I'm not sure many people have pots of one metre diameter.
Think outside of the box, or pot in this instance. Ponds are big for an example, and water trays for cattle. One would just need to drill holes in the bottom.
You don't need to go up to a big pot right away. If there's too much soil and not enough root then the soil will stay too damp and you risk rotting the roots. I like to use mole hill earth for tree pots but I can see that's not going to be easy for you to collect. Make sure you've got a layer of gravel or something as a mulch on top of the soil though and a drip tray underneath. Very important with trees in pots not to let them get too dry.
If you can keep your head, while those around you are losing theirs, you may not have grasped the seriousness of the situation.
As Pete8 mentioned.. you got yourself some caterpillars eating your tree leaves. I expect it is some sort of tent caterpillar, as the webbing you see is mostly likely from them. They are out and about during the day, so pick off any you can see.
I agree, definitely think it's a caterpillar issue. You've done s great job on your garden though especially as it was just concrete to begin with. Could you build some deep raised planters? That helps things grow better as you can make them deeper than regular pots. You can also make them as wide as you want then. Obviously depends on cost tho?
The pots (on the left) are fine for your dwarf fruit trees for now. Get some John Innes No.3 compost (ask at the garden centre if you are unsure) which is the best for permanent pots. After a year or two, when the trees have grown a bit, then repot into bigger pots. (wooden or plastic half barrels would be a good size. You definitely do not need 1 metre pots! As for the caterpillars, just keep taking them off and washing the leaves as already suggested - and don't worry.
Dear god, giving plants sufficient room is horrible, it's not like a fruit tree need a bigger pot than it´s crown, let's just poison the planet with pesticides instead of giving the plants roots room to grow. Poisons are the future.
Sorry, I just get exhausted by people that don't keep up with modern science and don't want to stop our dependance on toxins. By giving plants the best conditions, they don't even need our help.
I grew up in an orchard, and i'm a scientist, I do know what i'm talking about.
What about you all that say that a pot of that size is to big, tell us why it's to big? Or is that asking to much? Is it just more fun stating "facts"?
I grew up in an orchard, and i'm a scientist, I do know what i'm talking about.
What about you all that say that a pot of that size is to big, tell us why it's to big? Or is that asking to much? Is it just more fun stating "facts"?
Getting bored with this place again.
Trees designed for containers are grafted onto very dwarfing root stock. It's not an especially healthy way to treat trees in the first place and you need to be careful not to overpot them (or underpot them). Plant a very dwarfing root stock tree in open ground and it will probably need staking all it's life because of the limited vigour of the roots. If you stick them into a massive pot right away there are all kind of things that can restrict the root growth such as excess dampness in the soil stopping the roots breathing. Plus if they go straight into the big pot you'll have to trim the roots every time you repot to get fresh soil in there. Maybe it will need a 1m pot in the future but you can judge the required pot size when you repot. It might be 6 or more years before it needs something that big but it might be sooner.
If you can keep your head, while those around you are losing theirs, you may not have grasped the seriousness of the situation.
I grew up in an orchard, and i'm a scientist, I do know what i'm talking about.
What about you all that say that a pot of that size is to big, tell us why it's to big? Or is that asking to much? Is it just more fun stating "facts"?
Getting bored with this place again.
Trees designed for containers are grafted onto very dwarfing root stock. It's not an especially healthy way to treat trees in the first place and you need to be careful not to overpot them (or underpot them). Plant a very dwarfing root stock tree in open ground and it will probably need staking all it's life because of the limited vigour of the roots. If you stick them into a massive pot right away there are all kind of things that can restrict the root growth such as excess dampness in the soil stopping the roots breathing. Plus if they go straight into the big pot you'll have to trim the roots every time you repot to get fresh soil in there. Maybe it will need a 1m pot in the future but you can judge the required pot size when you repot. It might be 6 or more years before it needs something that big but it might be sooner.
Nature doesn't design it in that way. Dwarf trees can grow in small pot for a while, but are still stressed. Come back in let say 300 years and it might be a different story. And 1 meter is still a small pot.
And no, the tree will just grow faster. Only bonsai roots need trimming, and that is to prevent the tree from growing to fast.
Pots and dwarfing trees aren't nature though they're a very artifical environment for an engineered tree. Given the choice we'd all grow full vigour trees in open ground but sometimes you just have to work with the space you have. Apple trees don't do well in wet soil so you have to be careful about drainage if you go big with the pots. I'm not saying it wouldn't be ok but in this situation, personally, I'd progress through pot sizes every year based on how the tree is growing.
If you can keep your head, while those around you are losing theirs, you may not have grasped the seriousness of the situation.
Fire Lily, none of us even mentioned pesticides or toxins so why bring that up? You evidently didn't read the enquirer's post or looked at his garden photo in detail. He hasn't got room to swing a cat, let alone big 1 metre pots.
and if you are bored with this forum, may I very politely suggest you take a rest.
Posts
You've done s great job on your garden though especially as it was just concrete to begin with. Could you build some deep raised planters? That helps things grow better as you can make them deeper than regular pots. You can also make them as wide as you want then. Obviously depends on cost tho?
As for the caterpillars, just keep taking them off and washing the leaves as already suggested - and don't worry.
Getting bored with this place again.
And no, the tree will just grow faster. Only bonsai roots need trimming, and that is to prevent the tree from growing to fast.
Thanks for giving an answer to your statement.
Fire Lily, none of us even mentioned pesticides or toxins so why bring that up? You evidently didn't read the enquirer's post or looked at his garden photo in detail. He hasn't got room to swing a cat, let alone big 1 metre pots.
and if you are bored with this forum, may I very politely suggest you take a rest.