Largest pot?

[foxleybob]

Hi, new to the forum.
We have a lovely small Acer tree/plant with the red leaves growing in a 40cm dia ceramic ornate pot.
I feel it's probably too small for it to grow further... Would that be correct?
unfortunately, there is not enough garden to actually plant it in the ground, as we would like.
so wondering what would be a good large pot to keep it going, And advice as to where I could get one, please?

Regards

Bob

 

[Sean Regan]

Hi and welcome.

If you want to keep it manageable, you can prune them.

I'd suggest if you're going to let it grow, a 60cm pot would be best.

This mimosa has been in one for about fifteen years, but it gets pruned every year.
It's black plastic, it came from Wyevale which are now Dobbies.

A few years ago, I saw an acer palmatumum in Bent's Garden Centre priced at £3,000 no bigger than one of ours would be if I didn't prune it a bit each year. It was in a nice wooden tub of a similar size. So that size would be adequate, long term, but yours would be fine in the pot it's in now, for a few years yet.

We've two free growing acers, one we've had for over thirty years the other over fifteen, their "fringes" get "a bit of a haircut" every year.

But they are slow growing.

These are they, at the week-end, I'll let the leaves "settle down" before I give them a bit of a trim.

 

[Tetters]

Although my knowledge of Acers is almost nil, I can say .... Welcome to the forums Bob

 

[foxleybob]

Hi and welcome.

If you want to keep it manageable, you can prune them.

I'd suggest if you're going to let it grow, a 60cm pot would be best.

This mimosa has been in one for about fifteen years, but it gets pruned every year.
It's black plastic, it came from Wyevale which are now Dobbies.

A few years ago, I saw an acer palmatumum in Bent's Garden Centre priced at £3,000 no bigger than one of ours would be if I didn't prune it a bit each year. It was in a nice wooden tub of a similar size. So that size would be adequate, long term, but yours would be fine in the pot it's in now, for a few years yet.


View attachment 79592



We've two free growing acers, one we've had for over thirty years the other over fifteen, their "fringes" get "a bit of a haircut" every year.

But they are slow growing.

These are they, at the week-end, I'll let the leaves "settle down" before I give them a bit of a trim.



View attachment 79595


View attachment 79596

Many thanks for the quick reply Sean.

I did look at Dobbies site, and they must've sold out as could not see anything 60cm (unless I need to go to Spec-Savers )
I have seen a few elsewhere though.
I'll probably get one and do as you recommended, keep them trimmed once a year.
I am impressed with your two, even though they need a hair cut

 

[Tetters]

If you search in Amazon '' 80 litre flower pot '' that is about the same size as @Sean Regan mentions there is a fair selection.

 

[foxleybob]

If you search in Amazon '' 80 litre flower pot '' that is about the same size as @Sean Regan mentions there is a fair selection.

Thanks for that.
I'm probably being a bit neurotic here, but will a 60 to 80cm pot suffice?
I don't wanna kill the beautiful tree

 

[DirtMechanic]

 

[Mr_Yan]

There is a learning curve to making one of the pots as @DirtMechanic posted. Notice that the pots he makes are very sloping. I watched several of these vids and made a form last weekend but am finding the side wall for my sand is too steep and tall so it crumbles every time I start mounding it up. I've even started mechaically reinforcing the sand pile with layers of screen mesh. The sand I have is also very fine beach / dune sand so I may be fighting that vs a coarse sharp building sand.

 

[DirtMechanic]

There is a learning curve to making one of the pots as @DirtMechanic posted. Notice that the pots he makes are very sloping. I watched several of these vids and made a form last weekend but am finding the side wall for my sand is too steep and tall so it crumbles every time I start mounding it up. I've even started mechaically reinforcing the sand pile with layers of screen mesh. The sand I have is also very fine beach / dune sand so I may be fighting that vs a coarse sharp building sand.

Yes a packing sand is not round. I see masonry materials used and would expect a moist masonry sand but he says in the video it is the general purpose sand in bags from home depot.

 

[Mr_Yan]

...general purpose sand in bags from home depot.

Yeah, I'm trying to be cheap though. I put in 25 fence posts in the last few weeks and am on pure sand once you pass 8" of top soil.

From about 8" deep to past where I can get the clam shell digger to work - deepest I have gone is 50" from soil surface - I have pure, clean, fine beach sand. Sand just like you'll find all along the Lake Michigan shore from Indiana to Sleeping Bear dunes.

I am trying to figure out what else to use for the base - maybe a mix of wet sand and wet sawdust.

 

[DirtMechanic]

Yeah, I'm trying to be cheap though. I put in 25 fence posts in the last few weeks and am on pure sand once you pass 8" of top soil.

From about 8" deep to past where I can get the clam shell digger to work - deepest I have gone is 50" from soil surface - I have pure, clean, fine beach sand. Sand just like you'll find all along the Lake Michigan shore from Indiana to Sleeping Bear dunes.

I am trying to figure out what else to use for the base - maybe a mix of wet sand and wet sawdust.

Can you sell your sand?

 

[DirtMechanic]

Can you sell your sand?

Well I know it has special properties you find common, but elsewhere it might be interesting!

 

[Mr_Yan]

Yeah, there is line somewhere a little east of here where we turn from pure sand to pure clay. My brother lives an hour drive north east of here and is on perfect potters clay. He can dig a 5' deep straight wall trench (like when laying in underground electrical supply) and it stays as a straight wall trench for weeks of rain.

If you go 10 miles west of here your feet are wet from Lake Michigan.

Bell mason jars is based in Indiana because of this sand. Something special about it for making glass.