Much difference between 3L & 10L??

pink_poppy

I'm after a particular variety of berberis that I haven't been able to find in any local garden centres. I've looked online & have found the one I want in 2 sizes - 3L & 10L but quite a big price difference between them - I'm just wondering if it's worth splashing out on the 10L & if it will be significantly bigger than the 3L??

djohn2002uk

That is only the pot size that the plant is in. But the 10l one is just over 3 times the size.

gardenroute

I would generally expect the plant to be about 4-6 times bigger. But it depends on the plant, when it was potted on, if its been pruned, etc. Pot size and plant size aren't the same thing. Its just 1-3 years older depending on the growth rate.

a1cat

Good advice is to buy the smaller pot. No instant space filler but you save money, you generally only have to wait 1 year until the 3l plant in the ground is the same size as the 10l plant in the pot, plus the 3l plant will be better established & healthier because you put it in younger with a root system that was not pot bound etc

pink_poppy

Thank you everyone, some good advice there, I wasn't entirely sure if I was asking a daft question so am grateful for the replies

I'll definitely go for the smaller size as I'm not after instant size/height in the garden. The berberis I'm after has a RHS merit (although I can't find it, or any other berberis for that matter, on the RHS website) so I'm hoping it's a good solid plant, no matter what size I go for.

a1cat

I've got a few Berberis...

Relocated some mature ones with a digger, huge rootball etc - they sulked for 5 years and are only now recovering, resilient though.

Got some others that were just old & badly shapen.

It is an excellent example of a plant where you can completely rejuvenate it in 3 years, ie you cut out at ground level one third of the growth - oldest first - in each year of the next 3 years.

They grow back strongly and you have a young, healthy, nicely shaped plant as opposed to a mess.

Won't matter for you but try and remember this advice in 6 years or so