Choosing containers

Start by choosing containers that suit the style of your garden and that are large enough to house the rootball of your tree. Ensure that the container has plenty of drainage holes. Do not put a small tree in a very large container; instead pot up the plant in stages, finishing with a minimum final container size of about 45cm (18in).

Frost-proof terracotta pots are heavy, providing extra stability to prevent trees blowing down in windy weather. However, the porosity of these pots means the

Can refer to either home-made garden compost or seed/potting compost: • Garden compost is a soil improver made from decomposed plant waste, usually in a compost bin or heap. It is added to soil to improve its fertility, structure and water-holding capacity. Seed or potting composts are used for growing seedlings or plants in containers - a wide range of commercially produced peat-free composts are available, made from a mix of various ingredients, such as loam, composted bark, coir and sand, although you can mix your own.

Compost

Most trees will thrive in a loam-based compost, such as John Innes No 3, which is fairly heavy, providing good stability. Before planting, add some pieces of broken terracotta pot to the base to stop compost washing out of the draingage holes. Acid-loving trees such as Amelanchier should be planted in loam-based John Innes Ericaceous compost.

Aftercare

Trees in containers will dry out far more quickly than those growing in the ground and will need regular watering. Several waterings may be needed to ensure the full depth of the compost is moistened. Often the overhanging foliage of plants in containers shields the compost from the rain. Keep the compost moist, but not wet, at all times, even during winter when compost can dry out quickly in wind. In hard water areas, use rainwater for watering

These thrive in acid (or <strong>ericaceous</strong>) soil, which has a pH of less than 7 (neutral). You can measure your soil pH using a simple testing kit. Ericaceous or acid-loving plants include rhododendrons, camellias, heathers and blueberries.

Give trees a boost, by refreshing the top layer of compost annually in spring. Carefully scrape away about 5cm (2in) of compost from the surface and replace with fresh compost – mix in some controlled release fertiliser granules. Alternatively use a liquid feed at regular intervals.

In exposed gardens, plants in containers will need protecting during winter as the roots growing near the edges are vulnerable to freezing temperatures. Wrap the container with bubble wrap or hessian, held securely in place with twine.

There is no shortage of trees to grow in pots. Here are some ideas:

• A restricted apple tree grown on a semi-dwarfing rootstock
• Japanese maple
• Topiary specimen of box, yew, bay, privet or holly
• Dwarf conifer
• Something unusual like Sophora microphylla or Albizia julibrissin
• Tender trees, such as olives, pomegranates and citrus are ideal in pots, as they can easily be moved into a frost free place over winter

Although growing a tree in a container will restrict its size, you are best to avoid fast-growing, large or vigorous trees, as they will eventually start to look leggy as they struggle in too small a root space. Exceptions are vigorous trees that do not mind hard pruning, pollarding or coppicing. Examples of these include Eucalyptus, Liriodendron tulipifera, Salix and Cercis canadensis ‘Forest Pansy’.