There was a good turnout of people for the general workshop in August with a nice selection of trees for the display table. Many thanks go to Neil and Brian for all of their advice.

For September’s meeting Neil Hutchings gave a talk and demonstration on repotting conifers at this time of year. Neil has found from his experience over the last 10 years or so that September and October repotting can be more successful than spring repotting. Key indicators that trees need repotting include a reduction in drainage and a slow down in extensional growth. After cutting the tie in wire and removing the tree from the pot a slice is removed off the bottom and edges of the root ball using a sickle or saw. With conifers it is important to always leave a section of the root ball undisturbed in order to maintain the “root chemistry” in that part of the tree. With younger trees, less of the root ball can be left undisturbed. Starting with a small area, the soil is gradually removed in an outwards direction with a chopstick making sure that compacted soil is removed (especially in the area right underneath the trunk) to allow water to reach all areas of the roots. After this is done the thick roots are cut back short and finer roots trimmed less to encourage a finer root system to develop. After new tie in wires have been installed in the pot a layer of bonsai soil is added to the bottom with a slightly higher mound of soil where the centre of the trunk will be to try and prevent any air pockets right under the tree. After the tree has been put into the pot, correctly orientated and tied in, bonsai soil is added around the rest of the roots and gently worked in with a chopstick to fill any cavities left between the roots. The tree is then watered thoroughly and not watered again until the soil has started to dry out. Another important aspect of repotting is the aftercare of the tree, protecting it from heavy rain and strong winds until new roots have established, ideally in a poly-tunnel or greenhouse. It is recommended to also wait around six months before cutting any foliage and to avoid feeding until approximately a month after the process to encourage new roots to grow searching for nutrients. Many thanks to Neil for his excellent talk and demonstration.

The bonsai pots that members created in the July pottery workshop with Dan Butler have now been fired and will be available for collection at next months meeting.