When to harvest field grown trees?

Cajunrider

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I have several Chinese elms in the ground with trunks up to 1.5" in diameter above the root flare. Should I keep them in the ground another year or two or is it time to dig them up and let them finish out their growth in grow boxes? My original plan was to let them stay in the ground until the trunk is about 2.5" in diameter. With spring growth and buds popping I'm just itchy :)
 

Zach Smith

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I have several Chinese elms in the ground with trunks up to 1.5" in diameter above the root flare. Should I keep them in the ground another year or two or is it time to dig them up and let them finish out their growth in grow boxes? My original plan was to let them stay in the ground until the trunk is about 2.5" in diameter. With spring growth and buds popping I'm just itchy :)
It depends on how big you want the trunks to be. If you're happy with 1.5" trunks, dig away. If you want them bigger, they will thicken faster in the ground. Putting them in grow boxes will slow their thickening dramatically.
 

Shibui

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Don't let itchy get in the way of fulfilling a plan. If there's a good reason to harvest now - maybe the tree is great as is? - then consider digging but I'd predict you will kick yourself for being too hasty afterward. Stick with the plan and let them grow for now.
 

Woocash

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Would it be advisable to dig up, sort roots out and replant? Also to chop to increase taper?
 

sorce

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I haven't seen a dug up set of roots that I'd care to work with over an airlayer.

The other day, I was thinking about how many trees I actually remember from any Show.

0.

The perfect nebari of one pine I remember like a photograph.

We underestimate the power and necessity of the strong grip to earth, with haste to get to the branching, to have a "tree", we're left with shrubs.

Sorce
 

Shibui

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Would it be advisable to dig up, sort roots out and replant? Also to chop to increase taper?
In my climate and conditions I find it far better to dig and make adjustments to roots and trunks them back into the grow beds until they reach suitable size. Trident maples are now dug every winter and have roots and trunks pruned to give better nebari and trunk taper. Chinese elms are a bit slower so only dug every 2-3 years.
Grow boxes can be good for controlled growth but growth will definitely slow down relative to ground growing. You need to decide between fast and quality. Really fast ground growing can have negative results - no taper, bad roots, etc and often when these are bad they are bad in a big way after fast growth. Slower development takes longer but allows for problems to be arrested and rectified before they get out of hand.
 

leatherback

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I have several Chinese elms in the ground with trunks up to 1.5" in diameter above the root flare. Should I keep them in the ground another year or two or is it time to dig them up


My original plan was to let them stay in the ground until the trunk is about 2.5" in diameter.

I think you just answered your own question. They are not ready to lift and pot.
It would make sense to me to lift them, work the roots, give it an overall prune and cleanup and then replant.

20191227-IMG_20191227_131322.jpg
 

Cajunrider

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It is interesting to revisit my old thread. I went out to the land and found 3 Chinese elms struggling to grow among the remnant of hurricane debris. They have gotten a bit bigger but not so much. I think I will dig them up come springtime.
 
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