Kingsville Clover Cover

[butlern]

Early spring, I've read, is best for re-potting Kingsville boxwood, but mine is overrun with clover and I'd like to bare root this tree to remove all contaminating weeds and get the tree into a soil that's more freely draining. I picked this up from a local vendor last summer and the clover has been there since day 1.

Fatal this time of year?

It's growing vigorously (at least by Kingsville standards), as these new shoots were put out just in the last 3 weeks.

Thanks in advance for the opinions and advice.

Noah

 

[Vin]

I wouldn't repot at the moment. Weeds are just something we all have to deal with. Start pulling them out now one by one. Just think, you'll only need to do this another four or five times before the cold weather hits. Repotting boxwoods in late fall has worked fine for me in emergencies. At least wait until then.

 

[butlern]

Fair enough. I'll continue to pull the weeds. They just grow back so damn fast. I suspect another 10-12 rounds of weed pulling before the winter.

Thanks, Vin.

 

[Vin]

Fair enough. I'll continue to pull the weeds. They just grow back so damn fast. I suspect another 10-12 rounds of weed pulling before the winter.

Thanks, Vin.

I don't know how many trees you have but try keeping up with the weeds on 150 of them. It gets old real fast. Worked on five yesterday for a few hours. I use tweezers and needle nose pliers. On a positive note, you get to spend some quality time with your trees during the weed removal process. Give them a thorough checkup and maybe come up with some new ideas to move it forward. Good luck!

 

[Potawatomi13]

Fair enough. I'll continue to pull the weeds. They just grow back so damn fast. I suspect another 10-12 rounds of weed pulling before the winter.

Thanks, Vin.

These not clover! Get hemostat to pull out head of plant or will pull off leaves forever to no good end. If allowed to flower and produce seed pods they explode when touched and spread everywhere. Fought these things for several years until getting my hemostat to become weed surgeon. One of best bonsai tools ever bought.

 

[JudyB]

Dan Robinson told me that you can (and he has) used roundup on weeds in pots. I have (and would never) do this, but I suppose if you were careful...
If you keep pulling them, eventually they'll run out of energy... and then there's always repotting season next year.

 

[Don Blackmond]

Dan Robinson told me that you can (and he has) used roundup on weeds in pots. I have (and would never) do this, but I suppose if you were careful...
If you keep pulling them, eventually they'll run out of energy... and then there's always repotting season next year.

Dan Robinson is correct.
butlern, pulling weeds on a tiny tree like that should not be much bother to you, and, if it is, then you may have chosen the wrong hobby. You know that tshirt "S%&$ Happens", well it was originally, "Weeds Happen!".

 

[butlern]

I found several pods while pulling. None 'exploded,' thankfully!

Yeah, I'll stop whining and just keep pulling. And certainly wait until spring to get the tree into better soil.

Thanks for all the feedback, everyone.

Noah

 

[augustine]

Repot next spring definitely. Get tweezers.

 

[GrimLore]

Yeah, I'll stop whining and just keep pulling.

As @JudyB mentioned Round Up can be your friend. Don't spray it, apply it to the leafs with a Q-tip and in a few days most times the leaf blower or similar will blow away the dead stuff.

Grimmy

 

[Alain]

I wouldn't repot at the moment.

I just bought a kingsville last week and it's totally roots bond (it's in a plastic nursery pot, not in a bonsai pot) so I was thinking about re-poting it in a colander next week-end, just a slip re-pot, no root work whatsoever except may be loosen them a little.
So you think it's better to wait until next early spring even if the roots are totally jammed in the pot than to try this quick slip re-pot now?

 

[Vin]

I just bought a kingsville last week and it's totally roots bond (it's in a plastic nursery pot, not in a bonsai pot) so I was thinking about re-poting it in a colander next week-end, just a slip re-pot, no root work whatsoever except may be loosen them a little.
So you think it's better to wait until next early spring even if the roots are totally jammed in the pot than to try this quick slip re-pot now?

Slip potting it now shouldn't be a problem. The one posted here is in a vigorous state of growth by the looks of it with nice healthy new leaves. It's expending a lot of energy doing its thing and if you start playing around with the roots the poster could kill it. As you know, they're tough but not invincible.

 

[JudyB]

But I can tell you that when the time is right, and the tree is healthy, you can work kingsville roots very hard. I've shaved enough off mine a couple times to make myself nervous, but it never skips a beat. They look best in shallow pots, and they do fine with shallow pot culture.

 

[Potawatomi13]

Dan Robinson told me that you can (and he has) used roundup on weeds in pots. I have (and would never) do this, but I suppose if you were careful...
If you keep pulling them, eventually they'll run out of energy... and then there's always repotting season next year.

As long as not spraying on soil or weeds. Use Q Tip directly on weeds and works very well.