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tillygrower

Safe to Transplant Dwarf Conifers into Gritty MIx?

tillygrower
11 years ago

I just picked up a few true miniature conifers and I was thinking of keeping them in containers. I've moved other plants in to gritty mix, but I'm worried about doing this with conifers. Even when I plant conifers in the garden, it seems like they really do not like having their roots disturbed. I seem to always get some die back before the plants recover. I've read somewhere that you shouldn't bareroot conifers. Is there an advantage to moving to the gritty mix in stages (using the sequential wedge technique Al describes), or should I bareroot and put them in gritty mix right off the bat? Thanks for any advice!

Comments (25)

  • tapla (mid-Michigan, USDA z5b-6a)
    11 years ago

    What are you working with? Just the genera is all I need.

    Al

  • tillygrower
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    2 genera: Pinus and Chamaecyparis.

    Looking forward to hearing your advice, Al. Thanks.

  • maple_grove_gw
    11 years ago

    Tilly,

    I think you should be fine. It would be best if you can transplant them before they break bud and start to push new growth. I did the same with mine a few weeks back. I attach a link to some pictures in case you're interested.

    Alex

    Here is a link that might be useful: My conifers after transplant into gritty mix

  • tillygrower
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Alex, thanks for the advice and link to your photo.

  • tillygrower
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Based on Al's question to me, I am curious if there are certain genera of conifers that predictably tolerate bare-rooting better than others...

  • greenman28 NorCal 7b/8a
    11 years ago

    Tilly,
    I find that most conifers tolerate bare-rooting quite well.
    The key is to bare-root and re-pot during the proper time of year (or, rather, plant activity).
    In general, I re-pot my conifers in late Winter before the buds begin to break/move. I have re-potted
    Pines, Cedar, Calocedrus, Cypress, Sequoia, Picea, Yew, and Cryptomeria without any problem at all.

    Josh

  • tillygrower
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Josh,

    Given the season and temps (90 here today!), would you suggest I up-pot them into a traditional (probably peat-based) potting soil for now, and wait until next late winter to bare-root and move them to gritty mix?

  • Chris (6b, Bergen NJ)
    7 years ago
    last modified: 7 years ago

    I know I'm bumping an old thread, but the question I have is so similar I figured why not, no need to make another:

    I have 3 conifers coming in next week, shipping out on monday. I know it's a bit late in the season for an order but stuff happens. Starting my first conifer specific collection (I'm a sucker for Picea).

    - Picea abies 'Summer Daze' #3 pot

    - Picea orientalis 'Silver Seedling' #1 pot (9-12", lil large for #1)

    - Picea pungens 'The Blues' #1 pot

    Should I transplant them into the gritty mix right away (mild 6b, NJ, very wet and in the 50-60's primarily right now, in a microclimate on a mountainside) or leave them in their respective pots they end up coming in and transplant them in late fall/winter once they've gone dormant?

    If possible I would much prefer to transplant them upon arrival. If it's a big deal I will wait. Thanks.

  • tapla (mid-Michigan, USDA z5b-6a)
    7 years ago

    To be on the safe side, why not loosen the soil a little and pot up into the gritty or something like the 5:1:1, depending on which is more like what the plant arrives in?

    Al

  • Chris (6b, Bergen NJ)
    7 years ago

    I already have the gritty mix I need, so I couldn't do a 5:1:1 up pot. They're from conifer kingdom; do you know what they use as their media? First time order.

    How similar do they have to be? Because an up potting does sound better than a bare-root transplant at this point in the season. And when would be the ideal time to do the bare-root transplant assuming I just up pot them?

  • mblan13
    7 years ago

    Conifer Kingdom uses a very barky mix similar to 5-1-1. They will probably be potted, or semi bare root in a bag with whatever soil stuck to the root ball when de-potted and shipped it.


    I put several Japanese Maples and conifers (including my first bonsai...which is sitll alive after 3 years!) in Gritty Mix and they are doing wery well.

    Ideally, you should do them in late winter or early spring. If you do chose to do it now, do it quickly in a cool shady spot, and keep the roots wet. Keep it in a spot with no direct sunlight for a week or two.

  • Chris (6b, Bergen NJ)
    7 years ago
    last modified: 7 years ago

    This may sound like a very newbie question, after all that's what I am. If conifer kingdom ships them without much media, and with good media at that (similar to 5:1:1 right?), why can't I just up-pot them to ~4-5 dry gallons of gritty mix and have that be the end of it for the next 5 years or so? Won't the 5:1:1 biodegrade and be almost "replaced" by the gritty mix in a few years time anyway? Or will what's left cause drainage issues instead?

