Jarnish

I'll try to answer both posts.

First off, it's a Red Sandalwood tree. The first repot was done when I got the tree (3 years ago). It was in a 2" pot, I moved it to a 4", not realizing how fast it was going to grow. The next spring, after it had gotten rather large for its home, I moved it into an 8" pot, where it's been since then (2 years).

A month ago, when I started seeing a wack of new growth on the top of the plant, I moved it into a bonsai pot, thinking the correct time to do this was in the growing season of the tree's fourth or fifth year (I had gotten this information from a bonsai book that I've recently set in the recycle bin). Since then, I've done some more research (mostly due to this site) and found that I'm not ready for the trunk of this tree to stop growing.

The root pruning in all 3 repots was not agressive. I'd say the most that was removed was 20% of the root mass. The root mass looks healthy and strong.. there are a number of thick roots with plenty of stringers, and many of good length and girth (from my perspective, anyway).

Unfortunately, putting this tree in the ground is not an option, though in a couple of weeks, it will start getting outside for at least a few hours a day. Should I be planning on transplanting this tree in a pot where the roots have as much room to roam as they want? Or should it be going back into the 8" pot that I had it in before?

I don't think the tree is a goner. The behaviour that I'm seeing is akin to what I saw the other two times I repotted it.. dropping about 1/5th of its leaves, slowing down for two weeks or so, and then coming back abundantly. I'm more looking for advice on how/when to repot the tree again than I am keeping it alive.. it's getting the same care as it always has gotten, and that's proven successful so far.