Rhubarb Flowers, Potted Problems and Pruning Bare-rooted Trees
Your questions answered
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Chop, chop for rhubarb flowers?
My rhubarb is flowering. Do I need to cut the flowers off?
Sammy A., Clayton
There’s an idea that if a rhubarb plant is putting energy into producing a flower, then it has less energy for growing new leaves, with their delicious stalks. There’s probably some truth in this, but I don’t bother to remove the flower heads. They are so striking.
I have a lot of rhubarb plants, and collectively they produce an excess of stalks. So a slight reduction in yield per plant doesn’t worry me. Removing any flowering stalks may promote another flush of flowers instead of leaves. In other words, removing the flowers may be a futile activity anyway.
However, if you have only one or two plants, and you’d like to (slightly) increase their productivity, then removing the flower heads can’t hurt. I don’t think it matters that much.
Rooted to the spot
My potted apricot tree will be about two years old next summer. The main roots have somehow grown through the holes in the pot and into the ground. My main concern now is that the apricot tree is too near the fence and its leaves tend to drop into the pool. I tried moving the pot a few days ago and found out about this horror! What would your recommendation be?
Margaret, Greensborough
This happens quite a lot. A tree growing in a pot has limited access to both water and nutrients, so it usually remains small and undernourished. Often, pot-grown trees aren’t as productive as fruit trees growing in the ground. Trees growing in pots can become pot-bound and have other “hidden costs”.
Tree roots will grow wherever they can sense water or nutrients.
Your potted tree must have been in contact with the soil. The tree roots have grown through the drainage holes and into the soil. The best way to prevent potted fruit trees from establishing roots in the soil is to break the connection with a saucer or by placing the pot on some bricks, or other objects. In my previous suburban rental property, I used a series of pallets to keep all my potted trees, berries and shrubs off the soil (which unfortunately also created a haven for rats).
Your tree is now stuck, but there are a few options to consider.
You can leave the tree where it is, in its pot. It will continue to grow as though it was planted into the ground. It will likely be more productive than it ever would have been if restricted to the pot alone.
You could try to transplant the tree. This may be easy or difficult, depending on how big the root system has grown outside of the pot. If it is only small then you might be able to tear the pot from the soil. Some root damage may occur, but it should be minimal.
If the root system is well established, then it will be more challenging to move the pot. Excavation under the pot may be required to sever any thick roots. The pot may need to be destroyed to gain access.
If the root system outside the pot is large, then severing this system is going to significantly reduce the tree’s ability to provide the foliage with the water and nutrients it needs.
Severed roots delicately balanced
I’ve just planted four fruit trees in my backyard. I followed your advice and bought dwarf fruit trees but now I’m wondering whether they need to be pruned? There’s so much conflicting advice. Should I prune the trees back by two thirds or do something else?
Zora P., Winchelsea