Forum home› Problem solving
This Forum will close on Wednesday 27 March, 2024. Please refer to the announcement on the Discussions page for further detail.

Container tree in ground

natwithnatwith Posts: 4
in Problem solving
When we bought our house there was an evergreen tree in a large plastic container set into the ground. A gardener told me not to move it as the tree roots would have ‘burst’ out of the container, is this true? I’d ideally like to move the tree or remove the container somehow.

Posts

  • CeresCeres Posts: 2,698
    Welcome to the forum.
    It would help if you could post a picture of the tree so we can all see what it is and how big it is. But, in the meantime, trees and large shrubs grown in containers will send roots out through the base of the pot. If the plant isn't too big it is possible to trim the roots and remove the plant from the container but as your tree's pot is set into the ground, that isn't going to be easy.
  • B3B3 Posts: 27,505
    How is the tree doing now? How tough was the container? How long has it been in the ground?
    In London. Keen but lazy.
  • natwithnatwith Posts: 4
    When it’s not torrential rain I’ll definitely post a photo as I also want to identify it out of curiosity! It’s around 7ft tall. Seems healthy, growing steadily. Approx 7 years in the ground. I guess it doesn’t mind being in a container, I just felt I was restricting it from growing quicker / bigger. 
  • B3B3 Posts: 27,505
    If it's been doing ok for seven years, it's probably escaped already. I think you'd do more harm than good by trying to get the container off.
    In London. Keen but lazy.
  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 30,090
    It is perfectly possible that its roots have burst thru the bottom of the pot so the first thing to do is try and move it.  If it's stuck, then it had burst thru and rooted so the next step is to cut away as much of the pot as you can.

    Start by giving it a thorough soaking then cut or saw the pot up till it comes away and then you can dig it up and re-plant it in a deeper hole, burying it to the same level it was in the pot.   Water well, stake if needed and keep it watered all thru this first growing season till autumn.

    Can't help with soil conditioners or location without knowing what it is so post photos when you can showing whole shape plus leaf detail.
    Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
    "The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
    Plato
  • natwithnatwith Posts: 4
    Thanks all! I think she seems happy. Just found these photos from last summer with a close up of the leaves :)
  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 30,090
    Forgot to say, best time for this kind of disruption to tree roots is atumn when it's gone dormant.  Doing it now would probably stress it to death.
    Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
    "The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
    Plato
  • JennyJJennyJ Posts: 10,576
    If the top part of the pot looks ugly you can probably cut that away without doing much damage to the tree, (excavate carefully around the outside and see what you can get at with a sharp knife) but if the roots have gone through the base you'll probably do more harm than good trying to get rid of the whole pot.
    Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
  • natwithnatwith Posts: 4
    Yes good plan Jenny, think we’ll do that and just remove the top of the container. We’ve just found out it’s a bay laurel tree so I can now get two more to match. Thanks everyone. 
Sign In or Register to comment.