Repotting

bonsai-shop.com/en/care/repotting

If you want to style a bonsai successfully, you first and foremost have to think about
bonsai care.

Repotting bonsai is one of the most important maintenance techniques and is very
important for keeping bonsai trees healthy in the long term. Unfortunately, it is often
neglected or incorrectly executed. Repotting the trees is not complicated, but a
simple and basic technique in horticulture.

Essentially, you have to repot at the right time, choose a suitable bonsai pot and use
the right bonsai soil. On this page we have tried to summarize the points that should
be considered when repotting bonsai. Before we go into detail, it should first be
explained why bonsai have to be repotted at all.

Why repotting ?
Bonsai are living things. They are constantly changing, both above and below
ground. In order to grow and thrive, they need energy (obtained through
photosynthesis in the leaves and stored in sugars) and nutrients, which they take
from the soil. In order to be able to absorb the nutrients, they need many roots.
These are constantly re-forming in the soil.

Since there is only a limited space available in the bonsai pot, the entire bonsai
substrate in the pot will be rooted through after a certain time. This creates a
problem: there is no more space for new roots.

And there is an even bigger problem: all the pores in the soil are filled with roots. But
the air in these pores is very important for the roots. Like all cells, root cells need
oxygen to live. While oxygen is readily available in the air above ground, oxygen
supply in the ground can be difficult. Without air in the soil, there is no oxygen. Then
even the existing roots die and the bonsai can be damaged or can even die.

The problem is compounded by the disintegration of the bonsai soil over time. When
freshly filled into the pot a reasonable bonsai soil has a coarse structure. Due to the
influence of organisms in the soil and "freezing" in winter, the structure of the earth
becomes finer and finer over the course of 2-3 years. The finer the soil, however, the
smaller the pore space in the substrate, which is then compacted by the newly
formed roots. In the end, the necessary oxygen is always missing in the soil. A big
problem for the bonsai trees.

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Another problem arises with compacted bonsai soil: When the root cells breathe,
oxygen is consumed and carbon dioxide is produced. If the soil in the pot is dense
and moist, the carbon dioxide dissolves in the water and carbonic acid is produced.
As a result, the soil slowly and steadily acidifies, which most trees do not like.

We can only solve all of these problems by repotting the bonsai regularly. The
disintegrated, fine soil is replaced by new, coarser substrate. And in many cases part
of the roots is removed by a root cut, thus creating space for new growth.

If a bonsai is not repotted regularly, it will grow weaker and weaker over the years
and sooner or later it will die. It shouldn't get that far. In addition - the longer you wait
before repotting, the more difficult the intervention will be for the tree and also for the
bonsai friend. It is then often extremely difficult and sweaty to remove the old bonsai
soil.

But - no rule without exception: without repotting, the entire growth slows down over
the years. The distances between the leaf nodes (internodes) on a shoot are
shortened. Often the trees also bloom better. This can add to the aged look of more
mature trees. This means that with mature trees it can sometimes be beneficial to
slow down their growth a little by postponing repotting such bonsai for 1 year.

When should bonsai be repotted ?

Above all, a bonsai has to be repotted when the soil becomes too compact. The
compaction of the soil increases mainly due to the growth of the roots and the slow
decay of the bonsai soil. Accordingly, depending on the speed of the root growth and
the type of bonsai soil, a bonsai must be repotted after approx. 3-5 years.

Young plants from fast-growing tree species (maple bonsai, elm bonsai, apple
bonsai) often have to be repotted after 1-2 years. Older bonsai (shape is largely
complete) of tree species with slow root growth (pine bonsai, juniper bonsai) can
often stand 1-2 years longer in the same substrate.

Bonsai that have been potted in a fine or rapidly disintegrating substrate (e.g. peat,
potting soil, reused Akadama) must be repotted earlier than bonsai that are in a
structurally stable substrate (e.g. expanded slate, high-quality Akadama, Kiryuzuna).

