Problem with transplanted small oaks

[nisava]

Hello,
I planted a few acorns in November, they sprouted and grew well.
This February I transplanted them to pots and placed them outside (they add been germinating inside).
The problem is that the plants are not doing so good anymore.

Could it be excess of water, since the soil has a lot of clay and it has rained a lot?
What could it be?

I have very little experience with gardening, so if you could help me it would be great
Thanks.

[tomc]

Trees in pots do best with very fast draining soil. Not soil from the garden. Your soil is inherently too wet. Trees are drowning.

[HoneyBerry]

Trees are better off in the ground than in pots. If you insist on pots, then you need to use good potting soil. Ground soil does not work very well for potting. The tree needs room to grow, to develop roots, and a pot will restrict the root growth. The tree will need to be transplanted from the pot to the ground anyway, so if you put it in the ground now, you will have less trouble in the long run. Sometimes I use pots for cuttings, but they are for temporary use only.

[nisava]

Thank you very much for your responses.
The potting is temporary because at this moment I can't plant them in the ground, eventually they will go in the ground.
I changed the soil in the pots.
Thanks your input was very helpful.