Repotting climbers in containers

tiniestgarden

Hello - this might be a very basic question but I've not had to do this before.

I've got a container garden and planted an Akebia quinata in the spring. It came in a 9cm pot and I planted it out a bit hastily into a quite small container which I knew I'd need to move it from at some point. It's had a smashing year so far and has put on lots of growth and height. It's growing up a metal trellis and is tightly vined around it.

Now I'm thinking about repotting before next year and I'm not sure how best to approach this! Should I cut it back, or attempt to repot whilst it is still attached to the trellis? If the latter, are there any good videos or instructions on how best to approach this?

Thanks!

Borderline

You can attempt the latter if you believe it can be done without disturbing the growth attached to the trellis. If not, no harm in cutting it back and starting again since it is only a year old. May lose a bit of flowering next year. They key bit is to build a strong root system over the next year or so. Hopefully then, can they be planted into the ground, which is best for them longterm.

Obelixx

Try liftng its current pot up onto a brick for a week or so.  Then another and maybe another so it adjust its lower stems gradually to a new height.   By that time you'll have the space to get a deeper, wider pot in below it and can lift it out of its current pot (water first) and gently slide it into a ready prepared pot, adjust the compost levels and water well.

Otherwise, keep it fed and watered and then re-pot in autumn after leaf fall as the extra compost will hel protect the roots from winter frosts and next spring it will recover more quickly from having stems cut to allow the pot to be moved.

tiniestgarden

That's a great idea with the bricks. I'll give that a go first. Reassuring to know that I could still cut it back fairly safely if needed.

Obelixx

Hope it works.  Just a bit of lateral thinking and the sort of thing I'd attempt.

tiniestgarden

Hi Obelixx I'm pleased to say this worked well! I used the bricks approach which actually made me realise that the stems were not twined around the trellis until higher up - they were twined around each other. I gave it a week at the new height then moved it to a much larger pot. Seems to be doing fine so far and we've had a spell of less hot weather so it's been easy to keep it moist.

Obelixx

Good.  Love it when a plan works.

Busy-Lizzie

I think that is a great tip which I will use in the future. Thank you @Obelixx