Whilst working in one of my client’s gardens in Wiswell last week I was tidying the lower garden area,  the client advised I could repot one of her Bonsai’s. Today I was in my element as I used to keep Bonsai’s, my mother bought me one of my first plants about 14 years ago, an  Acer Palmatum Deshojo. Unfortunately, it got killed in the cold weather one winter.

I love pruning acres and in the last couple of weeks, I have pruned over twenty. Eight of which were in the same garden.

As usual, I digress,  the correct time to repot a Bonsai is spring. The roots will slowly become active as they do the dormant buds start to swell. As this happens the roots stop being an energy store there primary function is to supply moisture to the newly opening leaves.

As this is the case it is now a good time to trim roots when repotting.

This Bonsai has certainly had more than two years in this pot without any attention.

Take the tree out of the pot and inspect for diseased and dead wood, cut off as required.

Rake off all old soil without damaging the trunk. Cut the roots back by a half. If you have access to water wash off all the old soil.

Put some drainage grids over the holes in the base of the pot, followed by a layer of compost. Put the Bonsai in and fill up the pot with compost and push down firmly around the plant.

With the new compost in place, I then get put a layer of coloured slate around the plant. One to match the surroundings, two to keep the plant moist when it is hot. As the roots have been cut do not feed for eight weeks.

The banner image shows the finished item.