Podocarpus

I bought a rather neglected Podocarpus at a recent auction. It appears to be rather potbound. Authorities all say repot in spring, even though it is a tropical. I did quite a bit of trimming and plan to wire two branches. I gather it doesn't need repotting often. Would I be better off if I let it alone & perhaps just replace some soil?
Iris

Was that the one at Bill's auction, Iris?  If so, I think it was more than "rather neglected."

At any rate, I think it's still OK to repot up where you are.  Podocarpus aren't typical tropicals.  Mine have stayed outside, with protection using old sheets for cover well into the times when temperatures routinely dropped to freezing or below.  The one at Bill's bash had been left out without protection, I think.   Give it full sun.  Leaves, if damaged, can be cut with no harm to the tree.  I'd recommend a fertilizer that is a bit higher in N.

I held off on repotting. The tree made an excellent recovery over the summer & is now in good health. Because it is a subtropical, I left it out until frost and then put it under the fluorescent lights. However, unlike other subtropicals, it has remained dormant. It is beginning to lose a few leaves. If I put it in the sunporch with the other hardy bonsai, it will be mainly in the 30s. It rarely goes below freezing there. Should I put it in the sunporch or leave it where it is? Temperatures in the plant room are in the 70s.
Iris

My two Podocarpus are still outside (and one of them is too heavy for me to move any more, so it's gonna be there all winter, rain, snow, sleet or whatever). I cover them with a blanket when the temperatures go into the mid 20s. Otherwise, they're uncovered and take what comes down. So far, no leaves lost.

I think yours would rather have at least occasional fresh air than temps constantly in the 70s.

Some tips ...

http://www.bonsaisocietyofmiami.org/articles/Podocarpus%20by%20Vladimir%20Foursa.pdf

JimLewis wrote:
I think yours would rather have at least occasional fresh air than temps constantly in the 70s.  

Sorry to disagree, but I think giving a tropical plant under tropical conditions an occasional blast of winter air would bring on a fatal case of colliwobbles. At any rate, the temperature in the plant room is not that constant. There is a drop of about 5-10 degrees at night, without which some of my orchids would not survive. And remember there are fans and humidifiers running all the time.
Brett, I've read the article. Trouble with most articles written in Florida, you have to extrapolate for Central NY, which I have been doing for 50 years (25 for bonsai).
I examined my Podocarpus more closely & discovered the problem. The poor tree was so potbound, the water was running off the surface & not getting into the soil. It was bone dry. I punched some holes in the soil, ripped away the ground cover (Pilea microphylla), and gave it a good soaking. I would try putting it in the sunporch, but there is absolutely no room. It seems to be OK where it is.
Iris

"Colliwobbles?"

Sorry I had it spelled wrong.
Definition of COLLYWOBBLES
: bellyache
Origin of COLLYWOBBLES
perhaps by folk etymology from New Latin cholera morbus, literally, the disease cholera
First Known Use: circa 1823
Popularized by Pogo Possum to mean an unspecified debilitating disease, as I recall.
In Yiddish a chaleria.
Iris

Here is where we try to extrapolate from Florida. Up until now, my tree has been practicing dormancy. Now I notice it is suddenly starting to grow. Do I assume it is time to prune, wire, & repot?
Iris