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Red Robin - Planting in Pot

tuacuerdatetuacuerdate Posts: 20
in Problem solving
Good afternoon,

I bought a beautiful Red Robin tree last week and I would like to plant it in the new pot.

What mix of compost, perlite and or vermiculite would you recommend for this type of tree in Scotland?

Do I need pebbles or geotextile at the bottom of the pot for drainage ?


Thank you,
Daniel


Posts

  • AngelicantAngelicant Posts: 130
    I have just put one of these in a pot. It's not as pretty as your standard, it's just a ordinary shrub but it is for privacy where we have trellis on our patio and nowhere to plant in the ground. I hadn't realised until I retired how many times a day my next door neighbour can have the same conversation with me😀.
     I planted in a mix of multi purpose compost and bagged topsoil to give it some density. As it's a tall pot I put some large rockery stones in the bottom, again to give it weight as we seem to be plagued with gusty winds at the moment. 
  • Cambridgerose12Cambridgerose12 Posts: 1,134
    edited March 2021
    You will definitely need a soil-based compost (John Innes, or as @Angelicant suggests, topsoil with potting compost/other organic matter added). Ordinary potting compost on its own won't encourage enough root growth. Also, with a shrub that eventually becomes quite large in rather a small pot like this, you'll need to watch it carefully in warm weather--in the summer heat it may well need watering every day to stay healthy. I'd suggest potting it into a larger container next year. Ideally, you want about a half barrel size to keep it happy for more than a couple of years. The alternative would be to plant it in the ground before too long. For drainage, put a 4cm layer of broken crocks or largish pebbles into the bottom before adding the compost.
  • tuacuerdatetuacuerdate Posts: 20
    Thank you very much for your comments. 

    The pots are 90litres. Following your advises, I'm planning to put a 4cms layer of 2cm pebbles at the bottom of the pot. 

    Which of the John Innes mixes would be most addecuate for this tree?  Not sure if No.2 or No.3.

    Would you add some vermiculite to help the  mix retain more water for the summer days? 


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