientific". I have experimented with many different techniques. Yes, many a plant has died or suffered in my hands, but that's part of the learning curve and has allowed me to become a better grower....See MoreOpinions on repot timing requested.
Comments (3)Roses DO grow in the desert, but their roots are in the soil where the temps are half what they can reach out in the full sun. Any pot can over heat, baking all the moisture out of the soil and roots, and literally killing the roots. If you're going to keep things planted on a hot balcony, do yourself a favor and obtain insulated pots. Foam types are like ice chests, they keep the soil and roots inside cooler even when the sun shines directly on the pot. I'd continue keeping your pots where they are as far away from the hottest parts of the balcony and wall surfaces because that reflected/radiated heat can raise the air temperature DRAMATICALLY and that can easily cook any plant material very quickly. I hope your roses do recover, they may well, depending upon how severely they were baked by the recent heat event. Any pot that's insulated, whether it's foam (the best for weight and insulation), wood or concrete (too heavy, but a great material for insulation), will give much better results than a plain plastic (of ANY color) or any terra cotta or ceramic material. If you feel safe there is still life in the one in question and if you want to provide it the best opportunities to recover, replant it now before there is more extreme heat and sun. If you're seriously doubtful, then give it as much protection from the heat and light extremes, keep your fingers crossed and hope for the best. If it's something you REALLY wanted and had difficulties finding, repot it now and protect it. Good luck!...See MorePatti Chicago Zone 5b/6a
3 years agoPatti Chicago Zone 5b/6a
3 years agorina_Ontario,Canada 5a
3 years agolast modified: 3 years agoPatti Chicago Zone 5b/6a thanked rina_Ontario,Canada 5aPatti Chicago Zone 5b/6a
3 years ago
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Kara 9b SF Bay Area CA