How to Repot a Bonsai Tree

Repotting a bonsai tree

Young bonsai trees need to have their soil replaced every two years. Older trees can go for much longer without being repotted. The following article will discuss the steps necessary to safely repot your bonsai tree.

Things You'll Need

• Knife
• Hook
• Wire mesh
• Drainage material
• Loam
• Soil mix
• Stick
• Water

Instructions

How to Repot a Bonsai Tree

1. Use a knife to cut the roots free, if the tree is pot-bound.

2. Use a hook to loosen the old soil and the root ball.

3. Remove all of the roots that are growing directly down. This will help to promote new root growth.

4. Cover the drainage holes in the bonsai container with new mesh.

5. Place a thin layer of drainage material along the bottom of the container.

6. Place the tree back into the container.

7. Fill about half of the container with loam granules. Loam can hold large amounts of moisture without having the tree actually standing in water.

8. Fill the remainder of the container with soil. A mixture of equal parts of peat, sand, and loam makes a good soil mix for most bonsai trees.

9. Use a stick to carefully work the soil in between the bonsai tree's roots.

10. Water the tree generously.

Tips & Warnings

• Repot deciduous trees in the early spring, before their leaves begin to appear.

• Conifers can be repotted in early spring or at the end of the summer.

• If possible, plant a young bonsai tree in an outside garden for a few years. This typical promotes rapid, healthy growth.

• After repotting your tree, it is important to protect from direct sun.

• Do not feed a repotted bonsai tree for two weeks.

Resources

• Purchasing bonsai trees
• Purchasing bonsai containers
• Purchasing bonsai tools