Root Balls On Nursery Stock

IsomJ1

I'm looking for some suggestions/hints/tricks/lessons learned....I have purchased a number of nursery plants this year and have found that as get into the process of combing out the roots - they are an absolute mess. Unfortunately, I don't have ready access to wild trees (alps, rockies, or even smokies) or even field grown; so am stuck with nursery stock. Saturday I spent over 2 hours trying to comb the roots out on a Mugho pine. This was a 3 gallon tree with a really nice trunk AND what appeared to be a fairly good nebari. However, when I got it home and actually got working on it I discovered that the roots circled and intertined so bad there was no way to completely get them straightend. I did the best that I could, but I know it will probably take some more serious work again (maybe twice more) in the future just to get the roots into decent shape. Is there some trick to this that I'm simply not aware of? Is there some way to tell in advance - I mean I dig down with my fingers as far as I can while at the nursery, but it isn't always that obvious. This is not a one-time thing either. Every tree I've purchased this year with any trunk size at all seems to have this problem. HELP!

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Jeff Isom
Cleveland, OH / Sunset Zone 39

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acousticco

http://www.evergreengardenworks.com/rootprun.htm

This is an article by Brent Walston. It's very informative and well written. Hope it helps.

-Cody

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acoustic company gardens

TreeBay

Hi Isom,

You've found out first hand why stock grown for "bonsai" is more expensive!

If you look at the way common nursery stock is propagated and grown, what you're experiencing wouldn't surprise you.

Most trees spend far too long in 4" liners. The taproots go unpruned and the roots begin to circle. Then they get potted into one gallon containers and the process repeats. The grower doesn't have time and energy to devote to a root system that won't be seen or appreciated in a garden plant. Larger containers and more soil make a plant heavy to lift and expensive to transport. When they are sold to a retailer - aybe- the retail nursery will have them potted into something larger before sale.

It isn't unusual for a nursery plant to have multiple layers of roots, so you may want to check out what you have before you go cutting back too much.

Carrying a chopstick to use as a probe can be helpful, and most retail nurseries won't even blink if you slide a plant out of its pot to check the health of the root system - they're too busy checking people out and loading compost.

I find a repotting sickle helps a lot when cutting away a big mass of roots, but you have to know what you're doing or you could remove too much too quickly. We have them on the TreeBay Bonsai Tools & Supplies site in Tools->Repotting.

Regards,

Matt

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Geodude

Sorry, Jeff. Other than combing out with a root hook and using jets of water to loosen the soil, there are no shortcuts... just hard work for a couple of years. Depending on the species, you may also be able to soak it in water to loosen the soil.

At least the trees are healthy. It's better than pulling it out of the container and having all the soil fall right off the tree leaving one or two small roots.

Good luck.

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Paul

"Life will be sweet like a rhapsody
When I paint my materpiece"

IsomJ1

Thanks for the responses everyone. Mostly I was just venting -
My current process is: 1) Remove plant from nursery container and soak in a solution of Miracle Grow & Super Thrive (stop laughing - I figure it can't hurt). 2) When I remove it, I use a chopstick or roothook (depending on how bad it is) to loosen the outer layer of circling roots. I'll also use the chopstick (as well as fingers and thumbs) to probe into the "soil" and loosen it. 3) I then use a garden hose set to the hardest stream I can get. 4) I'll then use the roothook to begin combing out the roots. 5) Repeat 2 - 4 as necessary with an occasional 1 thrown in when exhaustion sets in or I seem to be making no progress. I have to admit, usually, this seems to work fairly well and I end up with some decently spreading roots. However, what really got me frustrated over the last few weeks is that I spent a little more to get some larger stock and the roots were SO bad that I couldn't completely untangle them. After the responses regarding nursery practices, however, I understand better why that is. I REALLY wish I lived closer to Brent to buy all of my stock from him. All I can afford from him though, with shipping as a major consideration, are the smaller plants. With the way he takes care of his plants, they require almost no rootwork at all - just make sure they are still spread out correctly when they get repotted! I do make my purchases, as much as possible, at Bonsai nurseries. Unfortunately, for all the reasons mentioned, the large plants that have been properly prepared to be Bonsai are 2 to 3 times (or more) as expensive as the equivalent nursery plant. A lot less work - but, alas, I do have more time than money....

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Jeff Isom
Cleveland, OH / Sunset Zone 39

FredL

Jeff, the stock you've found may have some problems, but it sounds like what you have is far from completely negative. The condition of the roots indicates that the trees have been in nursery containers for quite a long time with the result that the trees are well adapted to container life and have developed pretty good trunks and nebari. It is a job to repot such stock and, as you've discovered, it will probably take another repotting or two to get the roots appropriate to bonsai. However, working with these trees will teach you alot about repotting and it will be interesting and greatly satisfying to watch these trees develop as the result of your work.

Collecting wild trees or potting field grown stock is no picnic, either. Generally, the roots are a real mess and require at least a couple of years, maybe longer, to develop properly. The problem is kind of the opposite of what you have. Seldom can you get adequate roots with an older specimen and you hold your breath for a year while the tree decides whether life is worth the effort without any roots.

Yes, it is a joy to work with trees that have their roots developed properly by the time you get the trees, but it is just as great a joy to see roots that are a mess develop under your management into "Bonsai right" root pads.

At least, I enjoy it and derive great satisfaction from it!

Fred

Dale Cochoy

Jeff,
SOON I can give you some good practical experience on "combing" out roots, soaking, mixing soil and potting....!!

Then, you can re-read those sections in your books!
Dale

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If you want to be Different....
You have to DO something Different!
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Some people NEVER take the time to do a job right the first time....
but, they always seem to make the time to do it over again...
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Dale Cochoy
Wild Things Bonsai Studio
Yakimono no Kokoro Bonsai Pottery
Hartville, Ohio

IsomJ1

Dale,

Bring it on After observing my "technique" I'm sure you will be able to give me some pointers!

Fred,

Hopefully, after a couple of years when I do my next repot I will be as positive about this as you are. Unfortunately, I've only experienced the first part with the nursery grown stuff. I will say, that when potting the stuff I collected last year I was pleasantly surprised and pleased at the relatively dense, radial rootball that had developed in just a year. I'd sure like to see the same improvement in the nursery stock in only a year!

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Jeff Isom
Cleveland, OH / Sunset Zone 39