I would say it's definitely to late to plant if your in zone 5b... I'm in zone 5b here in Ohio... the temps at night are already in the 20's and the daytime highs are mid 30's. The ground isn't frozen yet, but soon will be. My last planting day was the 2nd or 3rd week in October while temps were still in the 40's & 50's. That will allow the roots to get somewhat established before the ground freezes. Your location could be different... right now all I see when I look outside is snow... which would make it impossible for me to plant anyhow.

If the ground was warm enough to work I would give it a try. If it is not, what are ya gonna do? Pot them up?

In my experience Metasequoia is a bit picky but not impossible to keep in a pot. I give the pot in particular a sheltered location. Not too much sun to cook the roots. Nice thing is they are difficult to overwater.

Thank you guys for the reply. I replied eariler asking if I could plant them if the ground wasn' t frozen yet but I must have not gone through.

I tried to dig a hole yesterday and it wasn't bad. It just seemed like I was digging in semi dried clay. We are going to have a breif warm up for 2-3 days next week with highs in the 40-50s and I was planning on planting them then since they will be shipped out Monday.

I am very new to the gardening scene and have a lot to learn and so many questions to ask. I have 2 more questions if it isn't a hassle.

1. So in regards to planting, As long as the ground isn't frozen and hard as a brick I can plant anything at anytime? Even this late into fall?

2. What are the cons of planting this late and what could cause the trees to die for planting this late?

I planned on digging a 3' radius circle and removing the grass, then plant the Redwoods and mulch around them. I plan on giving them a good soaking...

you say they are bare root ... are they dormant.. leafless??

and what is your native soil ... freezing the roots into an ice cube will not be good ...

and where in z5 ...

regardless.... 4 foot trees will probably not live indoors ...

who sent them to you this time of year ... with that timing.. they ought to guarantee such ... frankly ..... not much of a nurseryman.. in my estimate ... please dont tell me.. arborday .... lol ...

i recall the name.. but not the other post... review the planting guide at the link

you wouldnt happen to have a polebarn???? .. i would pot them.. and put them in the polebarn .... but not in an attached garage ... mostly.. because its full of junk.. lol ...

the bottom line... its time to stop buying in z5 .... its very hard.. for a newb ..... now .... you start making lists and plans for shipping at the next proper planting time .... which will be in late march .. but 'potted' ... key word there ... can be held in a garage for a few weeks.. until proper planting time ...

my planting schedule:

in my z5 mi ... i plant as soon as the soil thaws in spring ... or 6 to 8 weeks BEFORE the heat of summer ... basically call that april ...

or in october.. 6 to 8 weeks before ground freeze ....

dave in z5 ... st louis ... shawnee.. whatever... is much more temperate .... so he might squeeze out a few extra weeks ... HE CAN ANSWER FOR HIMSELF .... but i bet he still isnt planting 12/1 .. etc ... z5 .. really means nothing ... because it is so diverse and large an area ... where are you???

ken

Here is a link that might be useful: link

Thanks Ken. Yes they are dormant and yes they are leafless. My native soil is clay and Im in zone 5B (Lafayette, IN 47909). No I don't have a polebarn but I do have a garage that is clear of junk lol.

Is there anything I can do to save these tree from death? Would potting them and placing them in a non insulated garage be a option? If so, what the best type of potting media for these trees? Thanks

They aren't 4'... I meant to put 3'. They are in the 30-36 " range.

EDIT: I think Im going to give it a go and plant them in ground. I just went outside and the weather is perfect and will stay that way from now to Friday with temps in the mid to high 40s. The soil outside right now is really soft and easy to dig.

This post was edited by Cal_00 on Sat, Nov 30, 13 at 12:44

outside is the best option.. let ma nature take care of them ...

who sent them to you this late.. and why????

ken

I bought these from a online seller. It wasn't their fault. I should have known that planting them in my zone at this time isn't optimal. Like I said in my main post, I've because a gardening addict and when I see a tree or plant I like I want it now! Since now I have learned my lesson I will buy seeds instead till Spring when I can resume on making a backyard forest haha. Thanks again for the input Ken

If the tree is cold hardy to your zone, it really should not matter if you plant now. I have several Dawn Reds and Bald Cypress in pots but I am waiting for milder weather in March to work outside for me, not the trees. (It is different for broad leaved evergreens--these should definitely be planted in Spring where winters are cold). If you wait till Spring you will need to keep the pots protected from very hard frost but cool enough to prevent leafing out. Aim for chilly. Good luck!

P.S., make sure you give these trees space...they are MASSIVE, and grow very fast!

Thanks Nj, I have the perfect spot for them where they will be away from any other tree from a 40' radius. Just out of curiosity what type of soil are your potted Redwoods in?

I've because a gardening addict and when I see a tree or plant I like I want it now!

==>> yeah.. been there.. still suffering that .. lol

regardless.. an HONEST seller would be aware of you city.. state and zone.. AND SHOULD NOT HAVE SHIPPED IT .... crikey.. they had to print the mailing label ....

you can not ... shorten dawn redwood.. to redwood.. its just so wrong ... its making my head hurt.. lol...

now is the time to learn latin.. on this new addiction.. and stick with it ...

redwoods simply DIE!!! .. in IN and NJ ...

you did NOT buy a redwood.. and nobody is talking about redwood ... so dont call them redwoods ....

trees in pots belong in cactus mix.. if you cant make your own mix.. a couple billion references to al's gritty mix.. should you wish to use the GW search engine ...

your only issue with planting.. right now.. is watering in semi frozen clay ... as noted.. the trees dont care.. they are dormant ...

ken

Easy quick mix for wintering your trees....

5 scoops of pine or fir bark mulch (1/2 inch or smaller)
1 scoop of perlite
1 scoop of potting mix

The mix will fall away from the roots easily when you are ready to transplant.

Josh

Well, actually, Dawn Redwood (Metasequoia) IS one of the three subfamilies of 'redwood', the other two being 'Sequoia' (genus of Coast Redwood) and the Sequoiadendron (Big Tree).

http://www.savetheredwoods.org/redwoods/index.php

Here is a link that might be useful: Redwood varieties

This post was edited by njoasis on Sat, Nov 30, 13 at 17:53