Specialty Gardening: Large Container Gardening in City, 1 by DaleTheGardener

DaleTheGardener wrote:
Pod (& Happ), it is a good idea to leave the large plant in its nursery container. I have done that many times also. If forces the roots of the tree to stay deep. I usually turn the tree on its side and cut off the bottom 2" of the black plastic then plant. I also set it a little deeper than the the soil in the remainder of the container, requires less staking (you should stake anyway). I set my bigger plant toward the back of the new pot to leave more room for summer color in front.

Happ, I am wondering how you handle the expansion problem? I have read that many containers burst when they freeze in winter.

When planning the planting scheme for the color you will need to go to a good local nursery. Years ago I worked up in Minneapolis in the summer in gardens, not much competition in the garden trade in Zone 4a. I used to do a lot of succession planting. I would plant tulips, pansies, columbine, nierembergia and asters (for example) and each plant would grow and flower as the season went along. I am guessing that you are in Z6, might be a bit of a challenge with a longer season. Local folks would know a lot more about this than I would.