Odds of survival

Hi All
We've been offered a red horse chestnut that's in a big black pot for much less then retail. We've bought lots of healthy trees from this guy but nothing this big. It's obvious the tree is pot bound. We're prepared to give it a good home but wonder what the odds are something this big will survive and thrive. I'd guess the tree is 15 tree tall. It has a nice sized trunk and we would have to stake it. Before I throw money away I'd like to hear from anyone with experience. We've successfully transplated many other trees but they weren't in pots. Thanks, Helen

Give the roots a throrough roughing up, real thorouhg. Make every effort to untangle or cut some roots to get them heading outward instead of circling. You might even want to hose off some of the soil from the root ball before planting to inspect for and remove any possible girdling roots. Other than that I'd plant as you normally would. Make sure there are no air pockets. Plant with the root flare at or slightly above the soil surface. ( Buried root flares are a common cause of slow tree transplant death.) Water well and make sure it's watered well before the ground freezes. Mulch. All the stuff you've been doing. You should be fine if you work the roots good and loose before covering with soil. They are beautiful trees. Go for it!

hlssunny:

If you have the time, initiative, and willingness to discuss and debate the idea of purchasing this plant, then you could also invest the time it will take to document exactly what the rootball condition is of this tree, and post it here for evaluation and comment. There is no reason to believe that a container grown tree cannot be planted successfully, any more than a similar belief with a balled-and-burlapped tree. Both can be produced and sold in a quality manner, and both can be produced poorly and sold destined for failure.

Everything snapple45 has recommended is good to do, but it doesn't address what condition that Aesculus x carnea was in when it went into the big pot. You haven't given the size of the big black pot (10G? 15G? 60G?), but you have mentioned that the plant is about 15 feet tall. A picture of the whole plant and condition will be useful, too.

As a consumer, I would ask the tough questions of a vendor (especially one that you have an ongoing track record with). What is the history of the plant? Did this vendor grow it into this condition, or was it purchased this way? How long has it grown in this container? Was it potted into this container as a bare root plant, and when? Was it a B&B field grown plant that was then dropped into a larger container to re-root? All these questions have answers, and educate the consumer on choices and possibilities for success.

If it is significantly less expensive than a similar sized B&B plant (and you can afford to invest and lose the $$), then you may be making a reasonable risk.

Thanks for all your comments. I'm going for it. We've done well in the past and can do it again. Helen

VV - it was grown in the pot and has been in it for a few years. I'm sure the roots are circling. yes, we can afford to lose the money but prefer not to. We chalk this stuff up to experience and figure a dead tree is a perch for the birds. :-). Helen

The most radical choice you could still make (and I'm going solely on your "chalk this stuff up to experience" comment) is to purchase the plant, prepare the planting site, remove the plant from its bondage, and bare root it.

How about that?

Then you'd for sure be able to assess the root conditions, unfurl or chop any that don't suit you or that are/will be ticking time bombs for girdling your tree (if there are many circling ones on the surface of the potting medium, or buried inside), and then spread out the roots in the planting site and backfill.

That'd be a great life lesson - everyone ought to do it at least once. You could photo-document the process and share it here, Professor Helen.