Too late to plant in ground?

[IzzyG]

Hello all. I recently(3 weeks ago or so) purchased a pre-bonsai blue atlas cedar. After arriving, I allowed it acclimate outside for a few days before deciding to wire it and fix the bend on the trunk while it’s still young. This required splitting the trunk slightly and wiring. Might have done this too soon but alas, it’s done. However, after a week, I’m contemplating putting her into the ground to allow a thicker trunk to develop. I’m in SE Wisconsin and was wondering if it’s too late to be doing so and if it’s advisable, given the recent trunk splitting and wiring. I’ve always heard early spring is the best time while plants are just starting to bud. Pictures of how she arrived and how she is now. Thanks in advance!

 

[0soyoung]

One can plant a potted tree just about any time the ground is not frozen. With a tree in a nursery can, such as you have, roots are often circling around on the plot wall. It pays to loosen these from the surface of the 'root ball' or cut through them before actually burying it in the ground. Otherwise, one doesn't need to disturb the roots at all (and I suggest that you don't).

However, planting might not be a good idea as your climate as it is likely a pretty cold USDA zone 5 = it may die because of the winter cold. If you keep it in a pot, you'll be able to bring it into the garage or put it in a cold frame to get through your winters. On the other hand, if a neighbor has had one in their landscape for years, you'll know that it could possibly survive the cold, planted out as you are intending to do.

 

[sorce]

Welcome to Crazy!

As politely as possible, as an investment in your future, I must say I really really like the before better!

but alas, it’s done

Amen.

I think you can still build a dope tree with that first branch alone and a few years, maybe decades.

From a nursery pot, your first move should always be uneffing the roots.

A couple few years in an airpruning basket can give you a core rootmass that transplants easier be it to pot or ground.

Sorce

 

[Shibui]

As mentioned, trees can be planted in ground at any time.
Teasing the outer roots is important when transplanting from container. Circling roots will continue to circle the old root ball and new roots find it harder to cross from old to new soil unless the pattern is disturbed during the plant out. Cutting a few outer roots will not jeopardize the tree any time of year. Cutting lots of roots could cause problems.
Trees in pits tend to have circling roots. Often inner roots are also circling or crossing from previous repots. Not usually a problem for landscape trees but if you want to grow good bonsai it is more important to have good nebari or surface roots. Trees with circling or mixed up roots will still grow and thicken in the ground but roots will also grow and thicken making problems even worse and harder to correct later. This is why we now put so much emphasis on getting roots right before developing a trunk.
It is entirely up to you whether to plant out now but in years to come when the roots cause you grief please try to remember the friendly advice was given here - by several different people.

 

[Dav4]

I had a garden Blue Atlas Cedar in SE MA, a solid zone 6 20 years ago, and it would get some winter damage after a pretty cold winter when temps fell to -5 to -8 F. I think your tree wouldn't survive your typical winter, so keeping in a pot really is your only option. With that in mind, I'd consider building a wooden grow box for it to allow for the best growing conditions for building bulk in a containerized tree. In late fall, you can move the box to a protected area to overwinter. Good luck.