Gerry Fields’ estate, Olive in ground, $40. Oct 31, 2025.

Consulted Cesar Ordonez of CenCal Bonsai

“hey bro! so you just dug it out right? and you mean repot in spring? i would leave it on there for a year but u can definitely repot it next year but i wouldn’t do spring id so summer after it grows strong, in terms of the design is tough to see in pic but definitely looks like u can use some but not all branches in the design and yeah it can be a single apex but made up of several branches each making their piece of the whole design if that makes sense.”

“if u cut of all branches except one for example, like to make a tree out of one trunk it would be too bit ofa base i think for the trunk it would make it look small for the big base.”0

“yeah it seems like theres alot of roots pretty high up and more trunk base down low! u can always cut those higher ones up when u repot!.”

Key Soil Characteristics

Drainage: This is the most crucial factor to prevent root rot, especially during winter. Use coarse, stable components like pumice or expanded slate.
Alkalinity: Olive trees prefer a slightly alkaline pH between 7 and 8. Pumice is naturally slightly alkaline, which helps with this.
Particle size: For shohin, a smaller particle size, around 1/16 to 1/8 inch, is ideal to fit the small pot and allow for proper drainage and aeration.