Our Grounds in Des Moines, IA

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A young tree of magnolia 'Butterflies' waiting for mulch. This will someday be the highlight of the front yard, at least for awhile in Spring. For now, I'll be cossetting it. Watering, staking, and maybe wrapping it to balk the deer.
  Magnify

Magnolia escapes container

By: Groundskeeper
Apr 23, 2012
Roy Klehm, from Klehm Nursery in Illinois, spoke about magnolias at Iowa Arboretum last week. He brought with him a lot of young trees in containers, and I couldn't resist, so I went home with two cultivars, 'Spring Royalty' (deep purple flowers), and 'Butterflies' (yellow--real yellow--flowers) and a limp credit card. 
Here's 'Butterflies' safely in the ground, with cardboard (slit to a small opening for the trunk) to smother all competition. Next, mulch. I'll post photos of the whole process of planting soon and come back here to leave a link. You'll see some surprising tricks for roots that have been in a container a bit too long.
Okay, here's the link.
RoriTx replied about 1 year ago
I could use some good trick for the root bound. I just pulled up a dead fig tree that was doing (so I thought) so good last year. I had opened it up good I thought and when I pulled it all the roots were still in the shape of the pot. Zero spreading out.
Groundskeeper replied about 1 year ago
@RoriTx: I'm hoping to post more photos tonight. I used to slice root balls vertically. No real success. Then I spread them, but gingerly. These days, I beat them up, as you'll see. It works.

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