Re: Shrub question/overwintering

Thanks all for the answers to this question. I now think that the Japanese
maple (I believe it's the common A. palmatum 'atropurpureum') is probably
just a slow grower. I've never overwintered anything in pots--I've put
plants in the soil for fall and then dug them up and repotted them the next
spring--but I'm really running out of space and think I will have to keep
some things in containers next winter. I don't have a cold frame or a porch
but I was thinking next winter of keeping some containers (wrapped in bubble
wrap) in a compost pile next to my house. Is there any risk with that? I am
mainly interested in putting large ferns in pots, although I'd like to try
small shade-tolerant evergreen shrubs like skimmia if there are some that
are really hardy. It is very windy here in the winter, and there's almost
nowhere in my tiny plot that doesn't get blown.
Thanks,
Nancy S. (NYC, zone 6B)

>At 05:07 PM 12/18/1999 -0500, you wrote:
>>Nancy wrote:
>>question is: does another season in a pot stunt the growth of
>>> the plant? My Japanese maples seem awfully small for their age.
>>
>>Nancy when you transplant from pot to soil in a year make sure that the
>>roots surrounding the the "soil ball" are cut with a knife. This practice
>>will inhibit any negative effects associated with the phenomena rootbound.
>>Also improve the soil in the planting hole with sand and organic soil
>>conditioners mixed with the original soil.
>>
>>George Manno
>
>In my 23 years of running a nursery my experiences with this topic are as
>follows:
>
>1) plants grown in the ground under proper conditions (weed free, fertility
>and water) always outperform container grown pots.
>
>2) It takes a superior level of management to duplicate nursery conditions
>if growing plants in pots. Pots are harder to grow in than soil. The
>reasons for this fall right across the plant management spectrum - from
>soil composition, nutrition, heat in the soil ball, watering etc. etc. For
>example, soil acts differently in a container than in ground beds. Plants
>that thrive in ground beds of 6.5pH do better when the potted soil pH is
>much lower.  Water management is critical - the pH and fertility of the
>potted soil depends so much more on the water quality going in because it
>is not buffered by a huge mass.
>
>3) Potting up does not need to have the roots cut on the smaller pot. We've
>potted up more plants in 23 years than I care to mention and we never cut
>roots. It didn't matter whether the smaller pot was terribly root bound or
>not - they all grew out quite quickly when given the proper surrounding
>soil in the larger pot.  Would cutting the roots speed up this process?
>Don't know but as the smaller pots grew out within a few weeks, it was
>irrelevant to us in the nursery.
>
>Is this the same when a rootbound plant is put into the garden soil? I
>don't know but I suspect that the same response will hold true.  Teasing
>the roots out is a good idea I suspect if for no other reason than to
>assure the gardener. Does cutting the roots impede growth? No idea - done
>it both ways with no visual effect either way.
>
>4) Is it necessary to amend the planting hole for good growth?  Dr. Shigo
>has given us a new way of looking at planting preparation and in short - do
>not amend the planting hole to make super soil in this space.  Roots grow
>quickly in this area but then have to move out into the surrounding soil.
>This difference in soil quality (particularly if the surrounding soil is
>heavy) can then cause root circling inside the original planting hole. A
>plant will appear to grow well for several years and then will stall out
>for several more until it figures out how to grow outwards. Some plants, in
>heavier soils, never do grow out of the planting hole.
>
>The new recommendation is to dig and turn over the soil planting hole to
>create a well-aerated soil (add a bit of compost) but not sand, peat and
>other additives to create super soil. Install the plant so the roots have a
>consistent soil media.
>
>On a final note, transplant success or lack is not usually a soil problem.
>In my humble opinion (if I had one) :-) it is a cultural activity on the
>part of the gardener. The use of shade fabrics, anti-dessicants, the
>watering can and hand of the gardener will do more to assure gardening
>transplant success than any potting up and maintaining.
>
>Having said that - if it works for you, ignore the humble opinions of other
>people.;-)
>
>Doug
>Doug Green,
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>
>
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