Stunted plants... Will they grow?

[Vorguen]

Hello, I am thinking of starting several fruit trees from seed in pots, I live in a place right now where I'm going to have to move in about a year, and I was thinking about planting some fruits from seed outdoors.

If I do, I'm assuming many of these will get stunted and will get stuck at a certain length when they are rootbound.

My question is, when I transplant them will they be able to grow as normal and become trees like they should? Or will they have a problem (IE: die or stay the same size)

I have been wondering because I'd love to get a head start on some plants like Mangos, Papaya, etc.


Also, my mother has a KILLER aloe vera plant, I mean this thing is enormous and we always use it.

Any way I can get Aloe vera out of it? Or am I better off making my own Aloe vera plant.


Thanks

[applestar]

Aloe plant produces pups or baby plants at the base of the mother plant that can be separated and potted up. With a sharp knife, you can cut them away with part of the roots attached for better chance of survival.

As for the fruit trees, have you seen the photos of my potted trees? I keep them small-ish, borrowing Bonsai root pruning techniques, but if you intend to plant them in the ground, you could just keep uppotting them each spring as they grow.

Typical recommendation for holding a ground-planting size sapling is to use a container the size of (or actually use with drainage holes drilled in the bottom) 5- gallon buckets. You can usually get food-grade ones for free or cheap from supermarket deli counters, deli shops or bakeries.

You don't have to be in a hurry to put them in such large containers in the beginning while they are small though. That would actually be detrimental due to appropriate watering difficulties.

[Vorguen]

Aloe plant produces pups or baby plants at the base of the mother plant that can be separated and potted up. With a sharp knife, you can cut them away with part of the roots attached for better chance of survival.

Oh wow, I need to look into this. I assume you mean the base to be the Inside of the swirl of leaves right? lol

I'll definitely do some research on this.

As for the fruit trees, have you seen the photos of my potted trees? I keep them small-ish, borrowing Bonsai root pruning techniques, but if you intend to plant them in the ground, you could just keep uppotting them each spring as they grow.

I would definitely love to see photos of your potted trees. Also, how come you keep them in pots?

By uppotting do you mean transfering them from pot to ground?

Another question was lets say I have a small tree in a pot way too small for it, and its roots are stunted and rootbound. If I transfer this does it have a possibility of continuing growing like a normal tree and get larger and the roots expanding? or is it stunted permanently?

We're talking a pot definitely too small for its own good, the reason I ask is because when I get my place moving large pots will be impossible so I have to keep the trees small and in small-ish pots.

Typical recommendation for holding a ground-planting size sapling is to use a container the size of (or actually use with drainage holes drilled in the bottom) 5- gallon buckets. You can usually get food-grade ones for free or cheap from supermarket deli counters, deli shops or bakeries.

You don't have to be in a hurry to put them in such large containers in the beginning while they are small though. That would actually be detrimental due to appropriate watering difficulties.

Also, what do you mean "holding a ground-planting size sapling" ??

Do you mean a sapling (also by sapling you mean small tree right? seedling -> small plant -> sapling -> tree?)


So basically if you have your plants in a 5 gallon bucket the roots will be large and strong enough to be able to be planted?


Okay, basically.. a 5 gallon bucket will probably make plants way too large for me to be able to fit in a small car like my Caliber or my wife's Forerunner... thats why I was trying to keep them in small pots (1-2 gallons) And wanted to know if I'd be harming them by doing this.

[applestar]

Aloe pups would form off to the side, not inside. I have posted photos of pineapple pups. Basically the same idea.

I have photos posted all over the forums, many in Fruit forum since they include avocados, citrus, and mango. I thought I might have posted links in one or more of your recent posts. My trees are potted because they need to be kept inside from mid-October to late-April/mid-May.

Uppot is my term for potting in larger container than it's in right now.

Definitely uppot your little tree. Try to untangle and straighten roots -- don't force or they will break. you can cut overlong ones if you wish (it will grow side roots) or plant in large enough container to accomodate them.

Since you don't need to worry about keeping them in the house (I think), I would consider letting them grow. You can always rent a U-haul truck or a trailer, or you might find a friend with a pickup truck or access to a delivery van.

[froggy]

I totally agree (with the post that isn't here anymore), it is not ok to smuggle plants across the border. Doing that is just as ignorant as flushing your pet crocodile down the toilet.
Anyways, what are you hoping to gain by growing from seed? Growing a fruit tree from seed does not guarantee it will bear the same quality fruit. Quite likely it will not. Just go to a nursery near where you are moving to and get plants that have been grown to produce good fruit, a lot less genetic gamble, don't you think?
And I don't think cost is so different either way - Soil, containers, time spent caring for the plants - it all adds up. Especially when adding hefty fines...