elm pot bound repotting time and akadama again :/

[uzeyr]

ok my elm is pot bound i will psot pck im thinking that is why its growth is slowed and also the leaves are randomly turning yellow and so i want to repot it this elm has been kept indoor with no problem i now want to repot it but am worried about the soil medium i have orderd a bag of akadma soil and will be here in the next week but i want to know can i plant it in pure akadama or what i have decided is that i will used 60% akadma and 20% the soil it came with orginally

what do u guys think any one used akadama before and found it was a waste of time ??

p.s i also am palnning on doing my larch forest that is outside at the momment i want to also plant them in akadma what say u guys ? and when would be the right timr to repot

sorry for the bad spellings am in a hurry

[kdodds]

Both of my elms are indoors and in Akadama exclusively. On the larch planting, Akadama is great, but it will need to be outside.

[Gnome]

uzeyr,

I've always used materials that are available to me without resorting to importing. I have used Turface, Haydite and lava rock. Have you seen Harry's page on using kitty litter or absorbents for bonsai medium?
http://www.bonsai4me.com/Basics/Basicscatlitter.htm
http://www.bonsai4me.com/Basics/Basics_Soils.html

Be careful about using the old soil. Mixing finely textured materials with coarse ones has the effect of reducing drainage because the fines work their way between the large particles and slow drainage. By the same token, be sure to sift the Akadama through a screen in order to remove the fines that will surely be included in the bag.

If you feel that you need an organic component use something with texture such as Pine or Fir bark. Some growers in hot climates include some chopped sphagnum moss in their pots in order to help retain moisture but in your climate I doubt that it will be necessary. Please note that I am not referring to the finely textured peat moss that is sold in bales at nurseries.

Norm

[uzeyr]

hi norm thanx alot but i got the bag of akadama for quite cheap £3 i found that pretty reasonable and so it should be here by tomorow or day after
any way i have been asking this in many threads not many people seem to know: its spring here well almost ( the hawthorns have busrt their bud in the wild ) and so about my larch forest i want to repot it i was gona do it with the elm but i realised tha they will need feeding right ? and i cant repot and feed at the same time so what should i do ??

[Gnome]

uzeyr,

If the Larches need re-potting go ahead and do it, you'll have to anyway, if not this year then next. I have my doubts about the old rule that states you should not fertilize newly transplanted trees. Read Brent's take on fertilizing bonsai. And here is a care sheet for Larches if you have not already seen it.

Norm

[uzeyr]

ok i have doen the deed let me say that this was my first time using akadama and the one thing i noticed is that well it doesnt stick at all like soil
but any way wat should i do now with the tree any special care ?

p.s i added some grit to the akadama

[kdodds]

Yeah, watering more frequently will definitely be needed. Observe the soil carefully until you've got it down. Good news is that it is VERY easy to tell when Akadama needs watering.

[uzeyr]

thanx
yeah i saw that when water was added it changed colour
and so it was nice to see but i must say again very hard to work with i mean the grains are rather bigger than soils :/

[uzeyr]

the akadama was really yellow yesterday so i watered it again its been a few days now and the elm seem so to be doing fine and i wanted to know when should i stat fertilising it ???

[Gareth]

As a rule of thumb, you generally want to fertilise when buds break on the tree.

You'll hear two takes on when to fertilise your newly potted tree though:

1) Fertilising your tree will burn the new roots. This will lead to the new roots dying, and an uphill struggle with your tree. Further to this, placing it in windy or sunny conditions will also add to the trauma so soon after a repot. Leave for 4 weeks or so before placing it in the open, and fertilising as normal when buds break.

2) However, as aforementioned by Gnome, Brent Walston's take is; why deprive your tree of nutrients and sunlight when it needs it most? Your tree needs to establish itself, and to do so, it needs nutrients and sunlight.