On 13/08/2016 15:09, john west wrote:
On 13-Aug-16 3:05 PM, Phil L wrote:
john west wrote:
Planted a Victoria plum tree some time ago in a black plastic recycle
box. Its been growing really well. when i came to move it (i put it
in the box because i knew i would move it) i found a long tap root
(about
a
finger thick) had escaped from the box into the soil below.

I cannot get this root out of the ground without breaking it.

Would this result in serious damage to the little plum tree or would
it recover from this? Thanks.

If it were mine, I'd cut the plastic box into pieces in situ and shake
off
as much of the soil, then carefully dig down to free the tap root
saving as
much as possible before re-planting.


thanks. i always believed roots were active in winter and foliage in
the summer?

i can try dig out the tap root in the soil (as it traveled sideways away
from the box ).

guess its either make or break with this tap root.

Your main problem is not damaging the tree (although I would wait until
its dormant) but any damage to the roots and that includes deliberate
cutting will give masses of unwanted suckers, plums are prone to do that
anyway so it may not make a huge difference long term!

--
Charlie Pridham, Gardening in Cornwall
www.roselandhouse.co.uk
National collections of Clematis viticella & Lapageria rosea