When to up pot tree's.

[TorontoJoe]

Is there a way to tell that a tree is dormant without cutting it and checking if much sap flows?

I usually use falling leaves at the main indicator…. Even pulling one leaf off won’t hurt anything

 

[GoodFriendMike]

Is there a way to tell that a tree is dormant without cutting it and checking if much sap flows?

Here, My tree's never go fully dormant.

 

[Saw-whet]

So when a tree drops all its leave it is most like dormant?

And at that point up-potting or root pruning would be ok to do?

 

[TorontoJoe]

So when a tree drops all its leave it is most like dormant?

And at that point up-potting or root pruning would be ok to do?

That's what I do. You will often have some residual sap so you may want to wear gloves if you're sensitive to it...

 

[TorontoJoe]

Here, My tree's never go fully dormant.

Same back inItaly... Where our family is there it never gets cold enough... The seem to take naps rather than going to sleep. Up here, they hibernate to get maximum protection

 

[Saw-whet]

Thank you @TorontoJoe and @GoodFriendMike

 

[TorontoJoe]

Thank you @TorontoJoe and @GoodFriendMike

Any time!

 

[GoodFriendMike]

Thank you @TorontoJoe and @GoodFriendMike

Very welcome.

 

[Southeast Figs]

I do most of my up potting very early spring.
Mostly because when I put my trees away they are all stacked on one another and I don't want to drag them out and put them back.

I do that, creating a heat sink of sorts to help protect them during cold. Largest pots on the black plastic pallet, then next size down on top of those, and so on. With 1 gallon pots on top. I even did this under a pop-up canopy one year with big netting around all sides. It worked great, the bug netting helped catch moisture when it got really foggy too so trees never got frosted on.

 

[Southeast Figs]

Here, My tree's never go fully dormant.

Really, I never thought about that. That is interesting.

 

[ktrain]

I do that, creating a heat sink of sorts to help protect them during cold. Largest pots on the black plastic pallet, then next size down on top of those, and so on. With 1 gallon pots on top. I even did this under a pop-up canopy one year with big netting around all sides. It worked great, the bug netting helped catch moisture when it got really foggy too so trees never got frosted on.

Didn't you reduce your tree numbers this year too...I did quite a bit, but more incoming. lol
You got your trees in the same place for this winter?

 

[Southeast Figs]

I bet I start potting the 3 or 4 that will stay in pots up before spring hits this year. I've just never done it before. So will be new to me.

 

[Southeast Figs]

Didn't you reduce your tree numbers this year too...I did quite a bit, but more incoming. lol
You got your trees in the same place for this winter?

I did, I'm down to 14 or so varieties, and Am cleaning up the spot so they can all set in the same space yes. I also added two bags of Hardwood bark mulch to my in ground trees for insulation of the roots. I Hill them up a good 8" inches above ground so they have to be protected from drying out too much and losing most of their roots. At least with the extra aeration I use.

I bet I start potting the 3 or 4 that will stay in pots up before spring hits this year. I've just never done it before. So will be new to me.