Sometimes a salinization of the bonsai soil (e.g. after over-fertilization with mineral
nutrient salts) or the excessive infestation of the soil with pests can be a reason for
repotting. But both are very rare.

How can you determine if the bonsai soil is compacted ?

The best way to do this is to carefully lift the bonsai out of the pot. If only roots can
be seen on the outside of the root ball, it is usually high time to repot.

If the bonsai was properly fixed in the pot with bonsai wire during the last potting,
lifting it out is difficult. But there are other ways of assessing the need for repotting.

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 If a deciduous tree has not been repotted for 3 years and a conifer for 5 years,
it is usually high time to change the substrate.
If you have bought a freshly imported tree, it usually stands in the same soil for
at least 2 years. As long as most of the imported bonsai are in an export
nursery, they are checked regularly and usually never repotted during this time.
If the tree grows more slowly than is typical for the tree species or variety,
repotting the bonsai may be necessary.
If the soil hardly absorbs any water when the bonsai is poured, the bonsai soil
is often highly compacted.
If the root ball slowly pushes up out of the pot, the root ball of the bonsai was
not properly attached with wire and too many roots have usually already
formed. Repotting is usually needed.
If, despite good fertilization and watering, the bonsai has yellowish leaves in an
optimal location, the substrate is usually compacted.

However, all the arguments listed above the right time should not be implemented
too strict. In other words, do not repot just because 1 point has been fulfilled.
Observe your bonsai carefully, analyze their growth and only after weighing all the
important points should you make a decision. Repotting too often can also have
negative consequences. All of the above-mentioned symptoms are basic pointers to
give the beginner facts for a decision. Just because 3 years have passed, a
deciduous tree bonsai does not necessarily have to be repotted.

The question of when a bonsai should be repotted can also be understood as a

question of the right season.

When is the best season ?

For almost all bonsai, early spring is the best time to repot. In Germany we
understand early spring to be around the end of February-beginning of March. In
southern european countries the best time can be the end of January, in northern
european countries it may not be until April. The decisive factor is: The winter with
permanent frosts should be over, the tree should be about to sprout and it should not
be too warm yet.

In individual cases it can also be repotted at the end of summer. Some evergreen
tree species such as pines then form new roots. The important thing here is: the heat
of midsummer should be over.

Some tree species such as azalea bonsai are often repotted in Asia after flowering
(i.e. around May-June). The humidity there is very high and the plants grow well
even during this time. In Europe, however, you should only repot in summer if the
bonsai can be put in a greenhouse for a few weeks to grow after potting.

Why is early spring the best time to repot ?

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The plants are then still in hibernation and hardly evaporate any water without
leaves. As a result, they survive the repotting phase with a partial loss of their roots
better. The wounds on the roots that occur when repotting can heal better. And
above all - new root hairs can form until the leaves have sprouted out, which ensure
the supply of the tree in summer. If you repot too early, the healing of the cutting
interfaces slows down. If you repot too late, the water and nutrient supply of the tree
can suffer.

When should bonsai not be repotted ?

The most important note of all is: Do not repot a bonsai until you have informed
yourself and weighed all the arguments for and against. There is always 1 week to
read, to inquire at a bonsai dealer or to take the tree to a meeting of a bonsai
working group to analyze it together. A bonsai tree will stand in a bonsai pot for many
years. Except in the case of massive over-fertilization with nutrient salts, we do not
know any arguments why a bonsai has to be repotted immediately. There is always
time for 1-2 weeks to clarify everything.

Bonsai should not be repotted under the following circumstances:

Don't repot at the wrong time of year. Midsummer is usually not a good time to
repot, as is winter.
Bonsai taken from nature (Yamadori) should only be repotted when they have
shown significant growth in the previous year.
Do not repot several times a year. Even with very fast-growing tree species,
this is by no means necessary.
Don't repot just because 3 years have passed. If the bonsai soil is not well-
rooted, but otherwise still ok, you can do without repotting.
A newly acquired bonsai does not necessarily have to be repotted immediately.
It is better to first observe the tree for a period of growth and then make a
decision.

