I have a fairly small conifer, which is currently about 4 ft high. It was
until recently kept in a pot, but a few months ago I planted it at the
bottom of the garden.

I know would like to bring up to the front of the garden to fill a space I
have, but I am concerned about future growth of the roots as the plant would
be nearer the house.

If necessary I would put it back in a pot, but was wondering if there was a
safe way to plant it in a pot with the pot underground, so it looks like it
is planted, but with the pot restricting root growth. Would this in fact
restrict the root growth or would the roots just end up spilling over the
top and outwards? I'm not concerned about restricting the growth of the
conifer, as I don't want it getting too big anyway.

Any advice appreciated.

On Tue, 29 Jun 2004 20:28:19 +0100, "Andrew"
wrote:

I have a fairly small conifer, which is currently about 4 ft high. It was
until recently kept in a pot, but a few months ago I planted it at the
bottom of the garden.

I know would like to bring up to the front of the garden to fill a space I
have, but I am concerned about future growth of the roots as the plant would
be nearer the house.

If necessary I would put it back in a pot, but was wondering if there was a
safe way to plant it in a pot with the pot underground, so it looks like it
is planted, but with the pot restricting root growth. Would this in fact
restrict the root growth or would the roots just end up spilling over the
top and outwards? I'm not concerned about restricting the growth of the
conifer, as I don't want it getting too big anyway.

Let me tell you a story
35 years ago I acquired 3 seedling scots pine trees.
2 of them I still have, in pots, kept root pruned and restricted, but
well cared for. They are about 18 inches high.
The third was in a pot for a few years, then planted in a friend's
garden. Last time I looked at it 10 years ago it was taller than the
house.
Beware planting conifers near the house. You don't say what sort of
conifer it is, but if you planted the pot in the ground it would split
the pot in a few years. I have done that too.

Pam in Bristol

"Pam Moore" wrote in message
...
On Tue, 29 Jun 2004 20:28:19 +0100, "Andrew"
wrote:

I have a fairly small conifer, which is currently about 4 ft high. It was
until recently kept in a pot, but a few months ago I planted it at the
bottom of the garden.

I know would like to bring up to the front of the garden to fill a space
I
have, but I am concerned about future growth of the roots as the plant
would
be nearer the house.

If necessary I would put it back in a pot, but was wondering if there was
a
safe way to plant it in a pot with the pot underground, so it looks like
it
is planted, but with the pot restricting root growth. Would this in fact
restrict the root growth or would the roots just end up spilling over the
top and outwards? I'm not concerned about restricting the growth of the
conifer, as I don't want it getting too big anyway.

Let me tell you a story
35 years ago I acquired 3 seedling scots pine trees.
2 of them I still have, in pots, kept root pruned and restricted, but
well cared for. They are about 18 inches high.
The third was in a pot for a few years, then planted in a friend's
garden. Last time I looked at it 10 years ago it was taller than the
house.
Beware planting conifers near the house. You don't say what sort of
conifer it is, but if you planted the pot in the ground it would split
the pot in a few years. I have done that too.

Pam in Bristol

Thanks Pam,

I think I will move it near the house but keep it in a pot.

Andrew

Andrew wrote:

If necessary I would put it back in a pot, but was wondering if there was
a safe way to plant it in a pot with the pot underground, so it looks like
it is planted, but with the pot restricting root growth. Would this in
fact restrict the root growth or would the roots just end up spilling over
the top and outwards? I'm not concerned about restricting the growth of

Hi Andrew,

It is common practice to do this with rampant plants such as mint, so I
think it might be worth a try. But I would be concerned that the conifer
may be unstable in the pot, and whether or not it would get enough
nutrients would also be a concern.

I've never found my mint in pots in the ground with roots growing up and
over the top - and they're very vigorous!

With mint, I pot it up, and then dig a hole for the pot, and back fill round
it to hold it steady. I try to get the top of the pot roughly level with
the top of the soil.

I repot every now and again when they fill the pot or look very sad.

Now I don't bother with watering the mint, but you may well need to water
your conifer - certainly through the summer until the autumn rains start.
If you have a mulch in your front garden, you can spread this over the top
of the pot.

HTH

Sarah

On 29/6/04 20:28, in article yfkEc.88$W_2.63@newsfe4-gui, "Andrew"
wrote:

I have a fairly small conifer, which is currently about 4 ft high. It was
until recently kept in a pot, but a few months ago I planted it at the
bottom of the garden.

I know would like to bring up to the front of the garden to fill a space I
have, but I am concerned about future growth of the roots as the plant would
be nearer the house.

If necessary I would put it back in a pot, but was wondering if there was a
safe way to plant it in a pot with the pot underground, so it looks like it
is planted, but with the pot restricting root growth. Would this in fact
restrict the root growth or would the roots just end up spilling over the
top and outwards? I'm not concerned about restricting the growth of the
conifer, as I don't want it getting too big anyway.



You need to know what it is. But there is a good chance that it will burst
its roots through the bottom of the pot and take up the space it needs,
eventually - or it will die. You don't say what type of conifer this is, so
it's impossible to know how long this will take, of course.
Yesterday, we saw a Gleditsia triacanthos planted in a small half barrel and
neglected beyond words. It quite upset me until Ray pointed out to me that
it had, without doubt, burst the barrel (which it had) and plunged its roots
far down and beyond its container.
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
(remove the weeds after garden to email me)