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In bonsai there is no measure more drastic than root pruning taken.

Fig 1. A Healthy Root System ©2005 bonsaiTALK (Click to Enlarge)

For some plants a drastic root pruning may be the kiss of death, for others, it will restore vitality and bring forth many bounties. Root pruning is but one measure for restoring vitality in a weak plant. In this essay, drastic root pruning will be studied and photos will be provided for backup, they help reinforce those thousand words.

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Experience is fundamental

Al,

I love that you put so much effort into educating the masses. In my zeal of beginnerhood I killed my first few plants by drastic root pruning (a juniper and maple, in mid summer no less), so essays of this sort are invaluable.

Thanks again ,

Cody Oliver

Al,
Thanks for another informative article. A question for you. As I read this (and your other) articles I wonder if the time frames you state are 'California' time frames? Living in a much colder and different climate should I (we) adjust this?

As an aside, the Farmer replacing his (fruit)trees every 10-15 years, may not be true in all climates. I will check to verify but in my old area, Orange County NY, with the apple trees having a good dormancy they do not replace the trees as often as you mention, there are orchards with trees that are 30 to 50 years old. If I am correct is this saying something about root development and dormancy?

Jay

The links I have read are pretty consistent on the subject: Apple orchard production peaks at about ten years and diminishes after about fifteen. One link said that the orchard should last 20-25 years but the economists seem to be consistent about lost potential in keeping older trees.

Is it possible that the orchard you're talking about is an old orchard, but the trees are continually in replacement, or the orchard is just a tax shelter and no one is too concerned about production level?
http://www.growermagazine.com/home/02-04Orchard.html
http://www.ext.vt.edu/pubs/treefrui...24/422-024.html

http://www.agr.gc.ca/pfra/shelterbelt/shbpub52.htm

http://cecommerce.uwex.edu/pdfs/A3560.PDF

Regards,

Matt

Thanks Matt. I had sent a message to someone in my old area for info but nothing yet. Your info seems to answer the question. I guess I can learn something new any day!

Jay

which ones are the feeder roots,and when triming old brown roots up to where do i trim

The feeder roots are the fine hair-like roots that come off of the thicker roots. On a healthly tree these will have white tips. Where to trim the older thicker roots is subjective. Depending on how many feeder roots there are and how many you will lose with that root.


Will

(new member) This is the second thread I read on root pruning, Im just getting up and running again,(see profile,chrle). And used to tend to the roots of all my trees, depending on the pot, all were a balanced "broom-style" and depending on how "minature" I wanted the tree to be, cutting the "Central tap root", and feeder roots. Never have I had to "power wash" root system,(previous article), and simple hand rake and hooks were always suffcient in working out "masses". had some nice "minatures" to which a small hooked knitting needle was used to untangle roots. Good article and I feel root maintance an important aspect in achieving a balanced bonsai. (charlie)

You seem to be obsessing over a central tap root. As I mentioned to you previously that this is a non issue if you do things right in the first place, the tap root will be reduced down as you go along without the necessity of having to go looking for it and dealing with it specifically. You seem to be critical of power washing some trees. That's fine I don't expect you to accept everything I have said as gospel, but you relate your own experiences of never finding the necessity of having to do this.

Just because you have never run into it does not mean it does not occur. It also tells me that you did not read the article carefully, or you did not understand it. Before you condemn the technique you should be able to determine why it is wrong, beyond your personal experience level.

Don't believe its an obsession with the tap root in general, as much as I do have an obsession with the art of bonsai, I have read the article and others posted and did not see this mention, in my teaching I was told as far back as 1970 to remove the "central tap root" it was an essensial method of "bonsai', not only does this strengthen the lateral roots, but halts rapid growth.

As far as the power washing goes, as stated, yes on a personal level I never had to power wash, and was amazed at this, when I repotted my 40 year old maple, the root system did not deem nessasary such extrememes, again it was a "bonsai", a 200 year old pine I've seen repotted also did not, again it was a bonsai. Care and proper maintance, which I thought, and personally will continue to do to achieve the bonsai art form I enjoy, will always included the removal of the "elusive" tap root