Step by step

1. Selection of the bonsai pot

When we have decided that a bonsai tree should be repotted, the selection of the
right bonsai pot is on the plan. In many cases you take the same pot again because
you have been selected it to match the tree the last time you repotted. That means
repotting a bonsai does not necessarily mean taking a new bonsai pot for the tree. If
the bonsai pot looks good with the bonsai, it is cleaned and reused.

We are often asked how much a new bonsai pot should be larger than the old one.
Our answer is mostly astonishing: in most cases it does not need to be larger. A
larger bonsai pot only needs to be chosen if your tree has become significantly larger
and is supposed to stay that way. Otherwise a pot of the same size is selected.

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Why ? Bonsai pots are selected according to aesthetic principles. If you choose a
larger bonsai pot for each potting without changing the size of the bonsai, it would
look strange at some point. A simple basic rule for pot size is: The length of the
bonsai pot should be about 2/3 the height of the tree.

If the root ball is too big for an otherwise suitable pot, it will be reduced. This means
that the root ball of the bonsai is reduced to match the pot and not the bonsai pot is
selected for the root ball. If the root ball cannot be reduced in size all at once as
required, then the bonsai does not actually belong in the final bonsai pot.

2. Selection of bonsai soil

When you hear the term soil you often think of what you find in the Bonsai soil
garden: very fine, humus-containing, often loamy, with rotting components. This soil
is unsuitable for bonsai. That is why experienced bonsai friends often do not use the
term bonsai soil, but mostly speak of bonsai substrates. These are usually not fine
and contain hardly any humus and only few rotting components.

A bonsai tree often stands in a bonsai pot for many years without changing the
substrate. Over this long period of time, the bonsai soil must ensure an optimal
supply of nutrients, oxygen and water. Commercially available garden soil or even
potting soil is not suitable for this. If you use such fine potting soil, your bonsai will in
most cases be damaged.

A good bonsai substrate should meet the following requirements: Good crumb
structure (ventilation) and dimensional stability, good drainage with high water
retention capacity and sufficient pH buffering capacity.

The bonsai substrates we offer meet these criteria. The Akadama can be used for
almost all bonsai. Kanuma with its low pH value is more suitable for azalea bonsai.
Kiryu is structurally stable for longer than Akadama and is therefore preferred for
conifer bonsai that have longer repotting intervals. Expanded slate and pumice
gravel can be used to further increase the structural stability by adding them.

On the Internet you can find many recipes for bonsai soil according to the following
scheme: Soil mixture for deciduous trees: 25% pumice gravel, 50% Akadama, 25%
lava granulate and for conifers: 33% pumice gravel, 33% Akadama, 33% lava
granulate. Sometimes I ask myself why there are not 2 decimal places. Anyone who
passes on such detailed recipes should have scientifically examined the whole thing
on many thousands of trees using statistical methods. However, the writers often
only have a few bonsai trees at home.

If you look at good soil for plants (e.g. by looking at it with a magnifying glass) you
can see a porous, spongy structure. There are many air-filled cavities teeming with
life. Every naturally occurring soil is unique and highly complex. But all soils on which
plants can grow well have similar properties. One of them is the large pore space.
And that's exactly what we need in the bonsai pot for several years.

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That means whether 10% expanded slate and 13% pumice gravel is not so
important.

Much more important is: No matter what you take, the substrate should be well
permeable and structurally stable.

Both pumice and expanded slate can increase the structural stability and
permeability of e.g. Akadama. But this is only needed if the tree is to stand in the pot
for a very long time. All in all, one can say in general: Take established bonsai soils
such as Akadama or Kiryu and sift out the dust before potting. If the bonsai is to stay
in the pot for more than 3 years, substrates such as expanded slate and pumice
gravel can be added as desired. Specifying exact percentages requires detailed
studies on many thousands of comparable bonsai under standardized conditions.
We don't know of any bonsai nursery in Europe that have investigated this.

