Tips for success with container-grown trees
Need privacy on your porch? Move in a hedge of container-grown evergreens to shield the view. Patio too sunny? Add a touch of shade with a kousa dogwood in a pot. Want more color in a shady spot? Try a burgundy-foliaged Japanese maple in a teal pot like the one above. The great thing about trees grown in containers is that they are relatively mobile, so you can place them wherever you want.
Container-grown trees provide height in spots where you can’t plant in the ground and add drama and permanence where you might normally just grow annuals. But there are a few tips and techniques that can help you keep them growing healthy for years. Although you can plant almost any tree in a container, you’ll have the best results with varieties that are naturally small. Read on to find a few good candidates to grow well in a pot.
You Might Also Like:
Pros and Cons of Different Types of Garden Containers
How to Root-Prune Container-Grown Trees
Garden Design Collection
Choose the best container to grow a tree
To grow a tree in a pot, use a container at least 20 inches in diameter and height. The larger the pot, the better your tree will grow, plus it will be heavier and less likely to blow over. Though I love the look, I avoid containers that narrow at the top — they are hard to pull the root ball out when you need to repot or root-prune. Instead, I tend to choose a pot that flares out at the top.
Best Trees to Grow in Containers
- Arborvitae (Thuja occidentalis)
- Crabapple (Malus hybrids)
- Crape myrtle (Lagerstroemia indica)
- Dwarf Alberta spruce (Picea glauca ‘Conica’)
- Eastern redbud (Cercis canadensis)
- Hydrangea (Hydrangea spp. and hybrids)
- Japanese maple (Acer palmatum)
- Kousa dogwood (Cornus kousa)
- Orange (Citrus x sinensis)
Prune roots to keep container-grown trees healthy longer
To encourage smaller feeder roots to grow and control the plant’s size, the tree should be root-pruned every two to three years. This is important because over time, roots will circle inside the pot and may girdle the trunk, which constricts the flow of water and nutrients and could kill the tree.
See how I root-pruned and repotted an arborvitae from the test garden in our video. Many trees can be grown in pots for up to 20 years or more. Keeping the roots healthy will ensure your container tree lives a long, full life.
You Might Also Like:
Q&A: Can I Cut Tree Root Without Killing It?
How to Create a DIY Spiral Topiary
Watch Our Gardening Videos on YouTube!
