Pot size

Discussion in 'Maples' started by dicky5ash, Sep 14, 2019.

  1. dicky5ash

    dicky5ash Generous Contributor

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    All bar a couple of my acers are in pots ranging from bucket size through to 36” diameter by 30” tall pots. I pot the smaller trees on every year in pots 3inches larger..the large trees that are in huge pots every 3years or so. It’s quite a task having about 65 trees now, and there’s limitations in terms of acquiring larger pots.. my question relates to the larger trees which are about 12-13 feet, last year I removed them from the pots (they’d been in them for 5years) trimmed the root ball at the bottom and a little round the sides, put fresh compost in with perlite and returned them.. They responded to this and were more densely leaved this year.
    Is this acceptable or should I look at acquiring larger pots? I have a load of floor joists spare so i might make a couple of 4foot cubes. I am moving in the next 18mths so don’t want to plant any.. I will also do some vertical mulching this year..
     
  2. Ron B

    Ron B Paragon of Plants 10 Years

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    If you can't put them in the ground then you are pretty much stuck with root pruning, putting back in the same tub. As plants are integrated systems just like we are it is to be expected that this will affect top development - root pruning in combination with top pruning is used to keep bonsai dwarfed for instance.
     
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  3. dicky5ash

    dicky5ash Generous Contributor

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    Thanks Ron..in the fullness of time I will plant the larger trees..once the house move is out of the way.. the Osakazuki and Rectilatum definitely responded this year to root pruning
     

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