    I would assume, without any experience, that after biodegrading, the peat and such from the small amount of 5:1:1 would be easily "flushable" due to the drainage nature of the gritty mix. This would completely bypass a stressful bare-rooting as well, the value of which I assume is pretty high.

    Please, inform me :) Trying to learn as much as possible as fast as possible.

    Thanks!

  • mblan13
    7 years ago

    I'm not certain it would flush out, you might clog up the airspace in the GM. I'd be more apt to just. Leave them in the pots they are in until next year. If they are dwarfs, they wont put on much growth. just go ahead and bare root and repot.

  • tropicofcancer (6b SW-PA)
    7 years ago

    Al, I thought you recommended repotting of deciduous in April, conifers in May and tropicals in June. Or may be I remember wrong. I did some of my conifers in April. This weekend I was planning to take out some smaller junipers, boxwood etc to check. I think they badly need to be repotted but feel it is already late.

  • tapla (mid-Michigan, USDA z5b-6a)
    7 years ago
    last modified: 7 years ago

    Remember I'm z5b-6a, and Silverton, OR where the plants come from is a solid z8. Our last frost date is 5/15 and Silverton's is 4/29, so they're 2 weeks ahead of us. Plus, I try hard to have all my conifers repotted by end of second week in May which means I'd want them repotted no later than the first day of May if I lived in Silverton, OR.

    Al

  • Chris (6b, Bergen NJ)
    7 years ago

    Ok, looks like I might be checking back with you guys when they arrive and I see what they've come with. Thanks for all the advice.

  • ryan820
    7 years ago

    For what it's worth, I've transplanted a japanese white pine in late Spring/Early summer into a gritty mix and she didn't skip a beat. I used some of the old soil to colonize the mych but other than that it was pretty simple. Kept in a bit of shade for a week or two and kept well watered. I'm in colorado, zone 5a on a good day, 4b most others, 6515'.

  • Chris (6b, Bergen NJ)
    7 years ago
    last modified: 7 years ago

    Another question. I'm in a soft 6b, average yearly low is -1.3 F. I know the abies and pungens will be hardy in containers through the winter, but will the orientalis 'Silver Seedling' be hardy in a container? I'm planning on putting the silver seedling in my windowless shed for the worst months of the winter.

    Also, how do people tend to water their gritty mix during winter? I would assume it becomes pretty infrequent as compared to the almost daily summer watering. I'm assuming you just check for moisture when it's above freezing, and water if its dry.

  • tapla (mid-Michigan, USDA z5b-6a)
    7 years ago

    Look up the hardiness zone. In a shed that is reasonably well sealed, your plant should be listed as hardy to one zone colder than the one in which you live.

    I either water plants over-wintering in the garage with a watering can or a snow shovel. Depending very much on pot size, I'll water every 4-8 weeks. The conifers will still transpire in winter, so they'll use more water than leafless deciduous trees.


    Al

  • Chris (6b, Bergen NJ)
    7 years ago
    last modified: 7 years ago

    Edit: misread response.


    Thanks Al!

  • Chris (6b, Bergen NJ)
    7 years ago

    The media they came in was very similar to 5:1:1. The two 1 gallon pots got "half" barerooted, I got probably half the media out while untangling circular roots and loosening the sides and bottom. Then they were placed in 4 gallons of gritty each and throughly watered. They have been in the shade since.


    Had a good rainstorm last night and come out this morning to see my silver seedling dropped maybe 30-40 white needles, 0 green needles dropped though. I'm assuming it's a stress response to shipping (took 5 days) then a semi-bare-root repot and the heat of the last few days. Could anyone ease my mind on this, I would hate for it to lose all it's white needles.

  • Chris (6b, Bergen NJ)
    7 years ago
    last modified: 7 years ago

    Upon further inspection it seems as though a majority, if not all of the white needles that fell had some burn on the tips. The rest of the white needles left seem well attached, and you guessed it, have no burn on them.

    I can tell already this tree is going to be a lot more work than the 'the blues' and 'summer daze'.

    The 'summer daze' got up potted with a little bit of root loosening on the sides and bottom, as well as a little soil removal. #3 pot to a 4 gallon cedar planter I made. It will get a real repot this fall or next spring. The other two (pungens & orientalis) are staying put for 2-3 years then a bare-root repot into larger cedar box planters.

  • Chris (6b, Bergen NJ)
    7 years ago

    anyone have anything for me? The white needle drop is slowing but it's going to leave about 4 small branches basically bare. Seems to be happening predominantly on white needles with slight burn.

  • tropicofcancer (6b SW-PA)
    7 years ago

    May be a picture would help. I do not much about these conifers but I am assuming they are kept in shade for now. They may back bud on those bare branches but that depends on the species. Junipers for example will lose the branch with no leaves left.