"David Hare-Scott" wrote in message
...
jayne_80 wrote:
Hiya I really need some advice on the container sizes for some mini
patio treers I've just bought. The pear tree is called Harvest Green,
I also have a mini apple (forgot it's name) and a Stella cherry tree.
The apple and pear will grow two metres wide and high after five
years and the cherrry will grow three metres wide and high.

They're currently in a pot that is 10" wide and 8" high. I was
origianlly going to plant them in the biggest container I could get
but read online yesterday that they should just be potted on into
bigger pots untill finally planting them into their final with
minumim size being 45cm.


This is what I have always done and my trees in tubs are all doing fine.
If somebody can explain what the 'pot them up one size' approach is
supposed to do and _why_ it is better than all at once I am all ears.

David

I was once told, prior to the internet, that the idea of "patio trees" was
to keep them small mainly for decorative purposes therefore keeping them in
as small a pot that would sustain them would limit the root growth and in
turn limit the upper growth.

When you are told something when your young by a person who looks like they
know what they are doing then that seems to stick.

If I want a fruit bearing tree I still pot it into as large a pot as I can
as soon as I can.

Mike