# fixing a lean on my potted emerald cedars



## jamiedolan (Sep 2, 2008)

Charlie123 said:


> I have 2 potted emerald cedars i just bought and re-potted into my pots.
> 
> They sit on my front porch here in Toronto Canada and are about 3 to 4 feet
> tall at the moment.
> ...


I'd try to get them into a closed in garage over the winter.

Wilt-pruf is often said to cause as many problems as it solves, and many experts recommend against it's use. 

Add in a slow release plant fertilizer in early spring. No need to change the dirt, unless you want to add in some organic matter i.e.compost.


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## Charlie123 (Apr 17, 2010)

Oh that wilt pruf stuff can cause problems? What kind of trouble?

How about the lean at the top of my cedars, should i stake them or just tie the top around on it's own or leave them alone?


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## The Engineer (May 4, 2010)

Since they are under a roof, are they leaning towards the sunlight? If they do, you can spin the pots every couple months so the tree grows evenly and not lopsided.


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## Scuba_Dave (Jan 16, 2009)

The Engineer said:


> Since they are under a roof, are they leaning towards the sunlight? If they do, you can spin the pots every couple months so the tree grows evenly and not lopsided.


Exactly what I was thinking
I turn plants around in the house as they lean toweards the windows


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## jamiedolan (Sep 2, 2008)

Charlie123 said:


> Oh that wilt pruf stuff can cause problems? What kind of trouble?
> 
> How about the lean at the top of my cedars, should i stake them or just tie the top around on it's own or leave them alone?


An arborist at the university of North Dakota has writen a number of times about his poor experiences with using wilt pruf. He has stated that he has seen a number of plants die when it is used, and the reason for the death / decline is not well understood. So his position is to recommend against using it. I can't remember his name at the moment, but I can dig it up if you want to read more about it. 

You can steak them, but do so with care; you don't want anything that is going to grow into the tree and kill it. Using loose flexible ties, such as a nylon sock helps, the best thing to do is to make sure you monitor it and only use a steak as a temporary measure. 

Notice how this small tree is tied with plant velcro straps to the bamboo stick, this is a temporary measure, that I will remove by the end of the season. 








As others have pointed out, the leaning may very well be a result of your lighting situation. 

The environment that plants and trees live in naturally is far different than a container. Trees normally have very wide rather than deep root systems. The soil is refreshed with nutrients from a whole manner of sources. There are many conditions that are very difficult if not impossible to emulate. 

My point is just that despite your best efforts, you might only have limited success with growing trees in pots long term.

Jamie


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## Charlie123 (Apr 17, 2010)

Thanks for the replies

I'll have to research that wilt pruf stuff more. I really wanted to leave the cedars on the porch all year to get some green on an otherwise concrete floor )

The cedars had the lean when i bought them and i thought when i re-pot them i could straighten them out from the pot but the lean remains.

So it's not a sun-tracking problem unless they had a tracking problem at the store i bought them hence i would them for awhile to see if they correct on their own, else the temporary stake with straps.


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