Here I was happily slip potting a Serissa from a garden plastic pot to a bigger one, and thought about my bonsai soil mix and the muck from the garden center being completely different between themselves.
Will the roots feel the not so much alike substrates and be unhappy?

Personally I would think if the garden stuff is crappy and the stuff your going to replace it with is better that the tree would thank you. My trees that i have replaced garden soil with a proper soil have actually grown a lot and flourished with happiness.

Travi51 wrote:

Personally I would think if the garden stuff is crappy and the stuff your going to replace it with is better that the tree would thank you. .

Thanks for your answer. Yes, I am talking about a good, proper bonsai mix. But the doubt is over the slip potting; I didn't fully repoted it, this is the wrong season here. I just took the plant to a bigger pot, no root trimming, no root combing or cleaning. So the original garden soil is still there, but the remaining space in the pot has now bonsai soil.
Will the roots adapt?

You run into potential problems, Not only of the roots moving into the new substrate (Roughening the side of the roolball might help; Some loose roots that are in the new substrate help alot briding the proverbial gab.

The real challenge is in keeping the innerroots moist. The water may run of into the open substrate before going into the regular potting soil.

Ok I understand. I dont really think the tree will notice, if anything it will since a chang and start to outreach into the new soil causing better roots. The only thing I can think will happen is the old roots in the old soil could have some root rot because the old soil will hold water better than the new and the new will need more water to keep the new roots alive witch could cause the rot. I could be totally wrong.

leatherback wrote:

The real challenge is in keeping the innerroots moist.

I see. This is gonna be the real challenge alright!!