Growing Trees in Containers, GOOD IDEA???

[ButterflyLady29]

I personally would do just the potting soil. Make sure they are watered well once you switch, then water when the soil an inch below the surface gets dry. It will do some damage but not as much as leaving them in all topsoil.

[rainbowgardener]

So how are your Arbor Day Foundation trees doing. Mine are still showing no signs of coming out of dormancy and I am starting to wonder if they will....

[Susan W]

Oh, the Arbor Day trees! Last year potted up the 10 in 2.5 qt pots in my regular soil mix. Being a neglectful parent, just had them in with all the other stuff, and they got watered by rain or if I were doing extra. I think all leafed out. I've been checking and most leafing out again.

The new set came in and I potted up to 2.5 qt containers. Last yrs batch the smaller trees, this round the larger maples, oaks etc. Some I'll label after they leaf as not sure. I did squish the roots a bit on some, so we'll see.

Next on list is to up last years that are doing into 2 -3 gallon pots. I need to set out another pallet to hold the pots/trees and see how they flourish...or not. An interesting glitch is no redbuds last year, when marked to have 3. What is marked is something else with a serrated leaf, and they are leafing out!

[rainbowgardener]

So how long should it take? Mine have been sitting in pots, watered when they need it, for almost three weeks. We've had a few nights down near freezing in there, but no frost, and lots of warm days and sunshine. They are still showing no sign of life.

[nltaff]

There are lots of reasons to plant up trees in pots. I've been buying annual conservation trees for years and potting them up to give them a good start. Firstly, small nursery stock is affordable. I'm willing to wait for plants to grow. Some people want to decorate decks and patios with more than just potted flowers. Second, even if you live in an urban area, there are all kinds of hungry critters on the prowl at night, just waiting to make a snack of your newly planted shrubs and trees. Lastly, did you ever see a plant that you just know you have to have? The exact landscape idea isn't fully formed yet, but you know it'll be great? Or, maybe its a bad time of year to plant it in it's intended location? If it is in a pot, you can take proper care of it til you can get it to its permanent home.

[ButterflyLady29]

How long before they leaf out? Depends on the trees. Lilacs are just starting to get leaves here, redbuds and oaks still showing no sign of leafing. I would expect the potted trees to leaf out a little before the in-ground trees but not much sooner. I'm not sure why some take longer than others. But I can tell you summer is on the way when the sycamores leaf out. I'm still waiting on my shade.

[nltaff]

Well, here's an interesting twist for this thread! I purchased an ornamental flowering pear tree this spring. It arrived in a very long box, potted up in a very tall (10"), 4x4" pot. I potted it up in a grow bag (10 gal?) and moved it in and out of the barn when weather allowed. It broke dormancy about 3-4 weeks after potting it up. We intended to plant it in its permanent home after last threat of frost. Now I've received a warning from the nursery I bought it from about the cicada threat this coming June! I guess that tree is going to spend some more time in that pot, safe in the barn until the threat is over. Now I'm glad I didn't try to nurse it along in its original pot!

[imafan26]

I don't like moisture control potting soil. They are o.k. if you can control the watering, but if you get a lot of rain it can kill your plants.

[Teacher3]

We have about a dozen volunteer sunset maple trees around our large maple tree that we had planted this spring. We would like to keep some of them through the winter and plant them when they are larger. We live in SW MO. Would you leave them in the ground and expect them to survive the cold winter, or would you put them in containers? If we do put them in containers, where would we keep them through the winter, the garage, maybe?

[rainbowgardener]

If your maple tree that produced them survives your winters, so will its babies. It is clearly hardy for your zone. They are best in the ground.