First point, growing in a pot for very long is never going to be good for a potentially full-size tree. So any speculations about how it's performing has to take that into account.

It's ready to be planted in it's siting next spring.

I put in a pot so I can leave it there for a growing season and see how it fares given it's siting

Where are you located?

tj

You cannot compare a conifer grown in a container to one grown in the ground. Apples and oranges. Growing a conifer (or any tree or shrub, really) in a container is a natural stunting or dwarfing process, as the confines of a container restricts root development, which in turn restricts growth.

Wait to see how the graft may impact growth once the conifer has been growing in terra firma for at least one full season.

(edited to correct appalling typos......sorry)

btw, 'terra firma' just means solid ground :-)) Not a reference to grafting root stock.

Presuming it's been on my firma for at least 2 seasons from the nursery (or at least 1)

It's been in a container for a 2 full seasons - 23:24. The head has gotten bigger, a WAG but about 12 inches -15 inches now. Rootball has gained....observed by the lift. Just slighlty thrown off that it was just not as *long*