AusBonsai

Heya!
I dug a nice cassurina 4 weeks ago. It has very little roots. Ive got it in a training pot that fits the nebari and its in 100% pumice.
Now that summer is starting soon in Sydney i was wondering when people move a collected rootball from the 100% pumice to something more like a regular bonsai substrate mix. Can i get away with carefully transfering it to my standard substrate mix once it shows new growth? Will it survive summer in nothing but pummice?
Just need some advice on my next move.
Thanks team!
Happy growing
Nic

I'm not an expert on digging Cas, but I wouldn't disturb it for the rest of the growing season. Trees will grow well in 100% pumice for a year - disturbing freshly establishing roots is more likely to cause trouble. Because the heat will hit fairly soon after you dug it, I would keep it fairly well shaded until the heat has passed, or until you see strong growth - caution has less risk.

Gavin

NickityNic wrote: ↑November 25th, 2023, 4:05 pm Heya!
I dug a nice cassurina 4 weeks ago. It has very little roots. Ive got it in a training pot that fits the nebari and its in 100% pumice.
Now that summer is starting soon in Sydney i was wondering when people move a collected rootball from the 100% pumice to something more like a regular bonsai substrate mix. Can i get away with carefully transfering it to my standard substrate mix once it shows new growth? Will it survive summer in nothing but pummice?
Just need some advice on my next move.
Thanks team!
Happy growing
Nic

I've had many tree's in pumice over summer in Sydney with no ill effect.

it depends on how much of the rootball you collected (ranging from being in a rock 'pocket' and you got most of the roots to being in soil in an open field and you got maybe 5% of them), but if you collected it a month ago the earliest I'd personally be looking at a repot is spring 2024 and that would depend on how it recovered, leaving it alone until spring 2025 is also a valid option

Personally, for a collected tree I don't move from pumice until the tree is moving to a bonsai pot

Thanks for the advice! Ill hold off in some dappled light until spring 2024 and keep in the pumice until then. Maybe a layer of chopped spagnum on top in summer just to be nice
Cheers!