But it is always important: Fine, dusty components do not belong in a good bonsai
soil. Rotting components are also problematic as they break down quickly. Akadama,
Kanuma or Kiryu pure and without dust is suitable for almost all cases. The whole
thing combined with an organic bonsai fertilizer such as Biogold or Hanagokoro - and
the bonsai is happy. In our bonsai nursery we have been using a substrate with a lot
of expanded slate for almost all bonsai (except azaleas). And we are very satisfied
with the growth.

In most cases, trees live in symbiosis with mycorrhizal fungi, i.e. in a partnership for
the benefit of both partners. Many trees are absolutely dependent on this symbiosis
and cannot survive without the help of the fungus.

If we remove a large part of the old substrate, part of the mycorrhiza is lost. It's not a
big problem. The mycorrhiza will form again over the next few months. We can help
the tree to regenerate the mycorrhiza by adding mycorrhiza to the substrate before
potting.

One possibility is to add some of the old bonsai soil to the new substrate (5-10%
should be sufficient). The problem with this is that we mix in old, decayed substrate
and immediately clog the important pores again.

Another possibility is to add commercially available mycorrhiza. Since it is much

more concentrated, you need to add much less volume. Usually about 1% is
sufficient here (e.g. 500ml for 50l bonsai substrate).

You can find detailed information on the subject of mycorrhiza at:   Mycorrhiza and
bonsai

3. Put together the accessories for repotting

When repotting a bonsai you should work quickly so that the roots with the fine hairs
do not dry out too much. It is therefore very useful to put all accessories together
before starting work so that you do not have to interrupt work later.

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What accessories do you need for repotting bonsai ?

In any case, you need a bonsai pot. In many cases, the current pot will be
reused
Bonsai soils and substrates and possibly mycorrhizal fungi are required in
sufficient quantities
Sometimes a sieve is needed to sift the dust from the new substrates
Cover grids for the drainage holes of the bonsai pot should be ready. The old
covering nets can often be reused
The tree is often fixed in the pots with wire. Bonsai wire cutters are well suited
for cutting
Root hooks and root claws are very important and indispensable for removing
the old bonsai soil
A hand brush to clean the roots of the bonsai is very helpful
Separate bonsai scissors and bonsai cutters are needed to remove roots
Aluminum bonsai wire is used to fix the tree in the pot
Soil shovels for filling in the substrate are helpful. If you fill in new substrate
with your hands, you should have rubber gloves ready
A small wooden stick is useful for working the bonsai soil between the roots
So that the roots do not dry out when repotting, they can be moistened with a
spray bottle. In a pinch, a ball shower for bonsai trees is also possible
Last but not least, you often need a watering can to water after potting

4. Remove the tree out of the pot

Removing the bonsai tree out of the pot is sometimes not that easy. Especially if the
bonsai soil is very compact.

Often times, the fixation wire that holds the bonsai in the pots has to be cut first. To
do this, tilt the bonsai a little to one side and cut the bonsai wire under the bottom of
the bonsai pot with a wire cutter.

Then you try to carefully pry the bonsai out of the bonsai pot. If it sits very tightly in
the pot, you can loosen up the old substrate on the pot wall with a root hook or a
sickle knife.

Before repotting, it is helpful to water the bonsai less. This often makes it easier for
the root ball to come out of the pot.

5. Fix the cover grille

If the old bonsai pot is used again, it should be cleaned now. Then the cover grids
are attached over the drainage holes.

To do this, cover the drainage holes on the inside of the bonsai pot with a cover grille
and fix it, preferably with aluminum bonsai wire.

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The cover grids prevent our substrate from falling out through the drainage holes. In
addition, some pests are prevented from entering the bonsai pot.

