No probalem walkabout. This is a learning experince for me as well. I have only had two bonsai moms so far, and I am still working on getting it just the way I like it. I re-posted this guide to not onlt help others but myself as well. I love this thread because it allows us to learn together and share our experiences; be they positive or negative.

Please be sure to post your results here if you do attempt to bonsai your mothers. The more info on keeping mother plants, wheter bonsai or not, in this thread the better. Best of luck with em.

guerilla

[Mr GreenJeans]

Hiya walkabout
IMO a good rule of thumb - root mass below should be proportional to leaf mass above. If I cut back to a 8-12" plant with a few leaf sets left, I trim the roots back to fit in a 4-6" pot with room for some fresh soil. A 2 footer I'd put in a 1 gal pot. I keep to 4-6" pots for bonsai moms because of space limitations.

Have fun man!

[jojajico]

Originally Posted by Mr GreenJeans

Hiya walkabout
IMO a good rule of thumb - root mass below should be proportional to leaf mass above. If I cut back to a 8-12" plant with a few leaf sets left, I trim the roots back to fit in a 4-6" pot with room for some fresh soil. A 2 footer I'd put in a 1 gal pot. I keep to 4-6" pots for bonsai moms because of space limitations.

Have fun man!

is there any problem with having foliage thats greater than the root mass proportionally?

Thanks for helping out MrGJ I figured as much from what I know but Im glad someone with firsthand knowlege could verify it. Please dont be shy to post any more tips you have for keeping bonsai moms.

guerilla

[Mr GreenJeans]

Hiya jojajico
Depending on the strain you could easily have 2-3x the leaf mass as volume of roots, you'll know when you have too much leaf mass, they'll start drying up just like when they don't get enough water. I try to aim for no more than 2x root mass for leaves on my moms just to give me a bit of extra time if I forget or delay watering a bit. When they get to 2-3x I start taking cuttings.

Hiya guerilla1018
Excellent thread - and thanks for the invite! I have this thread tagged now, I'll certainly help however I can. Here's a shot of my amnesia99 bonsai mom - it's in a 6" pot in this shot.

[jojajico]

cool good to know.

prefect thanks for the info MGJ and i cant thank u enough for tracking down this question for me guerilla
im going to trim rootball tonight

Someone needs to explain to me the benefits of keeping a mother plant as opposed to just taking cuttings from the vegged clones the day you go 12/12.Please dont say perpetual cloning like this can lead to plant degradation because I know from 3 years of doing it,its not true.As long as I continue to always take my cuttings before I go 12/12,I'll have this blockhead forever.I know there must be a good reason for keeping mothers,I cant figure it out though.The way I do it takes no extra space/lights/work and the results are apparently the same.Like I said,I know there is a good reason for it or people wouldnt do it,I just honestly dont know what that reason is.With perpetual cloning,I dont run into the problem of a mother getting pistils or getting to big,taking up lighting and space etc.So what is the benefit in keeping moms?

I think I just figured it out,its for the true "soggers" that use little or no vegtime right?You see I veg my clones a couple weeks so they are large enough to take a couple cuttings and still yield a couple ounces.True soggers dont veg at all and just take cuts from the mom and go 12/12.Well maybe they veg 3 or 4 days but you know what I mean,the clone wont be big enough to take a cut or two from like mine are.I love when I answer my own questions.If there is any other reason that eludes me,please enlighten me

[Pink]

Originally Posted by walkabout

would it be possible to just slowly reduce the pot size? if i keep the top trimmed up?

I did this walkabout. I started in a 2 gal pot and am now in a 2 liter pot. I would bush out my mom, take cuts then GENTLY cut away some of the root ball and then put her in a smaller container. I have had no shock or stress. the plant is as healthy and small as can be. I am going to try to downpot one more time. Good luck