RePot

Should I add soil on top , or should I pull the tree out, add the soil and set the tree on top of new soil ?

If you put soil on top you are risking losing the tree altogether from crown rot. Take the tree out and repot it keeping the soil at the same level on the trunk.

what doss said... carefully pull out of old pot after banging sides and pushing up on bottom...check roots prune lightly if root bound keep as much of the original soil as possible around the taken out tree ...buy a suitable larger put put new potting soil in bottom to bringtop of old root ball soil up to "near" the top of the new pot leacving area to water... add rest of bag around the old root ball sides in it's new pot pressing it down firmly leaving NO air pockets water well and put in shade.DO NOT FERTLIZE TIL SPRING!!.NEVER add soil to "top off" either potted or planted trees as Doss said a good recepiet for root rot... Fall Is a great time to REPOT JM's.. David

This message was edited Sep 12, 2008 4:50 PM

Big Thanks for the info
I was trying to take the short way out, I will do as you say.

Yes it seems like alot of work once you do a few hundred of them it gets easier ;>) D

Good for you for asking! And don't feel bad. I bought a tree at a nursery specializing in JM's and they had potted it so the dirt was against the trunk. We agreed that if the tree died they would replace it but I replanted it with the trunk where it should be and it's done very well.

jm potting question - how much larger a pot should a jm go in. i have just purchased a butterfly that is in a large planter. should i re-pot in smaller pot when i bring it in this winter? i do plan to plant it in the yard next year.

I can't imagine why you would want to repot the tree in a smaller planter unless you don't have room for it. If you are going to plant it in the yard it can use all of the roots it can get.

Ditto what doss said.unless yiou can't move it cause it's too heavy ...but truth be told those roots Doss is talkin' about would likely have to be trimed big time ..why bother if you are planting out next spring ... get guido to help ya move it ;>) David

David, would you bring a potted Butterfly in if it's in zone 6?

thanks david and doss - no problem moving it with a dolly - i would just bring it in the gargage to be cautious. i've never had a potted tree before so simply did not understand the care needed.

Yes I think if it is new ...it really depends on whether it was from your area Doss .or it had spent a winter in MA. conditions etc ... it may be ok with a big enough pot ( large soil area to insulate roots) in a protected area...but that is a good question ...I left a bunch of mine outside last winter in large pots and didn't loose any some in smaller pots dfid though croak. Also I have NO first hand experience with this but alot of folks have found the Butterfly a little tender ... if so ...then that would be a reason . I guess I am just a bit gun shy after the "big freeze"... bringing it in is the safest thing ... and if I didn't have so many in pots I would bring all of mine in .as I did mabny valuable ones in larger pots ...but you make a valid point ..and it may not be necessary. David

i'm taking the safe route - in it comes - thx for the advice.