Flowering quince repot

Hello all, I have a flowering quince I picked up at a local bonsai nursery a couple weeks ago. I really liked the trunk characteristics and paid $30 so not too much. It's in a one gallon pot and I was hoping to wait for a more appropriate time to repot. Now I worry I don't have the time due to yellowing of leaves. I'm not new to plants but new to bonsai, previously I've repotted through mid summer if necessary with no major issues but I have read not to do so with bonsai. I'm guessing this is due to the fact that usually we are reducing the rootball and therefore it's ability to take in water, but since this is in training I won't be reducing the rootball at all and will be potting up to a 3-5 gallon pot.

So I think I'm safe but wanted to check with the knowledgeable folks here. Would healthy feeding get it through or is it best to repot? The plant seems quite rootbound. It's pretty warm here in Sacramento CA so I'll of course keep it in the shade for a couple weeks after a repot. I can post pics soon just wanted to get the question out there because I'd like to repot today seeing as summer has officially "started" even though it's felt like summer for a month now. Thanks for any help, best wishes.

-Garrett

If you can wait just a couple months, it will be the right time to repot your quince and do root work. At least it is here in this part of the country. Many people here, including me, repot after the peak of summer, which is the first couple of weeks in September. Someone from your area may have a better idea of your time frame.

If you feel you can't wait, there is nothing wrong with slip potting. That is moving the plant to a slightly larger pot without touching the roots. Ideally, you only want the new pot to be about an inch larger on all sides than the old pot, otherwise you risk the roots not being able to dry out enough.

Stan Kengai wrote:If you can wait just a couple months, it will be the right time to repot your quince and do root work.  At least it is here in this part of the country.  Many people here, including me, repot after the peak of summer, which is the first couple of weeks in September.

It is the same in my neck of the woods. In fact, for quince, it is a far better time for root work and repotting than spring.

Thank you both very much from your responses. From my limited understanding I thought it was suggested that no root work should be done on a root bound plant that is going to be potted up anyway, that I should instead slip pot which is what I planned on doing (forgot it's referred to as that). Though I did plan on moving it to a 3 gallon pot (one of those soft sided breathable smart pot types but a different brand) and that will probably leave about two inches on each side.

I'd like to wait and do some root work as you guys suggested but it's already suffering from some chlorosis and minor leaf drop so I'm not sure I have the time. Do you guys think if I start feeding (haven't been so far) that it will pull through? Maybe cut back some of more prolific growth so there's less canopy to support? Thanks again I do appreciate it.

-Garrett

BonsaiNinja86 wrote:... it's already suffering from some chlorosis and minor leaf drop so I'm not sure I have the time. Do you guys think if I start feeding.

By all means, FEED IT. A few pinches of iron sulfate (Ironite) will correct chlorosis problems.

My quince do just fine in part sun to full shade - I've had to do this to recover plants I repotted after flowering (spring-ish). On the other hand, I've ripped quince out of the ground in full sun and potted them in Aug/Sep. They didn't skip a beat, though I did put them in partial shade afterward.

0soyoung wrote:

BonsaiNinja86 wrote:... it's already suffering from some chlorosis and minor leaf drop so I'm not sure I have the time. Do you guys think if I start feeding.

By all means, FEED IT. A few pinches of iron sulfate (Ironite) will correct chlorosis problems.

My quince do just fine in part sun to full shade - I've had to do this to recover plants I repotted after flowering (spring-ish). On the other hand, I've ripped quince out of the ground in full sun and potted them in Aug/Sep. They didn't skip a beat, though I did put them in partial shade afterward.

Thanks for the help again oso, I have it in morning sun now with shade starting around 11am, also starting feeding this weekend and it already seems to have staved off the chlorosis. But I don't think this little guy is going to make it through the summer without a repot so I think I'll still do that soon. Has anyone ever gotten a rootbound plant through the summer just by heavy feeding? If this is possible I'll gladly do so but don't want to lose it.

Do you think I'll be okay going to a 3-gallon pot, which will leave about two inches on each side of the root ball, or will that be too much space? I won't be disturbing the root ball at all just slip potting. So you just put your plants in part or full shade after transplanting and then put them back in full sun? Or do you keep your quince in only partial sun? Thanks for the info.

Garrett