Container Gardening (fruit trees/bushes) - 1 size up repotting question

I have started playing around with growing fruit trees/bushes in containers (Sweet cherries, grapes, lemon, lime, pineapple, low bush blueberries) this year and have come across a common theme posted online.

*** When repotting your tree/bush/plants only go 1 size up on the pots. ***

I have also seen just about everywhere that the best way to plant your fruit trees/bushes is to plant them in ground for the best overall results and well being of the plant. And when planting in containers most fruit trees/bushes need at least a 15 gallon container to be successful (even larger if possible).

So, based on most of the internet advice, when repotting a 3 gallon tree (new purchase), the next size would be a 5 gallon at most “for the health of the plant”.

So now for the question…

If its best to plant a fruit tree/bush is in the ground (which would be an ‘unlimited’ pot)… would it not be fine to repot a new tree into a pot of the recommended size for that tree/bush?

And if not, why?

What would the downside be of putting a new 1-3 gallon tree/bush (most common sizes available in my area) into a 15 gallon or 25 gallon container at the first repotting? Assuming space is not an issue.

Main reason I am asking is, this past spring i planted 2 sweet cherries (bare root) into 15 gallon containers (19" wide x 12" high) and noticed recently that the roots are coming out of the bottom of the container. I already have plans of repotting these 2 trees into 35 gallon containers come spring which I am hoping will hold them for a few years.

I am planning on purchasing additional fruit trees/bushes next spring to fill out my garden but don’t want to have to repot every year until they get into their final containers. I know they will have to have the soil ‘freshened up’ every few years in containers but don’t see the point of going thru the stepped containers if not really needed.

Thanks for your assistance with this, I am looking forward to any advice you can give.

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In my experience, there is nothing wrong with going straight into bigger containers. I usually will go from a tree pot or 1 gallon container, into a 5g, to 15 or 25g. I typically go to 15 these days because I can’t move my 25g pots around with my dolly :rofl:.

One thing to note is that I use mainly mineral and peat moss based potting soil, so it doesn’t go anaerobic at the root zone. I believe the reasoning for gradually going up pot sizes is to avoid root rot from overwatering. I have had this issue with a mineral/peat based soil.

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If I had to guess I’d say it was just easier to write “1 size up” than something more accurate.

The only benefit I see to gradually up-sizing instead of right-sizing from the beginning is that it’s easier to up-size every two years than to re-pot from a 25-gal to another 25-gal every two-three years.

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I never pot up to just 1 size up as recommended by the internet. Also i grow EVERYTHING in pots right now. Over 150 fruiting plants in pots as a matter of fact.

My pineapple guava went from 1 gallon to 15 gallon and within just a month, this is the new growth that I’ve gotten from Kaiteri :heart:

I repotted my fig trees from 1 to 15 and 20 as well and they’re really happy too.

I think if you’re not sure or you’re planting with low quality potting soil, it might be best to just pot up one size so that there’s less of a chance of root rot but if you’re dealing with a plant who isn’t fussy, pot that mofo up to the biggest size fam.

My Mango tree went from 5 gallon to 25 and I’ve gotten 4, maybe 5 flushes of growth in just around 2.5 months.

I also pot my raspberries up from 1 gallon to 15’ish and they’re ultra happy as well.

The only thing i would pot up to just the next size up, would be anything with root rot. But those with healthy roots, i say go for as big as you can. Root rot recovery plants need a drier soil overall to help them recover. Smaller pot = faster drying out time.

Photos of my beloved Mahachanok Mango and Kaiteri

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That’s nice growth on the mango. Where are you located? Is it turpentine rootstock?

Not sure of the rootstock but I’m in western Washington

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The plants actually grow faster and size up faster if you step them up gradually, rather than going from tiny pot to huge pot. A lot of this has to do with overly moist soil conditions. If a pot is too big, a plant can’t dry the soil volume out enough and ends up with suboptimal growing conditions. It doesn’t even have to be as severe as root rot, the plant just doesn’t grow as well. If you pot up gradually, the plant is “in the zone” for a much higher proportion of its life. You also waste much less fertilizer and soil by up-potting gradually.

It’s important to remember that soil in a pot works very differently than soil in the ground. In ground, the moisture will be able to equalize more easily with the surrounding soil. In a container, this isn’t the case. Even with a well-drained mix, you end up with a layer of soil that stays saturated for longer than you think after you water. Most plants don’t appreciate this. The larger the container relative to the plant’s ability to take up water, the longer this zone stays saturated. Adding gravel at the bottom of the pot doesn’t help this, it just moves the saturated layer above the gravel.

Now, if you use a very well drained soil and something super vigorous like a fig, you can probably get away with it. Other than that, plants that jump sizes easily are usually long overdue for an up-pot, which also slowed them down. I grow hundreds of plants each year from seed, cuttings, and grafts, and the difference is super obvious. It also doesn’t hurt that it’s easier to manage the 4-dimensional chess of bench space by potting up gradually.

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