first .. pull stock out of the pot at the store.. and look at them.. and then decide if they are worth it ... and of course.. if its this time of year.. and they are a huge bargain .. go for it ... when timing is perfect ... like now.. in dormancy.. you can probably cut 80% of root mass off.. plant.. and succeed with a good success rate ... sounds extreme ... but its no more or less .. than if you bought field grown trees that were field dug and ball and burlapped ... see link specifically about timing: https://sites.google.com/site/tnarboretum/Home/planting-a-tree-or-shrub if you buy in the wrong season.. hold the pot over to the next proper time for root surgery and planting ... anyway ... get your hose and pistol grip out.. pull it out of the pot.. and just hit that thing with the water .. dont worry about how hard.. short of disintegrating a root .. get rid of all the potting media ... and go to town with the hand pruners.. and get rid of the problem roots ... plant on a mound of soil.. spread out the roots ... water it in good.. and be done with it ... see link on proper watering and mulching .... with heavy root pruning.. you will be responsible for watering the first hot season ... and in drought the second hot season ... pretty much free range after that ... there is a reason to buy a bit smaller... the process is just that much easier.. and the stresses are that much less ... sometimes its just not a bargain to buy bigger.. with all the attendant bigger problems ... small plants.. with less stress often outgrow larger transplants.. in tree time .... [not to mention smaller usually means cheaper ...] ... channel your inner surgeon .. lol .. ken

You know, if I could get the pictures from Mr. Goodwin of his British container garden with the pots stored along the fence, I might be quite happy with following his setup. I say the south fence, because the sun is very low during the winter months, and that fence of wood 7 foot tall stays shaded. Prevailing winds which can drive the rain, will also be blowing mostly from the south east. I have to use the changing shade patterns in moving hosta around the garden, it is amazing how much it can change in a short period of time. Look where the sun is rising now, and it is a little bit more south of east at sunrise every day. And more south of west at sunset. Yes, Pieterje, rain is a boogerbear here as well. Two years ago we had a real winter spell, and it was below freezing for two whole weeks. Unheard of, never before! Then, last year it was back to normal, with temps dipping down to 28 overnight a couple of times, but not continuous. I need not have moved my tropical beauties into my Teahouse--where I had to water them, instead of letting nature do the work. I am now wondering what kind of season we'll have this year, and might need to consult the ole Farmer's Almanac. I have a thought in mind, which will utilize the "metaposts" which you drive in the ground, and then can insert 4x4s to which shelfs might be attached. WIRE shelves, which let the pots drain with no lifters or feet beneath, no wood to rot. I already have a good bit of wire shelving wasting away. Maybe with the extra 4x4 supporting front of the shelving, the fence itself won't be strained. What I like about those Metaposts (Aubuchon sold them online, then I found some at Home Depot) is you can remove the 4x4 and just leave the metal part in the ground, if you don't want that "look" along your fence. But my area in question is at the very back and far end of the garden. I also want to avoid infestation of the pots by fire ants, who like nice dry places on the ground. Lifting them up is a good way to avoid those terrible ants. BKay, with my pot count as high as it is, no way can I keep them on our 10 x 12 deck, and besides, we will be remodeling this winter. That means I cannot put anything in the Teahouse either, because I'm keeping it temp controlled since construction material is filling it up already. Right now, I'll be happy when the squirrels quit bombing me with the Mississippi Giant pecans and also tearing up hosta leaves. Ken, you are such a charmer, 30 minutes below 40....guffaw guffaw guffaw.....I'll tell DH what you said, he will probably borrow that for his own tales of southern winters. Yes indeed, cold soggy media and rot, go together. Last winter I had only a few hosta to deal with, and all went dormant up in Massachusetts before moving south. Where, as you said, Ken, they woke up pipping in late February and early March. Without checking, I think the Satisfaction NOID was blooming as early as mid March?

Eep, you put me on the spot - it's starting to get that late-summer disheveled look. And yet I'm STILL waiting for some laggards to get blooming! Not a beauty shot, but I take pics like this (with camera held up over my head) so I can more or less get the whole bed in the frame and have a record of where everything is and what size it is. This pic is a little over a week old, taken shortly after the rain. It's hard to see my tiny Juneberry tree against the tall coreopsis behind it, but that's what's in the seemingly "empty" space to the left of the fern. The front of the bed is all shade/GC plants, because the building shades that area most of the year, but it looks a little crispy after high summer because the sun hits all of it for a while. I've started a good collection of violets here and also in the dirt alleyway that's behind the fence - it doesn't belong to me but it was totally neglected and full of trash and weeds when I moved in, so I've been gradually cleaning and clearing it and planting things to serve as ground cover. Immediately behind the birdbath are turtleheads, still not blooming. Along the white wall on the left, New England asters that I grew from seed this year. In the back left corner of the fence, Tall Coreopsis that I transplanted this year, so it's had a setback and is late in blooming and also not so very tall. In the middle back, Asclepias incarnata "Ice Ballet", not blooming. Back right, "Blue Fortune" agastache which is still going like a hero though the flower heads are now pointing every which way. There are a couple of very small Monarda "Pink Lace" to their right. Buddleia "Ice Chip" is on the right of the birdbath. It's looking nice these days, but still snubbed by the bees and wasps that are constantly on the Agastache - though I do see butterflies on it. The gigantic mound of vines on top of the fence is morning glory. I planted "Heavenly Blue" and it has yet to bloom despite being started indoors early under lights. As you can see, if I have a major gripe it is not enough blooms, in general! I still need to fine tune my bloom succession quite a bit, which is tricky in such a tight space. Turning to the right hand fence (east side of garden) I have a narrow bed with autumn ferns and some of the volunteer morning glories that grow wild in the neighborhood. That one, at least, has bloomed like crazy for weeks now. The vines on the fence are climbing up copper wires fastened to eye hooks at top and bottom. When this year's morning glories are over, I'm pondering using that space for some pipevines, or else some other vine that will have more pollinator value.

If you are going to drill holes in plastic containers, drill them on the sides about a one up from the bottom. This will keep tree roots from coming up from the bottom, and let a little water stay in the bottom in the summer to soak back up, especially if you use peat moss. I have had trees roots grow up from the bottom and invade the entire pot. Also, if the pot sinks in the ground a little the inch above the bottom will allow for better drainage. May not work in the north where drainage is a premier, but in the south it has worked well for me. I have found that cutting the roots on the outside with a spade once a year works pretty well. If the garden is growing well that is all that matters. The annuals compete pretty well with the tree roots if you provide enough water.