6. Remove the old bonsai substrate

After the bonsai has been freed from the pot, the old bonsai substrate is removed.
You should be much more careful and empathetic with conifers than with deciduous
trees. Here we describe the procedure for a deciduous tree with strong roots that has
deeply rooted the bonsai soil.

It is best to start off with a hand brush to remove moss and weeds from the surface
roots. This makes it easier to see the roots and assess how the roots have
developed in the visible area.

Then the root ball is carefully pulled apart with a root hook or a root claw. A hook is
particularly suitable when the bale is very solid.

If the bonsai has not been repotted for a long time, it is very difficult to get through
the root mass on the outside of the root ball. In this case, you can cut off the outer 2-
3cm of the root layer with a root cutter. In very stubborn cases, we use a saw and
saw off the outer root layer. One should proceed very carefully here. Sometimes a
large part of the bale originates from a thick root. If you cut it, it can happen that this
part of the bale is completely lost. Sometimes this is desired, but often not.

As soon as the outer layer of the roots is removed, you can usually rake the old
bonsai soil out of the inner part of the ball with the root claw.

How much old substrate should be removed is difficult to answer. In the case of
healthy trees with strong roots (Chinese elm,trident maple), the old soil can be
completely removed in many cases. If the bale is very solidified, it often makes
sense to only remove a part and repot it again in 1-2 years to rake out the rest. Here
it is really important to correctly assess the vigor of the tree. The aim should be that
the old soil is completely replaced after 2-3 repotting actions.

It is often advised to wash out the root ball with a jet of water. It's a very hard
procedure. In the process, the bonsai loses all of its small root hairs and its
mycorrhiza. That is why we do without it, especially with conifers such as pines and
larches. In stubborn cases, it is often enough to put the root ball in water for a few
minutes. After that, it is often easier to remove the soil.

As soon as the substrate is partially or completely removed, you should continue

working quickly as the remaining root hairs dry out quickly. It is best to repot in a
closed room with high humidity (e.g. greenhouse, foil tent). Regular spraying of the
root ball is now very helpful against drying out.

7. Root cut

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If the substrate is completely or partially removed, you can decide whether roots (or
better even more roots) should be removed. Often the question arises as to how the
tree can continue to grow after a strong root cut. As is so often the case in life, it is
important that it is not the quantity that counts, but rather the efficiency. A bonsai
does not need the strong roots for its stability. It is important that there are many
small roots for nutrient uptake. In this way, bonsai can thrive well in a bonsai pot for
several hundred years.

A root pruning is usually necessary for vigorous trees. With many coniferous tree
species (juniper, especially common juniper, white pine bonsai) you should be very
cautious and gain experience first. If in doubt, you should remove a little less and
look at the development of the tree. If it does well, the next repotting date can be
brought forward a little.

A root pruning is mainly carried out to create space in the bonsai pot for new
substrate and to force the tree to form many new, small roots to supply the tree. The
strong roots are not required for the stability of a bonsai. Above all, many fine roots
with the important root hairs are important. However, these are only located at the
ends of fine roots. Often there are hundreds per square millimeter.

It is often important to make a root cut on the roots of the trunk that are visible on the
surface. In the process, aesthetically disturbing roots (e.g. crossed roots, strong
roots growing towards the viewer) are removed.

For the root cut you should definitely use separate scissors or bonsai cutters. These
tools wear out quickly due to small stones in the substrate. They are then usually no
longer suitable for cutting in the crown area.

8. Positioning

Now it's time to potting. First, the wire to fix the root ball is put through the wire holes
in the bottom of the pot. If there are no wire holes, you can push the wire through the
drainage holes.

Then you put a flat layer of the new substrate in the pot and place the bonsai in the
desired position on this layer. Since the topic of positioning is very complex, I don't
want to go into it at this point. It would go beyond the scope. In many cases,
however, not much is changed in the position of the tree. If you liked the bonsai
before, you can repot it like that. In any case, the top of the tree should be tilted
towards the viewer. Usually a bonsai is also planted slightly off the center. Especially
with the inclined bonsai style in oval and rectangular bonsai pots.

