"Annabel" wrote in news:b6jl4c$2o9$1
@news6.svr.pol.co.uk:

Q1.....When large trees and shrubs are sold in containers are they
containerised when small and potted on or are they field grown and
containerised.

Q2.....I have a problem with shrubs and trees (esp) that are grown in
containers.. Surely the root systems are inferior to field grown
specimens. I have had several such plants that have failed after
apparently growing ok, on removing them the roots have been found to be
self strangulated.

Dunno about Q1

I am with you on Q2, particularly with larger specimens.

Small containerised trees seem to be OK, but you regularly see trees where
the height doesn't seem to relate to the size of the rootball at all, and I
have had bad experiences with those (though not actual failures - were
yours delicate or exotic varieties?)

My parents planted some containerised apple trees when we moved house in
1982: those trees took years to get going, and are still not as good as
ones planted more recently as young saplings.

I don't think it's just down to the containers, either - it's down to
packing them in too tight, or whatever it is they do to create that
elongated effect.

Trees I've grown from seed in containers myself are tough as boots, and
properly tree-shaped - IE, branches all over, a bush that slowly gets
taller - not a 'stretched lollipop' effect.

Victoria