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Question for Silica

Vladimir (Zone 5b Massachusetts)

6 years ago

Silica, in a reply to a recent post you mention that one should not bare root a tree when repotting because of the sometimes extensive root damage that it causes. I believe that you use a soil mix that is mostly MG garden soil. When you receive a tree from a grower that is planted in a bark mix, how do you repot it into the MG mix?

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Comments (4)

Vladimir (Zone 5b Massachusetts)
Original Author
6 years ago
Just bumping this up hoping to get Silica's attention.
Vladimir (Zone 5b Massachusetts)
Original Author
6 years ago
My intention when I posted this was not to start a discussion of bare rooting vs. not bare rooting. I just want to know what Silica does when he gets a tree in a soil mix different from one he uses.
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Silica
6 years ago
I'll just over look Mike's unpleasant post above, and say nothing.

Vladimir, I didn't write to NOT bare root a tree, I wrote unless it is done with the UPMOST care and diligence to insure that the root system is not badly damaged in the process, bare rooting a tree will many times end in disaster. This is ESPECIALLY true for trees that have been growing in a container to long, and have become root bound or somewhat root bound, and for newer growers that don't have the expertise. Very loose mediums such as 5-1-1 which practically fall away when the tree is removed from the container can be easily bare rooted in most cases. It has been quite some time since I have purchased a tree from an actual grower, as almost every tree I grow is started from budwood, purchased through the UCR's budwood program. It is hundreds of times less expensive to use budwood from UCR, than purchase trees from a retail grower and then additionally have to pay the freight. Plus with UCR's budwood, three or more trees can be grown from one bud stick. I have in the past purchased trees from FW but they were shipped bare root packed in shredded cedar. However, to answer your question, If I received a tree shipped in a commercial type bark medium, I would soak it out in warm water over night and shake out as much of the medium as possible, and then repot it, but this has only occurred a couple times in the past as I rarely use retail growers.. Sorry I apparently missed your post.
Vladimir (Zone 5b Massachusetts) thanked Silica
Vladimir (Zone 5b Massachusetts)
Original Author
6 years ago
last modified: 6 years ago
Silica, thank you for your reply. Much appreciated.

Vlad

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