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I have a four year old Tama hime JM bought new in June. It is a "pre-bonsai". My issue is a very thick, downward growing root. This tree has the beginnings of a very lovely nebari which I don't want to ruin by hacking off this thick root too far up. I have decided to over-winter it and let the finer roots develop, but I am unsure of the best time to begin to shape and bonsai the tree and what to do about that long root. The tree is approx. 12" tall, full and rounded; healthy. The root is 3/4" thick at the top and is 5" long, tapering in thickness of course. How much of this root can I successfully cut without damaging the tree. Thanks. Yuki

It is the wrong time of year to be cutting off roots. Leave it until spring. If you mean that it has a long tap root then that can be removed completely.

Thanks, that is very helpful. I have been growing JM's in pots for some time, but I have only recently become interested in bonsai & see that it is something that is not "magic and only for wizards". I am in the learning phase and need to be cautious.

m5eaygeoff wrote:

It is the wrong time of year to be cutting off roots. Leave it until spring. If you mean that it has a long tap root then that can be removed completely.

I?ll second m5geoff on that.
JM root pruning should be done in the beginning of the Spring, and surely you can chop off that taproot flat to the trunk with no issues.
When reppoting, make sure you tie the tree to the pot.

I am not sure it is a tap root. How could OP know how the roots looks under the soil?

Please share a picture so we can see what you are trying to say.

Yuki wrote:

My issue is a very thick, downward growing root.

@Tropfrog, maybe yes, maybe not, but the issue surely needs to be addressed.

Clicio wrote:

Yuki wrote:

My issue is a very thick, downward growing root.

@Tropfrog, maybe yes, maybe not, but the issue surely needs to be addressed.

Obviously. Very thick downward growing roots is not very compatible with shallow pots.

But the solution to just cut it off flush may not be the right way to go if this thick root is visible above soil level. If it is indeed a tap root, growing from the center of the tree it is indeed the solution.

The question remains. How can OP identify a tap root on a newly purshased tree if he has not yet started to work on the roots?

If the root in question is visible above soil, a picture is the best way to help.

First of all, wait until spring. That may mean April or March, depending on your hemisphere. Maybe August.

When you cut roots off, leave lots of small feeder roots. If all the feeder roots are at the end of the thick root, cutting it off will quite likely kill the tree.