If the tree is positioned as desired, it is held with one hand and with the other hand
so much substrate is filled in until it stands alone without holding it. The substrate
can now be worked a little between the roots with a wooden stick

9. Fixation

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Fixing the bonsai in the pot with wire is very important. The new substrate is still very
loose for several months. If the tree is not properly fixed with wire, it will grow very
poorly due to frequent movements of the trunk (e.g. when carrying, cutting or
watering). And even if the bonsai has grown well, fixing it with bonsai wire has a big
advantage: If you later lift the bonsai thoughtlessly up the trunk, the pot does not fall
down and break.

To fix it, the aluminum wire previously inserted through the wire holes is bent around
the bale and shortened with a pair of pliers by turning it so that it rests tightly on the
bale. The protruding wire ends can be shortened.

It is best to use aluminum wire with a thickness of at least 1.5mm to secure the root
ball. 2mm is better, for large bonsai also 2.5mm. If the wire is too thin, it will tear
easily when tightened.

The place where it is bent around the ball or the roots should be chosen so that it
can no longer be seen after filling the missing bonsai substrate. If you only use one
wire, it should be placed around the roots behind the trunk, if possible.

The fixing wire remains in the pot until the next repotting. Normally it does not disturb
the tree.

10. Fill up the substrate

Now we can fill in the new bonsai soil that is still missing up to the upper edge of the
bonsai pot and work it carefully with a stick between the roots and press it firmly on
the surface. The substrate on the edge of the bonsai pot should be pressed a little
deeper than the edge of the pot so that the new bonsai soil is not washed out of the
pot later on when watering and the irrigation water stays where it should - in the pot.

If the substrate is very coarse, a thin covering layer (max. 1cm) made of finer
material can be applied. Then the undergrowth under the bonsai grows better. But:
During the first casting, part of this covering layer is washed into our so important
pores. This can be avoided by carefully dipping the bonsai up to the edge of the pot
the first few times.

11. Pouring

Once the bonsai is potted, it should be watered thoroughly. You should water
carefully otherwise the new bonsai soil will be washed out of the pot. A watering can
with a fine watering head is very suitable here. A ball shower is also ideal or you can
dive the bonsai down to the edge of the pot. When diving bonsai freshly potted in
Kanuma, you have to be careful that the Kanuma does not swim away. It's very light.
Likewise if you have added a lot of pumice gravel.

It should be watered until the water comes out of the pot again. If the new substrate
in the pot collapses a bit, you can immediately refill some more substrate.

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 12. Follow-up care

After potting, place the bonsai in a sheltered place with the highest possible humidity.
In the next few weeks, water will only be poured if the substrate surface is clearly
dry. New root hairs have to form first. Without root hairs, the bonsai cannot absorb
the water anyway. If too much is poured, the root ball is constantly being cooled. This
significantly slows down the formation of new roots. So - water very sparingly after
potting.

Constantly spraying the newly potted bonsai is also not advisable. If you do not have
a professional nebulization system, the droplets are much too big and constantly
cool the root ball, just like when watering. A high level of humidity like in a
greenhouse is good, constant wetting is not recommended.

A shady set-up is also usually not recommended. If the pots are repotted at the right
time of year in spring, the sun is not yet too hot. The sun only warms the pot a little,
which is actually desirable in this situation. This way, new roots form faster. In
addition, many bonsai do not have any leaves when potted and so little evaporate.
Sun protection is not appropriate here. In our bonsai nursery, we place all freshly
potted bonsai in the greenhouse in the most sunny spot possible.

You should refrain from fertilizing for the first 1-2 months. Without root hairs, the tree
cannot absorb the fertilizer. In addition, the trees usually have to sprout out first
before they can do anything with the fertilizer. Only fertilize the bonsai when they
show new growth.

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