mskroch said
Hi, all - 

I recently picked up a couple Asian pear cuttings that we ordered at the fall show.  Question - best to leave in the pot for a year or only until they have rooted?  Thanks!

-Matt  

If you ordered Asian pear varieties through the make-a-tree table at the fall show, then what you picked up were the fruit wood ('cuttings' or rather, scion wood)  grafted to compatible rootstock. They would have been grafted this late winter; you will want to protect them against cats and dogs and crows and squirrels rubbing up against them, climbing, landing on them; wind blowing them over, weed whackers too. They're more fragile until they have established the joined areas.

Some say wait a year protected in the pot. Others promote planting out if you've got the space prepped for them to get the roots in their new native soil for the roots to establish there sooner.  You want to protect the graft in either event.      I also might consider my likelihood of caring for them while in the tender stage. Am I likely to for forget to water the pots in isolation or is it better for me to get them in the ground where if I miss a watering there may be a more likely chance of survival, in the big dirt.  

That's my take on the matter.... what I say anyway. My reality may be more like ..leaving for a year(?) in the pot. Wherever I put that pot down is likely where the tree is going to grow... through the pot . There is an upside though, that being the weed whacker has less impact.  

When it's time to plant, as a general rule you want to leave the graft union at least 6" above the soil level; or greater particularly if your circumstances accumulate a lot of organic material and you take advantage to mulch with it.

James B