how small is the pot ... how far apart are the trunks??? .. any chance at a pic??

id probably bare root them near the end of dormancy.. and space them appropriately ... if you want t grouping that is fine.. but give them some space ... between plants... lets say.. maybe at least a foot????

whats you goal here ... plant them according to that ...

ken

While growth of evergreens slows to a crawl when temperatures dip below 40*, they don't go dormant. It isn't clear whether you'll be transplanting into the landscape or into a larger pot. Let you decision insofar as spacing in the landscape be based on whether or not you want the end effect to be multiple trees that essentially work together to appear as one single tree, as seen in this planting of Japanese maples in the mother and daughter style.

There are 2 trees, but the outline appears to be a single tree.

If you want trees to stand out as individual specimens, you'll need to divide the clump you have and space them appropriately in the landscape. If you intend to keep them in a pot, they would look best if you utilized 1, 2, or 3 trees in a single pot. With the exception of '2', odd numbers of trees look best in clump/ grove/ forest plantings until the number of trees is larger than 9, which is the number chosen as the delineator between the eye being able to discern whether or not there is an odd or even number of trees (without counting). Also, whether in the landscape or in a pot, tree spacing looks best when the trees appear to be positioned randomly. Example, if you were using 3 trees, 2 would be close together on the left side of an oval pot and toward the rear, while the 3rd tree would be widely separated from the other 2 trees forward of their position and not the same distance from the right side of the pot as the 2 closer trees are from the left side of the pot.

So, in the landscape you can either plant the trees as close as possible or space them out appropriately. If they're to be allowed to grow to maturity, they should be at least 12 ft apart.

What I've found to be true of multiple tree plantings in the same pot: As long as the trees don't become rootbound, the increase in o/a mass of group plantings will be much faster than a single specimen. However, once the trees become rootbound, whether it's a group or a single tree, if all is equal, there will be no notable difference in the increase in mass between a single tree and a group planting.

Your trees are a good example of how confusing common names can be. I've heard it called Kusamaki, Yew plum pine, souther, Buddhist pine, Chinese Podocarpus, Chinese yew pine, and Japanese yew. The most used common name for Podocarpus macrophyllus is 'yew plum pine'. It is neither a yew nor a plum nor a pine. True Japanese yews would be in the genus Taxus and the species is cuspidata, though your tree's cultural wants other than temperature extremes are very much like the true yews.

Abbreviated reply: "..... in the Spring when I transplant, can I continue them as a multiple planting or should they be separated." Neither choice represents a problem. "I ..... was wondering how tolerant/intolerant they are with company in their containers." Like all trees I've worked with, they should give no indication of stress associated with multiple trees in the same container; however, before you add other trees or herbaceous plants to the container, check to see if any of the plants you intend to combine have a reputation of being allelopathic to neighbors.

Al

Unless you are in a super mild part of NJ like Cape May, just a warning that another winter like 2013 or 1994 or 1985 will severely damage them. Unless climate change has precluded the possibility of that. It's not clear to me whether outdoor planting is what you intended.

They are a strong growing species and my inclination would be to say they need their own pot, and a large one.

While I have in past years repeatedly overwintered them outside, these are all going to be containerized. Aside from arctic vortices, there is another factor limiting my planting options..., DEER, they do eat them. LOL. Since I have four, I have decided to grow one (the more robust one), as a single in its own container, and experiment with the other three as a bonsai project and the odd number three. Thanks to all that have responded with their knowledge and insight!