Register  |   | 
 
Encanto Farms Nursery > Topics > Root pruning now?
 
 


Reply
  Author   Comment  
nhardy

Avatar / Picture

Registered:
Posts: 102
Posted Reply with quote  #1 
My pots are in the garage without any leaves open. We still have some nights down to 37 with swings up to the 70 on some days. I already put my potted red raspberry bush and potted pomegranate outside. My apple tree is swelling but no leaves yet. Everything is early this year with El Nino again.

So can I drag them out and get my bow saw out this week? I have time now and really want to get this over for the year.
__________________
StL  6a (My biggest problem is humidity with the heat during the summer here.)
Potted Violette de Bordeaux - EL, 2009 Roots pruned 2016
Potted Mary Lane - Durio, 2010 Roots pruned 2016
Potted Celeste - Freedom Tree Farms, 2014 OTP Roots pruned 2016
OttawanZ5

Avatar / Picture

Registered:
Posts: 2,551
Posted Reply with quote  #2 
You can prune any time after plant goes dormant. The earlier the better. Now is good time too. It is better for the plant when root pruned before leafing out. 
I sometime root prune in our late spring when plants has leafed out but then I prunr the branches accordingly.
__________________
Ottawan-Z5a, Canada
FigTrees2013

Registered:
Posts: 66
Posted Reply with quote  #3 
Yes, you can root prune, even if the buds start to break. Use a pruning saw to take off the bottom few inches of the root ball. Additionally, you can remove about 1/3 of the roots from one side of the root ball, but do not cut all sides of the root ball. If you cut back the roots on one side, the remaining parts will nourish the tree while new roots grow. Just like when pruning branches, it's advisable to avoid removing more than 1/3 of the growth. 
__________________
Zone 6b
Previous Topic | Next Topic
Print
Reply