Will it hurt a crabapple to be in a dish?

[Mike Corazzi]

It's in a fairly tall pot and has been thriving in free draining soil.
It gets some wilty/droopy leaves at the ends of the branches at times.
I have a dish that can catch the drainage and hold about 3/4 " of water that drains through.
Think this is okay?

The "drainage layer" is.... mostly.... pumice and I wonder if that will wick enough water up.

??????

 

[just.wing.it]

I'd plant it into a large flower pot, or the ground, to beef up for a few years.

 

[Stan Kengai]

Crabs are very thirsty plants and can tolerate wetter/heavier soils than most other deciduous trees. A pan on the bottom could help and won't hurt. You can also put some mosss on the surface, if you haven't already. Next year, get it in a larger pot with heavier or finer grained soil.

 

[Mike Corazzi]

I'd plant it into a large flower pot, or the ground, to beef up for a few years.

I don't think I could do it at this point. Maybe repot next year.
OR... could it be moved now?

 

[Stan Kengai]

I would not shift pots at this point. Weather the storm with remedial measures, and fix it next spring.

 

[Mike Corazzi]

I would not shift pots at this point. Weather the storm with remedial measures, and fix it next spring.

My quandary is the remedial measures for the upcoming 110 degree summers here.
Risk/reward.
Damn.

 

[Stan Kengai]

My quandary is the remedial measures for the upcoming 110 degree summers here.
Risk/reward.
Damn.

Moss (sphagnum) the soil surface, remove any fruit, give it afternoon shade, cut back long extensions and it should be fine. To repot at this point I think would be devastating to the tree.

I have this problem with the 'Sugar Time' cultivar. It doesn't matter about soil composition or particle size or pot size. If left alone, it will just grow until it runs out of root space and then will need watering 2 or 3 times a day. I just have to give it more shade and keep it from putting on too much growth.

 

[sorce]

I'd Repot, especially if they are as rootily vigorous as Stan says.

It was in there last year yes?

I feel like your top section is already jammed and water ain't getting to where it needs, which is making the droopy tips.

No way this situation gets better IMO.

Then next year your risk will be greater.

If you ask me, right now it has a choice to say, ok eff these flowers, we gotta grow roots!

Too, air up from the bottom of the pot may be the only thing cooling the center of that pot. A dish may negate that, and allow the center to boil.

Sorce

 

[Mike Corazzi]

I'd Repot, especially if they are as rootily vigorous as Stan says.

It was in there last year yes?

I feel like your top section is already jammed and water ain't getting to where it needs, which is making the droopy tips.

No way this situation gets better IMO.

Then next year your risk will be greater.

If you ask me, right now it has a choice to say, ok eff these flowers, we gotta grow roots!

Too, air up from the bottom of the pot may be the only thing cooling the center of that pot. A dish may negate that, and allow the center to boil.

Sorce

Never thought of water blocking air. It was NOT in this pot last year. Last year it was a well rooted air layer in 100% pumice in pond basket.
It has only been in this pot since I got the pot about 2 months ago.
When I take stuff out of nursery pots, I slip a thin bread knife around the edges and lift out the glump.
That works for normal stuff for repot.
Actually I would try like hell to make it a slip pot. Providing the roots didn't go all kerflooey and make a mess.

I'm listening to @Stan Kengai and considering his info. Our blistering summers just scare the shit out of me.

(Oh yeah, also I'd clip off all the LARGE leaves, the newer green shoots off the trunk, and the stems of the incipient flowers.) The large leaves are the droopy ones and what alerted me to this situation.

 

[sorce]

I thought I remembered seeing it there last year.....not this isolation thing has time moving akwardly!

You should be ok.

Sorce

 

[Mike Corazzi]

Did the repot (slip pot) yesterday. No ill effect so far.

When I took it out of that tall pot, about 1/3 to 1/2 of it was concreted with some failing kakadama. I mean PLUGGED.
Had to chisel it out. Strange as the other trees are doing fine and they were all done about same time.

???
Who knows?
The new pot is plastic with LOTS of holes in bottom. Drainage layer 100% coarse lava. Root ball placed on that and hopefully good soil put around it.

Removed all large drooping leaves and the green water shoots coming off trunk.