Growing baby trees in containers
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Growing baby trees in containers

by Roland
(Richmond, Texas, USA )

I made a mistake last year and planted baby trees in 10 gallon pots. I used potting soil mixed with soil enriched with foilage underneath all these water oak trees back behind the creek. I noticed that they either stump growth or died. What kind of soil should I use for my baby live oaks, redbuds, golden raintrees and dogwoods? Should I start them in smaller containers and repot them every year to bigger sizes until I am ready to plant them?

Doug says he uses artificial peat-based soil on all his containers and growing systems. And yes, start your small plants in small containers and move them up as they develop each year. Generally, start them in 6-inch or gallon-pots. They'll grow faster that way but it's more work to manage (watering etc). They should only need one - maybe two years in a small gallon container before hitting the fields or garden.

(Unless you're trying to do this commercially, then the rules are different for growing - but that's another story)

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Growing baby trees in containers

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Growing baby trees in containers
by: Anonymous

Ok Doug, do you suggest peat moss, peat humus, coconut coir or organic compost. Or can I mix some of these ingredients and make my own mixture. Just a suggestion or advise me what is just good to use. Roland

Doug says - please read the comment below.
baby trees - regular plants
by: Doug

OK - let me try to make myself clear. I use the artificial peat mix on ALL plants in containers. No matter what they are. If I was growing trees in containers for a long time (3+ years) then I'd use a "nursery" mix that contains more bark (so it doesn't shrink as much). But anything short term - 2 years or less - I use the regular peat-based artificial soil. It's readily available in all garden shops - names that spring to mind are Pro-mix, Fafard, Sunshine etc.
Baby Tree Roots
by: Anonymous

Remember, these are baby trees, they are different that planting regular flowering plants in containers. Where would I get something like this artifical peat soil - Wal-mart?
No soil
by: Doug

I think the point I'm making is that I don't want real soil or even heavy potting soil in containers where the plant is going to be grown outdoors with overhead watering. Real soil compacts terribly effectively stopping growth in containerized plants.

So - my point is that artificial peat-based soils (no real soil) will grow a uniform plant year after year. Mixing your own will give variable results.

Having said that - if your system works for you - great! But as a general rule of thumb - you'll have better success with a commercial mix (particularly if you're a beginner) than you will using real soil.
Growing baby trees in containers
by: Anonymous

The problem I've seen with all container gardening is that you don't use soil at all, you use a combination of peat moss, vermicite and perlite. One mix I use in my self watering containers a lot is Jungle Grow Potting Mix for containers or Coconut Coir, both are excellent growing mediums.

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