Maintaining trees in pots

11 years ago

I have four trees in pots on my big empty deck. One is a Callistemon, and two are grafted Grevilleas on standards. One Grevillea is 'Superb' and the other one is 'Fanfare.' The fourth is a trumpet vine (Campsis radicans) trained as tree . They are all doing well. How can I maintain them in pots? Is it possible? I have them in large pots. They have been in pots for a year, and have grown tremendously.

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Comments (10)

onederw
11 years ago
One person's Large is another person's Medium, and someone else's Extra Large. Chezron, I think you might get more reliable advice from others on this forum if you gave the precise diameter and height of your pots. And how big are the trees that are in them?

Kay
chezron
Original Author
11 years ago
Hi Wonder,

Good point. They are in 15 gallon pots and about 5 feet tall from soil to top of tree.
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I've heard the same story from you at least a half dozen times. I'd like to hear from someone other than you exactly how the trees are treated because I've observed first hand how you have cherry-picked bits and pieces of information to confirm your biases. I'd also like to see some pictures of trees you have repotted - preferably when in the middle of the process. I can say with a great degree of certainty, having repotted dozens of trees large enough that it took 2 good men to even tip them out of their pots, the center of the root mass of large trees that have not recently been fully repotted forces sacrifice of a significant amount of any tree's potential in areas of growth, yield. and vitality ...... because that's what root congestion does - ask any nurseryman. When these large roots in the center and at the bottom of the root mass are removed to make room for the fine roots which do all the tree's heavy lifting, the change in vitality quickly becomes very conspicuous. Let me know when you've finished repotting your first thousand so we can have a meaningful conversation about what you think, instead of what you think someone else might think, as has habitually been the case in our past intercourse. Al
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It is very interesting to me to see what has happened in the last few years to this particular spot in your garden. I think your garden has done very well under that maple. But gardeners know when their plants are not growing as well as we know they could---and that is disappointing. I have two Jacob's Ladder plants. They are cute and a bit delicate looking. They are in a badly rooted area. I have to have them in spin out bags and that garden bed gets dry very quickly. This year we added soaker hose to that bed. It goes on every second day. I have two pulmonaria there too, but they are also in spin out bags. The only thing not in a spin out bag is variegated Solomon's seal. It grows, but spacing between stems, I believe, is further apart than it normally would be. In my neighborhood there is a house that has several June's around a tree. They may have been there for almost ten years? But let's say 5-10 since I can't remember. How do they look? Cute, small for June, and they have remained the same size in the last few years. What I noticed last year, was that they are now reverting to Halcyon. I do like that look, but we know where that is headed. So I think the hosta can survive in a rooted area, but just survival is not the goal. It's growth and health. I think the pot in a pot method is worth trying. I think I will look to see if I can find two pots that fit together well and try it myself. I wouldn't want to lose any hosta. I will pick a hosta that I have a duplicate of in case it doesn't work out well for me. Good luck.
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hoovb zone 9 sunset 23
11 years ago
Seems like a lot of growth for that size pot. If you can lift them out of the pot and see if the rootball has filled the pot, then time for an upsize.
onederw
11 years ago
Your photo helps a lot, Chezron. Hoovb is right--if the trees are potbound, they've outgrown their home. I don't have any experience with grevilleas, but callistemons can be pretty forgiving. You may be able to hold the callistemon in its current pot (assuming it is already rootbound) by root-pruning it, adding more dirt, and cutting it back some.

Kay
bahia
11 years ago
It really depends on the plants selected, but in general, I wouldn't consider a 15 gallon sized pot a "large" pot for long term growing. For best plant health, it is important to know whether it will need to be treated more like a bonsai plant to keep it happy and flourishing, or whether it can virtually be ignored by years if it gets good light, regular necessary irrigation and feeding. Grevilleas tend to be somewhat touchy in general, the Campsis is known for immense root growth which will tend to deplete the soil, and Callistemons are rather large and woody by nature to remain suitable long term in a pot of that size. Here's some examples of plants I've used over the years that have proven easy without having to root prune or repot into larger sized pots on a regular basis. Some of these faster growing plants with aggressive roots, I tend to double pot so that they can be root pruned or divided more easily, such as the Strelitzia nicholai.

Here is a link that might be useful: Plants in pots, long term
chezron
Original Author
11 years ago
So I should move these plants up in pot size? And them maybe, unpot them once in awhile to root prune? What size of pot should I use? My deck is really naked without plants. I also like hummingbird plants because I love to watch them. I have to figure out how to keep trees here. What is double-potting? Thanks for your help.
hoovb zone 9 sunset 23
11 years ago
If you get any Santa Ana winds you want the biggest heaviest pot you can handle or else you will be listening to your pots klonk klonk falling over and rolling around and the potting mix falling out and the plant getting close to death from dessication. Even with a big heavy pot you might have to tie it to something. (Been there, done that)

Perhaps this does not apply in your area, but for anyone else with strong Santa Anas, trees in pots are difficult when the Santa Anas blow. One of my neighbors actually has wrought-iron strapping attaching her pots to her house to keep her potted trees from blowing away. She has 20' Italian Cypress in pots about the height of trash cans, but with about 50% more diameter.

You have a nice big deck. You could fill it not just with plants but by making a specific sitting area and a dining area with different pieces of furniture and pergolas, lanterns, etc. Furniture looks a little scattered about. If you or a family member is a skilled shopper see what you can find for outdoor seating and dining at garage sales, flea markets. A well designed seating area and a dining area would draw you and your family outside more often as well.

Long term I would figure out which tree really works for you in a pot and then get multiples of that tree for a more unified appearance.
chezron
Original Author
11 years ago
You cannot see it Hoovb but we have a huge dining table and chairs behind the Callistemon, plus seating and tables under the tent awning, and on two sides of the deck. It is quite the entertainment spot.
calistoga_al ca 15 usda 9
11 years ago
You will find a world of information regarding growing trees in containers, on the "growing in containers" forum. Al
catkim
11 years ago
The photo is fuzzy, but your last one suggests it might be possible to plant a taller, spreading tree in the ground, whether in the center hole in the deck, the planter where the cactus is, or off to the side toward the camera.

You can get more impact from your large plants in containers by grouping three together, maybe one of them in a giant container with the others in only extra-large.

Maintaining trees in pots

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Maintaining trees in pots

Comments (10)

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