Root Pruning How and Why

ethanopia

Thanks for the reply Vance that answers my question, I was concerned about the roots "hanging out" of the container being exposed to the serious winters in Ohio, but I guess if it works for you in Michigan then it will work in good here too.

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Vance Wood

Joanie: I am refering to growing seasons, or years if you wish. The only time I have ever lost a tree treated in this way was when I repotted it too early in the cycle, two growing seasons and too early in the year, around May. It was a pretty nice Mugo Pine that I worked on for a demonstration that had only been in the training planter for two seasons and the demonstration was done in May. However I suspect it was the time of year more than anything that cost me a good tree, and not how long it had been in the planter. As I have said before early spring is not the best time to do a Mugo Pine.

Joanie

Thank you, Vance! So by a growing season, you mean a year.... a full cycle, in other words. And you also said that if you see a lot of roots coming out of the holes, you can go a bit quicker.

Got it now!

Joanie

Vance Wood

Jonie:That's correct. I generally use that as a guage to how well the tree is doing. A lot of roots usually means the tree is flourishing. A few roots means it is activly growing but should be allowed one more year before any serious new root work is carried out.

Aruelius: I think perhaps a better answer to your question about incompatible soil masses would be this: In a closed in container this problem becomes just that, a problem, one portion of the soil remaining continually soggy while the rest of the soil has difficulty getting wet enough to sustain growth of any new roots. Attempts to compensate for this phenomonom usually leads to major difficulty for the tree. However in a screened container the conditions that exist are similar to what occurs to a tree planted in the ground. In the many years I have been doing bonsai and landscapes for that matter, I have never once had anyone in the trade suggest that a landscape tree should have the old soil removed and the tree replanted in the same kind of soil as the proposed landscape environment.

Aurelius

Question! What question? Mine was more of a comment.
But that's a nice explaination of why I can get away with ignoring the core in these circumstances. Thanks.

clrosner

Vance is too modest to show you his "patented" planter. which he sells. I just went through some of my old pictures, and this is the only one I could find. I must add that the boxwood developed wonderful roots in two seasons!

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EarthgirlOK

Vance;

Informative article. You have answered many questions for me here. I have just started using the pond baskets as a trial; i hope to purchase some from you someday...

Can these serve as well as growing boxes (for the purpose of thickening trunks)? (Is this an obvious question?)

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Vance Wood

Earthgirl: Yes they can thicken a trunk but not as quickly as in the ground. The screened planters tend to disallow a lot of vegetive root growth like long root branches etc. that stimulate the thickening of the trunk. But the trunk will still get fatter.

Vance Wood

Hi Carl:

Thanks for the plug, though I know you did not mean to plug my product but just offering what I have avoided. I don't want anyone to think I put this thread up just to sell a planter or three.