| my sister bought me this beautiful tree that has lived in its pot for 2 years. I am afraid to plant it in the ground as I live in a coastal climate. I can't find much info as to how it will do in this condition. I do amend my soil with compost so it is not all sand. My yard is quite small and I do have sheltered area out of the wind. Would it be best to repot into a bigger pot and grow it this way or shoud I plant it in the ground. I had a wonderful Cercis- Forest Pansy that thrived 3 years and then just died. Verticilium?? So sad to lose a tree in a smakk space. Any ideas? |
| You're in USDA zone 6B and your dogwood is rated hardy in zones 5-8 so it should grow well in your region, either in the ground or in a pot. Satomi dogwood gets only 9' tall at maturity; smaller if kept in a pot where root growth will be restricted. If you're concerned about verticillium, I'd plant the tree in a pot using a mixture of commercially prepared top soil and potting soil. Dogwoods like a slightly acidic soil (the peat moss in the potting soil should acidify the soil) and the best time to repot is during the winter dormant season. You can repot it now but if it becomes stressed it may not bloom on schedule for you. With that in mind, choose the next largest pot size, fill it with a half and half mixture of potting soil and top soil, plant the tree so it sits at the same soil level as it did before, then water it in well to help settle the soil. Your dogwood should be happy in its new home for a couple of years. When it starts to outgrow the pot, repot it into the next larger sized pot using fresh soil. Best wishes with your dogwood! |
