The first one sounds fine. The second one may make it. Keep it watered and feed it every now and then. Also, to balance the root mass with the foliage of the pine, you really should cut off some of the branches so the roots don't work too hard to supply water and food to a much larger plant than of those roots.

When I prepare seedlings to graft on, I cut off sometimes 75% of all the roots but then I cut off 75% of the foliage on the seedling............ they always make it. Even with zero feeder/fine roots.

Last thing, definitely provide a shade cloth screen for those plants for a few years....... this too aids a tree/shrub along while it's establishing a poor/weak root system. A shade screen will help 100%.

Dax

Thanks Dax!

Maybe a dumb question but is a shade cloth screen something you just hang near the tree to shade it? or do you actually lay it on the tree?

There's a lot of ways to do it. Usually three tall 'stakes' that surround the plant on the plants' south and west sides. Since the tree is 5', you probably need a screen about 8 feet tall. If you have extra cloth, tie it (plastic tie wraps work well) across the triangle shaped top of the three stakes.

You can use 3 pieces of rebar for example and use the tie-wraps to hold the cloth to them. Rebar is cheap for a 10 foot piece or whatever size you need. Just be sure that you make any modifications so the plant doesn't "see" the sun during late morning to sunset or noon to sunset, i.e.

Dax

I hope your trees live, pcan. :-( It's no fun to get home, all excited about your newly acquired trees, only to find a major problem with the root system when you get ready to plant them. I have gotten into the habit of actually pulling the plant from the pot to check the root system before purchasing them - but I only buy the small stuff - this would be a bit difficult to do with larger trees. At least now you know to check under the mulch....

I noticed at my local Home Depot this spring that they had some trees that were in pots but had a tag on them clearly notifying the potential buyer that the trees were B & B. Obviously your big box store did not bother to do this. And, of course, it is too late to return the trees now that you have planted them.

I am sure he will respond, but I think Dax meant you should set up some sort of canopy with shade cloth, - you can do this using stakes as a frame. I wouldn't imagine you would want to lay the shade cloth directly on the tree....

Holly

Or 10 ft. lengths of 1/2 inch thin wall (EMT) conduit work fine.

Dave

shade cloth.. is ANYTHING ... that will make some shade for a week or two.. to save the plant from direct sun ... plants transpire .. sweat ... and sun/wind speeds that up ... old sheet ??? cardboard box??? anything secure enough that the wind wont blow it away ...

secure the receipt ...

the fine roots are what is called feeder roots ... they do a majority of the work in food and water transport ... the bigger roots are what holds it upright ... the structure ... i have gotten mail order trees that had one single fine root ... one foot tree .. lol ... and they live...

ken

You need something that breathes and is sturdy. You can use either shade cloth or landscape fabric. Keep them well-watered. Water until you know the soil a few feet away from the rootball is moist (not soggy) about every 10 days. And mulch is a must, in this situation.

Dax

A basketball of roots from a 5 gal. container is pretty good...well, unless they are all girdled together!

Good luck with your new plants!

pcan,
We've been drinking the same koolade!
I've bought a Weeping Norway, a Vanderwulf's and a Weeping White Pine, all from HD in the last week. Same story on the rootballs, but I did find girdling on 2. I'm nuts and couldn't make myself take them back after root washing, I was invested by then, so they are planted. I have a couple of mugo's from HD from last year that didn't make it and am returning them, so I'll let you know if their 1 year guarantee is true.
I'm thinking Tposts and burlap for sun shade since I have both here already.
Congrats and good luck!
Barb

'Basket Ball of roots', yes I had that experience yesterday when moving an old Rhododendron PJM to the back fence. 24 years ago some landscapers had plopped a young plant into a hole and that ball still existed now, plus some new roots further up = planted also too deep.
Congratulations that you unwrapped your new plant and washed off the soil!

Barb, I also bought mine from HD. I assume it is probably the same suplier for Salt Lake and CO. I almost bought a Vanderwulf and am now happy I did not.

pcan,
Helping others learn from my multitude of mistakes is a service I happily provide! ;o)
Barb

Yellow conifers that burn such as 'Skylands' 'Tom Thumb Gold' just any thing won't do as mentioned above. You need to use 60/40 filtered screening material. These conifers need indirect light to stay yellow and need air. So don't surround them with a box or sheet or just ANYTHING. Good air filtration and filtered sun are a must.

Most green conifers need no screening. Lack of proper watering techniques is usually their down fall about half the time. The other 50 % that croak can be traced to the root system or the lack of it in the case of B&B. Potted materal always pop the plant out of the pot forroot bound material.

Dave

pcan,
Just came back from HD. I returned the dead mugo's and got a full refund in the form of a store credit card that I can use at any US HD store. While that doesn't completely make up for our root washing efforts, we know we can get a refund if the new trees fail in the next year.
The trees I bought at HD were marked b and b, so I knew I'd have to do some root exploring when I planted them. I did some Felco surgery on them and am now contemplating removing some branches as Dax suggested.
I saw those Hinoki's and they're beautiful. I think it's too dry and windy here for me to try one. I hope yours makes it!
Barb