每日吃瓜

Hello all, I’d like to preface I am very new and quite naive to bonsai (actively trying to fix the second one). In short I would like to know if I should put my 4 month old jacarandas into large pots to allow them to grow larger/thicker trunks or leave them in the trainers pots. Below I will add all the details.

I got a bonsai growing kit for Christmas and jumped in before I knew anything, quickly learned it is a lot of work but just as quickly realized I loved it. So I germinated 6 Blue Jacaranda’s in the beginning of January this year (2026). I figured the more the merrier, I followed some guides I found online but am realizing that a lot of what I did was possibly incorrect.?
I started with one of those domed seedling starters, they grew very fast and too tall for the dome/light so by February I moved them into individual 2x2x4 inch plastic pots I had, this was too small still and I ordered and got the pots they are in now, plastic shallow oval bonsai training pots. (About 7 inches long, 4.5 inches wide and 2.5 inches deep).
When I potted them into the trainers I read I should cut the tap root back about 1/3 and spread the remaining roots radially. So that’s what I did. For soil I used 1 part coco coir, 1 part perlite, 1 part pine chip/bark (I used miracle grow orchard mix). They have been in these since late February, indoors in a window, with light bar and heat mat (only used when it was very cold). They grew really well, a little leggy but overall deep green foliage and I didn’t let the soil dry out.?
Soon they got too tall for my indoor space so I very gently used some aluminum wire to guide them into different shapes that weren’t so tall (for the sake of my light bar).
I typically use 1/4 strength 10-10-10 liquid fertilizer every 3rd watering.?
Now that the weather is getting consistently nice I have been bringing them outdoors during the day in a hardening off process with the intent of eventually leaving them outside 24/7 until the weather gets too cold. I’m in USA’s hardiness zone 8b, so winters get down to ~ 15-20 F.?

No trimming/pruning has been done, my intent is to just let them grow wild for a long while, using a light touch on the wire for shaping (I figure it will be easier while it is young) and I eventually intend to do a root over rock and some exposed root development on 2-3 of them eventually.

So what I would like to know is; would you recommend moving them to a large pot for growth? Did my cutting the tap root while they were so small possibly stunt them? Any additional recommendations specific to Jacaranda’s would be appreciated (I didn’t see many jacaranda posts here)

Thank you anyone in advance who reads this.

I only attached a photo of one for reference

Please add your photo?

From my perspective there are also a lot of information about what you have done so far, but nothing about what you want to achive in the future. A photo would be apreciated, but it does not tell where you want to go with the trees. So please also tell us what you want them to be in the future.

Generally, it is not adviceable to put young seedlings in shallow training pots.?

Sorry, I thought this uploaded with original post.

Thank you Tropfrog, overall I believe I want to turn these into larger bonsais. I think the Jacaranda's foliage lends itself better to that, I am considering putting them into 10-15 gal pots and letting them grow for a few seasons. I want to encourage a thick, strong trunk and I know that just takes time. I would plant them in the ground but unfortunately they would not survive the winter outdoors.?

So yeah, overall goal: let them grow healthy and develop a bigger trunk, and then eventually have a variety of styles when it comes to shaping. I kind of envision the final size around 3-4 ft in height.?

That is a very ambitious goal for such a small and weak seedling. Has it lost its foliage and regrown already?

Anyway. For that goal you need the biggest pot possible and a lot of patience.

?

Hello, I'm sorry to inform you, but this is not a Jacarandá, and don't know what it is...