Hello,

andrewjnicholls · October 2020

I wonder if any of you can help? We have bought in 4 large cherry laurels for screening and were going to put them in pots - but they are so heavy we cannot lift them into a pot. Any ideas how we can get around this and somehow get some soil around them? We want to keep them in pots not plant them in the patio. Many thanks, Andrew

Lizzie27 · October 2020

Ask four strong friends if they can come round to help? (I'm not joking)

Fairygirl · October 2020

I'd build a bed round them. Far easier than trying to shift them. You can tip them sideways to get a bit of soil under them, but as long as they had sufficient soil round them, they'd be ok. You may need to see what drainage you can provide, but I think that's a minor worry because they'd be in a drier spot anyway against that wall, and would need a fair amount of moisture to maintain all that top growth. You could have weep holes at the bottom of the front of the bed anyway to assist it.

That's going to be a hellish job trying to get those in pots and then keep them thriving if you do.

Dovefromabove · October 2020

Hope you’ve got some really large containers and a load of John Innes No 3 loam-based potting compost mixed with some coarse horticultural grit.

Are you going to strap the trunks to the wall in some way? Even with the weight of heavy loam based compost in the containers the tops of those trees are going to catch the wind like sails in the equinoctial gales 😯

andrewjnicholls · October 2020

Thank-you so much for the replies so far - appreciate it. Would they be OK left as is if we wrapped some fleece or more hessian around the rootball and then surrounded them with smaller pots to cover how unattractive the rootballs are? Thank-you

BobTheGardener · October 2020

Not unless you want 4 heavy dead trees to get rid of. There isn't enough root there to support all of the top growth and it will be impossible to water them sufficently, so you have no choice but to put them in pots or (easier) build a raised planter around them, so they can start growing enough new roots to support themselves. If that's not an option, I'd be tempted to sell them asap before they deteriorate.

andrewjnicholls · October 2020

Thank-you. I like the idea of building a bed around them with and trying to get some soil underneath them. Will gave that a go. Any particular sort of wood that would work - sleepers, scaffolding boards, timber from a DIY shop etc? Thank-you

Fairygirl · October 2020

That was my reasoning too @BobTheGardener. They'll be so top heavy, and unless staked in some way as @Dovefromabove is saying, they're going to be impossible to keep in place as they are.
Even doing that [building a bed] they'd need support until properly self supporting.

andrewjnicholls · October 2020

Thank-you. I have them tied into the wall. Would building a bed around them with reclaimed bricks work or would it need to be wood?

Lizzie27 · October 2020

They are very big trees (shrubs) so would need a depth of soil for their roots to grow into and survive. They would do better if you can take up some of the patio slabs underneath so the roots can go downwards. It doesn't matter much whether your raised bed is made of bricks (preferable and longer lasting) or wood (sleepers would be better).
I'm afraid you have a big problem on your hands. How were the trees moved to near the wall?

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