Hi all,

Just wondered what the general view of the good people of this forum is regarding putting pond baskets in the ground. I have done it with 2 Judas trees and a Japanese black pine. They seem to be doing very well. I originally just wanted to plant them straight in the ground for a few years but then I read somewhere about the pond basket method. In my limited way of thinking, it allows the plants to get the benefit (in development) of being in the ground whilst at the same time it's much easier for me to quickly lift it to do any maintenance such as pruning or wiring. The other benefit is that I can store them, as I did last winter, in my coldframe over the winter. 

I have now bought a Mugo Pine and I'm going to repot it at the end of summer into a pond basket so it got me wondering what better informed people than me thought about what I'm doing.

Cheers

Wonker

never done it, don't see the point, just as easy to dig from the ground as lifting a pot and quicker root growth

Is it?


I lift the pot out of the ground, put it on my bench, and prune or wire then put it back in the hole in the ground. The plants that need winter protection are simply lifted and put in my shed or coldframe then back in the hole in spring.

Still, that's your opinion and that's what I was after, so thank you.

Paul

The benefit of pond baskets is air pruning. That the roots growing out of the basket is dieing off instead of cirkling in the pot as it would do in a normal pot.

I am with Geoff. I do not see any benefit of having a pond basket in the ground. That will just make the roots grow out of the basket and into the ground. Just as it would do if planted in the ground. If left a full year, you will just have a lot of plastic to tangle out of the root system.

I think planted in the ground with a stone or concrete slab under is much better.

But I have no experience and no own opinion. Just a general knowledge of tree fysiology and growth habit. Sorry if that was not what you asked for.

Not at all mate. I only asked for people's opinions and that's what I'm getting.

Thank you.

Wonker