Insulating pots for trees?

[WelshGirl]

Hopefully this is in the right section...
I've ordered a Summer Sun cherry tree which I intend to grow in a large pot outside at least for the forseeable future, and I just read something that said you should insulate pots to protect the roots of the tree... Does anyone know how and what I should insulate it with?
Thanks for the help!

[starloc]

I usualy dont bother with insulating pots, as long as there not realy tiny, the compost froze solid on most this year as i didnt bother and they are all growing buds and leaves now

I have in the past wrapped the pots in the winter with bubble wrap, other times i have put boards allong a row of pots and filled the gap oinbetween with straw, other times i have the pot in a hole in the floor o stop it blowing over and insulate it

[Gwen11ian]

You could put a couple of layers of bubble wrap around the inside of the pot before putting the soil and roots in. Ensure you leave the drainage open though. Then in winter you could set it on top of a piece of polystyrene for extra frost protection. But as starloc said, as long as it's a large pot you should be fine.. although you should look at protecting the blooms from early spring frosts.

[Nicos]

I brought out some huge pots to France and was really worried about them cracking in the frost. They'd been wrapped in bubblewrap for transporting- so I just ran this round the inside of the pot before putting in the soil and plant.
They were fine with the -13C we had- and they're North/East facing.
Obviously by lining them it does in effect make the pot smaller so the tree is more likely to dry out in the summer- just chose a bigger pot I'd suggest, and bubblewrap the inside ( unless of course you've got a greenhouse you can pop it into overwinter????

[Snadger]

I have had an apple tree in a pot for 3 years without insulating it..........maybe I'm just lucky!

When I was preparing my allotment I had fruit bushes in pots which I buried up to the neck in the soil until I had a place for them. This meant I had less watering to do and the pots didn't get blown over!

[Rossa]

I've just ordered a Sunburst cherry tree and asked the supplier if it would grow in the North of England as some varieties don't like the cold. Same with all fruit trees, it's best to check if they're happy in the cold, dark, damp North....love it here really...lol!