Pubski on my birthday, aw yeeee. Drinks are on me.

I've always loved bonsai trees and I was gifted a 5yo Chinese Elm. Unfortunately, its potting situation is a bite dire. It's all pot-bound and stuck in a compacted, organic nursery soil. This makes it more difficult to keep it watered correctly and it will also hamper its growth. What's more, it's too late in the season to fully re-pot it.

I'm going to try to slip pot it, which consists of just lifting the whole thing out, placing it into a larger pot, and then surrounding it with new bonsai soil. I've got some molar clay for this purpose, which will allow for much improved drainage and aeration. Usually a soil mismatch like this wouldn't be advised as the roots might not grow into the new type. However, there's lots of long roots hanging loose out the bottom of it currently, so hopefully they should take to the new soil without too much trouble. I'll also gently rake the edges of the root ball to loosen some of the smaller roots to help them find their new home.

I'm going to let it live outside too, which I hear they much prefer. Fingers crossed I can turn it into a happy little tree.