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Originally Posted by Degs
ok, sorry all, one last question, should I not remove the old soil, and replace with free draining? i dont want to kill the tree by doing something i should not?
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The color of the foliage says that this bonsai is deficient in nutrients and/or suffering from too much water. The amount of foliage also indicates something is wrong.
Attila is right. Re-potting is called for here. Two things to add to that though:
1) Completely defoliate the tree!!! Tridents can be defoliated several times a year for other reasons, but in this case it will minimize the stress of the re-pot since it will not have to support the foliage with moisture.
2) You probably need to check the rootball carefully. I suspect you have an interior area of the rootball that contains dead and decaying roots. These serve no purpose, and can spread rot to the surrounding live roots. Just adding more soil to the existing rootball will not alleviate this problem. You are new to bonsai and I am sure this will shock you, but in certain circumstances (possibly this one) you have to drastically prune, maybe even bare-root. Luckily, tridents are one of the more tolerant species for this treatment. Just make sure you defoliate in ADDITION to root pruning. It is not the optimum time, for certain, but the option is to hope the bonsai survives without it. I think action is necessary.
When you check the rootball, eliminate any dessicated (dried up) black roots. SMELL the rootball!!! If it has an "earthy" unobtrusive smell (like tilled earth) you are in good shape. If it smells even slightly unpleasant, you probably have root rot. The dead area MUST be removed. It is like a cancer that will spread to healthy tissue. Cut it out, or it will kill everything eventually.
If you do decide to re-pot, the oversized container will serve to speed up growth in, probably, the NEXT growing season. It will not have a significant effect this year, but it is still a good idea. Either way (new pot or current one), once re-potted, place it in dappled shade (best) to mostly shade. Keep an eye on watering an ensure that the soil mixture stays moist enough to provide water to the tree but NOT saturated. A good free-draining mix will do this. Some even encourage the use of added sphagnum moss to the root area IN the soil mix. I support that concept too. The soil in the current container looks heavy and too moisture-laden (it's hard t tell that in the photo though).
Now remember, this action is for the tree to re-gain vigor. The problem is, tridents need to have a lot of moisture when they are healthy and full of foliage, so later a more moisture-retentive mix may be called for. Also, normally a healthy bonsai that is completely defoliated, is supposed to be placed in full sun to provoke the dormant buds to open. The dappled sun is about the most I would suggest for the first couple of weeks for the sake of the roots. Once the roots have improved, start giving it more sun.
At LEAST a month after the re-pot, it would probably be best to use a weak fertilizer that is more rich in phosphurus (P) and potassium (K) and slightly weaker in nitrogen (N). A very weak fish emulsion that is also watered onto the foliage (when it has completely opened) is my suggestion.
Given your area, I think the advice you have been given up to this point is worthy of consideration. If you do nothing else, please take a small chopstick and try to push through the root system to the bottom of the pot. It will help a little with aeration of the roots, and tell you for certain if you are pot-bound. The harder it is to push through, the denser the roots system is (in general).
I wouldn't worry about the trunk "rot" for now. Roots are the priority. Get those right first and then deal with the treatment of the dead wood. Maybe a little (and I mean a little) pesticide BRUSHED on that area is a consideration to head off borers and such. Really not a pressing issue though.
Good luck,
John