They are fairly shallow-rooted, aren't they? The pot is 30cm x 30cm, and swamped the camellia when potted up this spring, but the plant has put on quite a bit of growth suddenly this summer. Thanks.
@WhereAreMySecateurs Have you tried pushing your finger down the sides it can give an indication as to whether it is pot bound. Also gently tip it on it's side can you see roots at the base of the pot. If there is still some space I would repot in spring as by then I think it may need it but not too big a pot.
I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.
Thanks for the reply, Suze. There are no roots visible at the bottom and it seems to be very far from potbound. It didn't have a very big root all when I dug it up and put it in the pot in spring, though. .
@WhereAreMySecateurs If it were mine I would wait until spring just ensure it is on pot feet or something else. Continue with watering if necessary over the coming weeks. Do be aware I have tripped up pot feet so be careful they are in no one's way!
I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.
It's called digging up the tree to look at the roots. I would leave it another couple of years at least.
It is a bit unruly though. Where are your secateurs? I would give it a good shaping-prune. You possibly might stake it to aid its early shape development. I don't see any flowers buds, so as hard as you need.
"The best time to prune is when you are in the mood".
PS. I don't know how big you would like your camellia to grow, but it might become top-heavy. I would plan eventually to move it to a heavier pot with John Innes ericaceous compost
location: Surrey Hills, England, ex-woodland acidic sand. "Have nothing in your garden that you don't know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful."
You don’t need to dig up a tree when it’s in a pot @bédé, just tip the pot and see if there are any roots poking out!
I think it’s too soon to repot, I have one three times that size in a pot that’s wider but not very much bigger. It’s been in it for two years and I expect to get another year out of it!
Mountainous Northern Catalunya, Spain. Hot summers, cold winters.
Not a good idea to prune it now, @bede, you would lose next years flowers.
"The best time to prune is when you are in the mood."
Camellias can be pruned any time. Seriously. This coming spring's flower buds can be seen now. I assume that any readers would leave most of these. I do.
At this early stage of a camellia's development, I believe that good formative training is more important that missing a couple of 2023 flowers.
location: Surrey Hills, England, ex-woodland acidic sand. "Have nothing in your garden that you don't know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful."
The best time to prune a Camellia is after flowering, not when you are in the mood, @bede One of the commonest reasons for shrubs not flowering, on this forum, is because they were pruned at the wrong time. Sorry, but I think it is nonsense to talk about the plants development, it is perfectly possible to have flowers, then carry out appropriate pruning after flowering.
How can you lie there and think of England When you don't even know who's in the team
Thanks, all, for your input. I will do nothing now but have a look at the roots after flowering. @punkdoc I have been tenderly watering these camellias all through the drought with carefully-rationed collected rainwater... don't worry, there is no way these flowerbuds are getting pruned off right now. it is getting a bit unruly though @bédé so I will have a go at trimming it after flowering early next year
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It is a bit unruly though. Where are your secateurs? I would give it a good shaping-prune. You possibly might stake it to aid its early shape development. I don't see any flowers buds, so as hard as you need.
"The best time to prune is when you are in the mood".
PS. I don't know how big you would like your camellia to grow, but it might become top-heavy. I would plan eventually to move it to a heavier pot with John Innes ericaceous compost
"Have nothing in your garden that you don't know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful."
I think it’s too soon to repot, I have one three times that size in a pot that’s wider but not very much bigger. It’s been in it for two years and I expect to get another year out of it!
When you don't even know who's in the team
S.Yorkshire/Derbyshire border
Camellias can be pruned any time. Seriously. This coming spring's flower buds can be seen now. I assume that any readers would leave most of these. I do.
At this early stage of a camellia's development, I believe that good formative training is more important that missing a couple of 2023 flowers.
"Have nothing in your garden that you don't know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful."
One of the commonest reasons for shrubs not flowering, on this forum, is because they were pruned at the wrong time.
Sorry, but I think it is nonsense to talk about the plants development, it is perfectly possible to have flowers, then carry out appropriate pruning after flowering.
When you don't even know who's in the team
S.Yorkshire/Derbyshire border