Re-planting potted conifers - will it work?

NIMAN

I moved into a house that has a couple of conifer type plants (one dark green, other light green) in big pots. They are approx 2ft tall and seem to be relatively healthy.

I was wondering if they could be replanted into my main garden, as I already have a few conifers providing shelter from the road but there is a 6ft or 8ft gap that I would like to fill out.

I think I remember reading that they are notoriously different to replant. If I do it will they take? Is it the right time of the year to do it? Is there any preparation that would increase chances of a successful replant?

Yi Harr

As they are potted and doing well you should have a very high success rate with planting them in the ground.

Probably best to plant during the dormant season (autumn-winter) but as they are relatively small and possibly have a decent root structure you could plant them now.

If you do replant them now ensure that they don't dry out. Dressing them with a mulch would not only help the plant retain moisture but would also provide nutrients for the plant as it breaks down.

You should also tease out the root ball (rough up the outside of it) as there is a chance they may have become pot bound (roots would be tightly spiralled) and while they may survive in the ground they won't thrive and could possibly suffer from windthrow in later life.

When planting ensure the hole they are going into is as deep as the pot they are in but don't plant them deeper than the root collar as this could lead to rot setting in.

Ensure the soil in the sides of the hole you're transplanting the conifer into is loose, this will help the roots to grow and anchor the plant as quickly as possible.

If you're worried about soil fertility you could mix some compost/fertiliser in with the soil in the bottom of the hole (ensure the fertiliser is mixed well in order to minimise root burn). You could also feed with a liquid fertiliser.

Hope the above helps some what.

Quick edit: Conifers (when treated right) have as much of a success rate when transplanting as other plants.

NIMAN

Many thanks for such detailed info.

looksee

If they are only 2 ft tall they could be dwarf, in which case you will have a long wait for them to get to any size, indeed they may not grow much more at all.

Oldtree

chicken manure.... :D

Yi Harr

looksee wrote: »

If they are only 2 ft tall they could be dwarf, in which case you will have a long wait for them to get to any size, indeed they may not grow much more at all.

I think dwarf is a bit of a misnomer as, given enough time, they will still grow fairly tall albeit (as you said) relatively slowly.

I transplanted a couple of minature/dwarf conifers c. 10 years ago. They were roughly 1-2 feet when transplanted. I had the joy of moving them again this year and they ranged from 8-10 feet. Very slow growth but they're still growing.

NIMAN

looksee wrote: »

If they are only 2 ft tall they could be dwarf, in which case you will have a long wait for them to get to any size, indeed they may not grow much more at all.

I assume it was the confines of the pots that kept them small?

How do you tell the difference between dwarf conifers and ordinary ones?

Yi Harr

NIMAN wrote: »

How do you tell the difference between dwarf conifers and ordinary ones?

It completely depends on what type of conifer it is (genus/cultivar). If you can post a picture of the plant and a close up of its foliage someone may be able to id it for you. Chances are that if it's in a pot it's probably a dwarf.