Alright folks, let me tell you about my weekend project: repotting a bonsai tree. It wasn’t exactly smooth sailing, but hey, that’s what makes it a story, right?
First things first, I grabbed the little guy. It was looking a bit root-bound in its old pot, so I knew it was time. The soil was super dry, and I could see roots starting to circle around the inside of the pot – definitely time for a change.
Next, I prepared the new pot. I picked one that was only slightly bigger than the old one. You don’t want to go too big, or the soil will retain too much moisture. I tossed in a layer of drainage material at the bottom – some small rocks I had lying around. Then, I mixed up some bonsai soil. I used a mix of akadama, pumice, and lava rock. Good drainage is key for these guys.
This is where it got a little tricky. I gently removed the bonsai from its old pot. I had to wiggle it a bit and use a chopstick to loosen the soil around the edges. Once I got it out, I could see the root ball was pretty dense. Time for some root pruning!
I carefully teased apart the roots with my fingers and a root hook. Then, using bonsai shears, I trimmed off any thick, circling roots. I didn’t want to remove too much at once – maybe about 20-30% of the root mass. You don’t want to shock the tree too much.
Now, for the repotting! I placed a layer of the bonsai soil mix in the new pot and positioned the tree on top. I made sure the top of the root ball was level with the rim of the pot. Then, I filled in around the roots with more soil, gently tamping it down with the chopstick. This helps to eliminate air pockets.
Once the pot was full, I gave it a good watering. You want to make sure the soil is thoroughly moistened. The water will also help to settle the soil around the roots.
The last step was to add a top dressing of moss. This helps to retain moisture and adds a nice aesthetic touch. I just placed some sheet moss on top of the soil and spritzed it with water.
So, there you have it! Repotting a bonsai tree. It’s a delicate process, but it’s important for the health of the tree. Now, I’ll just keep an eye on it and make sure it gets plenty of sunlight and water. Hopefully, it will thrive in its new home.
