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Pembrokeshire, United Kingdom Gb

Oh dear. I thought Prunus Kojo no mai was a real dwarf and have just realised it grows to 8 feet. I planted it about 18" from the edge of our new pond in spring 2015 to give some shade to the water but am now rather worried. Apart from the proportions being a bit off when its mature are the roots likely to penetrate the liner and would it be worth the risk of trying ot move it back a bit?
Must admit I got a bit carried away when I saw it in bloom one spring day at Tesco.....and I'm always telling people to check eventual size before they plant....




Answers

 

Move it back from the pond or kill it with glycophosphate. As far as myself, I kill any tree starting itself near my ponds since a perforation in the liner would be disastrous.

10 Oct, 2017

 

How big is it now Stera? Obviously needs moving and you know how to give it the t.l.c. it will need to survive :)

10 Oct, 2017

 

Prunus cherries are not a great choice near a pond liner anyway because of their tendency to put out surface roots that go a long way. I'd try moving it now, as its just shy of two years since you put it in, but you might find its put out long roots horizontally as well as vertically. To be fair, though, 8 feet really isn't very big compared to most cherry varieties, so it could reasonably be called a dwarf variety.

10 Oct, 2017

 

I've had one for about 15 years in a pot and it is less than a foot tall even now. I wouldn't want to be without it so I keep cutting it back. You could put yours in a pot.

10 Oct, 2017

 

It's so lovely Sue that you won't want to lose it. I hope it will be fairly easy to move (I dug up a 2 - 3ft one for the move). They are quite slow growing: mine are quite 'dwarf' after five years in clay soil. Good luck!

10 Oct, 2017

 

I also bought one from outside Tesco a couple of years ago, Stera. They were so pretty in bloom. Mine still lives in a (slightly bigger) pot, and has been beautiful each spring, but not much to look at all the rest of the year, leaves looking dull and dropping early. I suppose it is stressed through not having enough room to spread? I'll have to try and find a spot in the garden but it will be difficult as there isn't much room now. I would certainly try moving yours before thinking of killing it off if you can get it dug up.

10 Oct, 2017

 

I would hate to lose it and wouldn't dream of killing it intentionally but its already 4 feet tall after just two years so its obviously happy where it is. (too big for a pot now) It never occurred to me that being a cherry it would be shallow and horizontal rooted which was a bit stupid.. Pennyfarthing will understand why I bought it without thinking very much, it was so pretty and I'd sen lots of photos on here of other people's.

Well, I have a supposedly small Viburnum opulus which was supposed to be a small one and stop at 5 feet. It didn't. Flowers well but has never managed more than three berries, and berries are what I bought it for so i guess it could go and the cherry replace it.

Oh dear, need to get into navvy mode in a few weeks...

Thanks to everyone for your advice.

11 Oct, 2017

 

You could take some cuttings and grow one in a pot, then you could get rid of the big one but still be able to enjoy the flowers.
Mine also gets very colourful autumn leaves. Shame to loose it.

11 Oct, 2017

 

Like Hywel, I've had mine in a pot for around 15 years and it's about three feet high and about the same across. The blossom tells me spring is here. I wouldn't be without it either. I hope I haven't just tempted fate there!

11 Oct, 2017

 

Cuttings are a good idea. What time of year do you think?
Mine doesn't colour for autumn - nothing does here except the red stemmed cornus.

11 Oct, 2017

 

Try now. Autumn is a good time I think, so that they can start rooting before the hard winter comes, and then they'll have a head start in the spring.

11 Oct, 2017

 

According to the RHS, up to mid autumn you can take semi ripe cuttings, so if you can find some, do those now- after that, its hardwood, and in spring to summer, softwood...

11 Oct, 2017

 

Can you just stick them in the ground like currants or do they need babying with bottom heat etc?

12 Oct, 2017

 

Whenever I take cuttings I take some long branches and stick them in deeply into the ground. Some will catch and some won't. It works with most things for me.
Try it. You have nothing to loose. I find the less we fuss with plants the better they do.

12 Oct, 2017

 

https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?pid=404 - this is for semi hard cuttings, links to other types of cutting on the page. Looks like greenhouse, maybe cold frame, or alternatively, indoors with a plastic bag over the top. Bit difficult to keep those over winter though if they root quickly in the house.

12 Oct, 2017

 

Haven't got a greenhouse, its too windy in winter.
Right well I'll try three ways - in the ground, in the conservatory and in the wallhouse and one of them should work! Thank you for the info. Might even drag out the propagator and try some bottom heat too.

And if they all take I'll be offering them on Goy....

12 Oct, 2017

 

Take some hardwood cuttings in November too....

12 Oct, 2017

 

There'll be no tree left at this rate!!!

12 Oct, 2017

How do I say thanks?

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