AusBonsai

Hi all, hope everyone is safe and managing in these strange times. We have been in quarantine after returning from NZ. 3 days to go and definitely counting- need to go out and get vegie seedlings for the winter crops.

Bonsai-wise, I have a lilly-pilly that is in desperate need of a repot. I put off doing it before we went away because the weather here in Perth was still very hot. But now it is looking really urgent -the roots are bulging out of its pot and there is very little soil left to hold the water.

My question is, would it be ok to do the root-prune and repot now? Perth weather will remain warm (25 to 30 degrees) for another 4 weeks at least. It also needs a haircut, which would be done at the same time.

Or should I just transfer it to a bigger pot with some extra soil to surround the roots and wait until spring?

With the weather forecast you give I’d say it should be fine. Lily Pilly are pretty tough and that should be enough warm weather to have it develop roots and settle in before winter hits.
As for the seedlings... good luck! They’re almost as rare as toilet paper here right now!

Normally it is better to root prune lilly pilly wen it is hotter but given Perth warmer weather it should still be Ok to do now. I would be a little gentle with it at this time of year so just take off enough roots to give it some space in the pot. You could do a proper repot next year in late spring.

I've found that slip pot - transfer root bound plant to a larger pot - often ends in disaster. There is often not enough connection between the old root bound ball and the new soil so water and roots do not pass easily through the boundary. Always better to do at least a light root prune or 'tickle the roots out' when up potting to make sure there is some connection between old and new. Even then it would be a temporary measure until you can do a proper repot.

Thanks for those replies. I will get it done this afternoon.
Would standing the pot in a water tray be a good idea afterwards?

BonsaiLittleMe wrote: ↑April 3rd, 2020, 3:38 pm Would standing the pot in a water tray be a good idea afterwards?

Wouldn't hurt!