In my opion you need to have it planted in at least a 5 gallon bucket with good drainage hole cut out of the bottom. Set the potted tree under a dappled shade canopy of a mature tree or other such equal type of dappled shade light. Then keep the tree in that 5 gallon pot until just prior to its leaf buds swell next February. At that time take the tree out to the woods and plant it in a sunny location or clearing between the other trees. If it is a park where you plant it, install a bark protector around the trunk, and metal landscape edging or a circle of rocks around the tree at a distance of about a two feet away from the tree. Remove all grass and weeds within the edging, and add a 2 inch depth of mulch, but make sure to pull any mulch away from the trunk for a distance of at least 4 inches. By your doing all this, the city mowers may avoid mowing it down without realizing that it is a quality tree. If the city does not provide supplimental watering for the vegetation in the park; then you will need to, at least once a week and every few days if the weather is extremely hot and dry, take a 5 gallon bucket of water out to the tree; along with an empty five gallon bucket with a few small holes in the bottom. Set the empty bucket near or just lightly uphill from the tree. use a smaller pitcher to scoop out the water and pour it into the emply bucket with the small holes in the bottom. Wait until all the water slowly waters the tree, before you remove the your watering bucket for reuse next time. Continue the supplimental watering until the fall rains begin to occur. Then wait until the following spring or summer to check to see if the tree needs your help with extra watering any more. Most likely by then the tree will only need once a week watering in the driest parts of that year. Any years after that the tree should have enough root development to survive without you providing it with extra water.

if it is YC ... its fully MI hardy in z5 ... so out it goes ... see link on planting ... it is not a houseplant.. and wont thrive as such i would plant it.. outside NOW ... maybe in a few weeks in your zone.. would defer to others on that ... and until planting.. i would keep it outdoors in full bright shade .... if the media is moist.. do NOT water it again .... until it dries ... or is planted ... i would not be surprised if it doesnt lose all its leaves after transplant.. being deciduous and all ... and as such.. hardening off is a minor concern .... i dont see a graft ... and wonder if it is a real YC .. if it is rooted??? .. did you get it from a reputable nursery??? follow ALL directions at the link ... and protect from deer if any ... it is not a baby ... and with trees... odds are higher that you will kill it with too much love ... rather than proper planting and watering .... which is not love.. but reality .. ken ps: if you insist on repotting it... your media will be the #1 issue Here is a link that might be useful: link This post was edited by ken_adrian on Thu, Oct 2, 14 at 10:14

hello I don't have anything on your wants list, but I'm interested in the blue and white pots, what is the size? I could get some bird toys for you, I also have two gourd birdhouses, real nice painted with beaded hangers. one of the gourds is a dipper gourd one is an egg shape. I also have lots of dvd's on my trade list. thanks michelle

This tree is very hardy but seedlings are less hardy than larger specimens and roots are much less hardy than tops - with new roots being less hardy than old roots. Covering the pots with loose material like mulch or sand may be adequate in your area. Do not attempt to overwinter in a significantly heated area. If the roots are getting crowded in the existing containers it would probably be preferable to bump them up now instead of in spring - unless the roots have to be worked on quite a bit to get them opened up and untangled, in which case it could be better to attack them at the end of winter. Do not grow on with bound-up (circling etc.) roots, correct root deformities caused by under-potting when moving to larger pots or planting out in their final positions.