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Growing Christmas trees in pots

sweetcherrysweetcherry Posts: 4
in Tools and techniques
I have several year old Christmas trees (Norway spruce) that I would like to grow on until they are approx. 1 metre tall. Has anyone any experience of using 'root trainer' pots planted directly into the ground, so they can be more easily dug up and without root damage, please?

Posts

  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    Hi - I think the easiest way to grow them would simply be to put them in pots, and pot them on as they mature.
    Is there a reason why you want to do it the way you describe?  :)
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • sweetcherrysweetcherry Posts: 4
    Thankyou, Fairygirl. I find it difficult to get watering correct for above ground pots...too wet or get forgotten and dry out, so hoping 'planting' the pots would help. Think commercial growers do something like this but can't seem to find any info.
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    I think most trees grown as a crop [which Christmas trees are] are just dug up like bareroot hedging and potted for a while,  or are permanently pot grown. You can trim roots to pot them if they're dug up. 
    If you pot them in soil, not compost, and keep them out of hot conditions while they get to a couple of years old, they should be fairly easy. You could always put the pots into a trench, but you would still get roots growing out the bottom, so you'd have to keep an eye on them. 
    I can't see root trainers being big enough, unless I'm missing something completely. Root trainers are for things like sweet peas etc.  :)
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • sweetcherrysweetcherry Posts: 4
    Trench is good idea because any roots coming through could be cut off, and tap roots held back. The idea for root trainer for Christmas trees, was actually mentioned recently by Bunny Guiness, I think, on an edition of radio4 GQT, think I will contact the programme as I agree I cannot find anything large enough. Wonder if a large pot with only small holes would work? 
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    Have a look here at root control bags https://www.pomonafruits.co.uk/garden-accessories/root-control/rootex-root-control-bag-45-litre


    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • sweetcherrysweetcherry Posts: 4
    Bit pricey but looking more like it! Many thanks
  • steephillsteephill Posts: 2,841
    You might be thinking of air pots which cause air pruning of the roots and are widely used by tree nurseries.
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