A regular update on the life and times of John Hanby’s Newstead Bonsai Centre……..
Topical Times – Repotting my big Korean Juniper
I recently repotted this big Juniper and what a task it turned out to be. It had been in the pot some 5/6 years and put quite simply it did not want to come out again! The pot had a slight lip to it which really complicated matters.
Originally I had intended wiring and styling the tree over the winter but time and events caught up with me…..change of plan……repot now and then clean/thin out the foliage…. allow time to recover with the current growing season and wire over the next winter months.
“Blood sweat and tears” to get this tree out of the pot was very appropriate in this instance and the scars are still showing.
The tree had not been draining correctly. Inspecting the dense root mass it soon became obvious why. The rootball had to be opened out and dead roots/poor soil removed.
The tree was repotted into a compost mix of Akadama and Bims. As soon as I get time I will thin out the foliage to allow for the seasons new growth and prepare the tree ready for a wiring/styling in the winter months.
Incidentally the pot is a Tokoname pot which was acquired from Japan with another tree. This large well made pot is very attractive when it is cleaned up for show.
It is also signed and apparently this designates “Harumatsu”. Harumatsu is a taken name, a kiln brand, for half of the “Mizuno” family line, of three potters. It would appear I have a pot made by the third generation Harumatsu …..Kazumi Mizuno who is a son of the second Harumatsu, Mizuno Saturo. They worked out of Seto City in Japan……. Isn’t the internet a wonderful thing???