hello i just bought a mikawa yatsubusa from vandemeers in whitby. its 2gallion pot. i was wondering i would like to keep it container grown. what size pot should i move up to. and what would be a good soil mixture to keep it health and grow robust.
Well, mine has been in the ground for years and is maybe a foot tall, definitely less than 18". I have a great place for it, so I like it that way. I'd not worry too much about repotting, every few years, maybe; it is small, and absolutely lovely, one of my favorites. There is also a lot here regarding potting mixes, and various, take a look and choose. I gave up on sand mixtures pretty quickly, but that's just me.
I recommend a slightly course potting mix with excellent drainage, but I agree with jacquot if it is not root bound or fairly sizeable it may not need re-potting. Mikawa yatsubusa is pretty slow and could be kept in small containers for years. If I did feel the need to repot I'd go no higher than a #5 sized pot.
alright mines might be around 20".. so number 5# pot would be 5gallion? and what should i use to make it course soil mixture? i have perlite right now on hand. i was thinking of layering 2-4"' of gravel on the bottom of the new pot i buy to help with drainage.
while you have humidity to deal with, you don't get as hot as we do here in KS, so you will probably have to play around a bit with your mix - you want it to retain moisture, but also be free-draining, and your ambient climate will affect both factors. what i have found to be a good mix for my trees is the following: equal parts of pine bark mulch, turface, Fox Farm ocean forest potting soil (has some perlite in it already, but you could go for any good quality potting soil), and coco coir. the mulch, turface and coir provide bulk to the mix and assist with drainage, and the turface and coir (especially) help retain moisture, slowly releasing it back into the soil. with this mix, i typically water daily in summer, twice a day if we are consistently above 90-95 for days (weeks) on end, and the plants seem to do well. hope this helps!
Andrea, I am new to the forum but I have have spent many hours reading and learning. I am just getting into JMs and I have taken note that your are in Wichita, about 40 miles south of me in Moundridge. After reading many of Taplas threads on PWT and container mediums I set out to find the perfect ingredients. Tough to do in Wichita and surrounding area. Have you had luck in finding good small pine bark? I see that you state "pine bark mulch" in the previous thread. Where did you find it? I bought something I thought would work from Home Depot,but after sifting it out I barely got maybe 3 gallons of 1/4" to 1/2" pieces out of a 2 cubic foot bag. Any advice you could share would be appreciated. You must have quite a collection from what I've seen you posting. You have some very nice trees. Thank you, Kim
Hi Kim,Andrea and all.I've often seen people having trouble sourcing pine bark fines.I buy normal pine bark mulch and put it thru my dad's garden shredder.Just once seems to be enough for me but you could repeat if necessary.
