Want to re-pot whips, do now or wait until next year?

[d000hg]

I have two bare whips (apple and pear) which have done pretty well but are only in pretty small pots (say 1 foot cubes). I don't know how big they would get before the pot is outgrown but I want to re-pot them to bigger pots anyway. However, is now a good time or do I need to make sure they are totally settled in for the winter?

[Glutton4...]

Personally, I would wait until they're fully dormant. But I'm not the fruit tree expert - you need FB for that! I'm sure He'll be along shortly...

[orangepippin]

I agree with Glutton4, you might as well wait until the tree is dormant - late November.

[FB.]

Winter - say December-February - is best for re-potting.
Although the branches may not have leaves in autumn, the roots continue to grow on autumn-winter days until the soil drops below 6'C; the roots are recycling all the nutrients salvaged from the leaves before they fell in autumn.
Damage to roots while the plant is in leaf or in the few weeks before it leafs-out or the few weeks after leaves fall can allow root-rotting fungi to establish themselves which may kill the tree a few years later. Not to mention the loss of resources and reduced vigour the plant suffers if soft young roots are damaged.