每日吃瓜

So ive got this oak transplanted this spring from the woods. Its a sessile oak. It has 3 shoots, which are all about 10-15cm long. Its potted in regular garden/flower soil from the store and after the tlansplantation, then the only shoot about 30cm long, died and later sprouted the 3 new ones. Should i replace the soil with some better draining one? Like make a mixture with 25% sand and 25% gravel and 50% garden soil? Or is that just for actual bonsai and not saplings? Should i maybe put it in a pot as large as possible to give the roots as much space as possible in order to maybe speed up the growth a bit?

Also about repotting: I know it should be done in late winter or early spring, but the climate here in Zagreb, Croatia, tends to be turbulent. So im asking if there is a specific sign on the plant when i should do the repotting. Like first buds appearing, or should the repotting be done before any buds appear?

Ive recently come across some information about a tap root that exists with oaks and that this root should be cut off. Im writing here about this because i dont know if this information is true or if maybe for some reason cutting this is bad, or maybe it should be cut at another point in the plants life. (I can see how a long thing root can be a problem with wanting to put the bonsai in a shallow pot)

I also cant seem to find much information about oak bonsai, i find loads of maple or pine info and about lots of other trees, but nothing about oaks. So i hope there is someone here who is on good terms with oaks as bonsai and hopefully has expereince with them. I dont know how the process should go with this oak from sapling to bonsai. Should i just let it grow for a few years as it is? Or should i put it in the "better" soil come winter and then let it grow? Should i do any pruning or wiring at all in the next couple of years? Should i cut two of the three shoots if id like a formal upright or is that unimportant at this stage? Id really apreciate if someone who made bonsai from seedlings/saplings could write somewhat of a recepie or a step by step guide about the process (preferably someone who did it with an oak)

Also if there are some specific thigs about oaks, like the budding back with maples, does this go on with oaks? And simmilar info.

Im asking a bunch of information because im new to bonsai and this is my first successful oak transplant (i think its the 4th one) and i dont want to screw it up and i really want to do the bonsai "myself" and not just get a done bonsai.

Thank you in advance.

Oaks don't tend to do well for bonsai because the leaves want to be huge and don't want to shrink. But, who knows? Yours might turn into a decent tree.

Trees mostly go dormant sometime in the year. Most deciduous trees drop all their leaves, and growth slows down. That is the best time to repot and do major branch work. The top part of the tree has stopped demanding water and other stuff from the roots, so it is safe to cut some roots off. Later when the buds start to swell the roots will start to grow the tree will repair the cut of ends of branches and roots.

This is a small plant that need to grow on. Re potting is done when the pot is full of roots so it would be netter to leave it to grow. This is a good species for bonsai, But right now let it grow. Next time it needs to be re potted the tap root can be emoved.

Welcome to growing bonsai.

Oak can be tricky to grow which is why they are less common than other species. Many species of oak do well once used to life in a pot with nicely reducing leaves and decent ramification, and very easy backbudding. All good stuff.

The thing they do not like is intense rootwork. You have a very young plant there, which will make it easier. With you collecting it, you probably have broken the taproot, causing the side-roots to grow. So you avoid the biggest challenge you have with mature trees.

It will need years of strong growth, so a larger pot is a good idea. What substrate to use is soo open for discussion that I am not going to delve into it. Nursery trade uses good quality potting soil and frequent uppotting...

Im not sure weather i actually broke it, but even if i did, im pretty sure that about 10cm of the tap root is still attatched to the sapling. I did my best to transplant the roots as intact as possible. Should i then transplant the sapling into a bigger pot and check whats goin on with the taproot come winter?

Ive seen some people would wrap a wire around a part of the taproot so as to promote fine root growth above that part and then they cut off the lower part of the taproot next year. They say they do this because cutting the tap root can be a problem, because the fine roots tend to be spread rather evenly across the taproot. Should i maybe do this if cutting a large portion of the taproot would remove more than 25% of fine roots? (ive found only one source about this, so im sceptical) Or should i maybe just cut like a fifth or something of the taproot every year?

Also can you give me a yay or nay about planting the sapling in better draining soil?

You have a seedling. The problems occur when you have a 20 year old tree with a solid vertical root. Do not worry about it. Let it grow for a year, then work the roots again.