Support for patio trees

agrinnall

I have recently taken delivery of 5 patio fruit trees. They are about a foot tall, arrived in 4 inch pots and I've repotted them into 15 inch pots. They came with a thin support cane which attaches to the stem with clips. Is it OK to leave this as it is for the time being, or should I either replace the clips with tree ties or replace the support with a more robust cane and new ties?

DaftyDuck

4" to 15" is a big single increase in pot size, probably much faster increase than would be beneficial. You'll get vast but thin root growth, but not good use of the pot, and no drought resilience.

My patio fruit trees have only ever been staked to reshape their growth. They have a maximum height of about five foot or less, pot included. I think the oldest are ten or fifteen years, and they are in 15" pots, or thereabouts. The three year ones are in, I think, ten or 12 inch pots.


So, if you could, I would pot them down a size for now. For stability (and look) you can always pot the smaller pot in the larger one. As for stakes, what they have will be sufficient and, in my opinion, stronger trunked plants develop from being stake - free.

TonyMMM

I'd agree the jump in pot size is too much - important thing is to use a good loam based compost (like a John Innes No2 or similar, then moving to a No3 in the final pot) ...but not a general multipurpose. They need sustained nutrients and the weight to stop them blowing over (which they will as they get bigger without a good heavy base).

agrinnall

OK, the increased size was what was suggested by the supplier but it's only been done for 10 days so I'm sure a reduction now would be fine. I used an equal mix of GP and JI No 3, which was also recommended.