Digging up a peppermint

[Raymond B]

Hi guys, this is my first post!
I can have this peppermint tree and was wondering what's the best way to go with getting it ready to move into a pot. It is currently at my mother in laws place. This is the only photo I've got, it's just short of 3 m tall (It's the skinny one in the middle

[thoglette]

Don't let the fine roots dry out or get damaged. Get as much of the existing rootball as possible - if you can promote root growth near the surface NOW do it.

Not as bad as L. Scoparium but peppermints will go from green to dead without warning.

[elljuu]

Is this an edible peppermint plant? Like the little plants you use in cooking

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[KIRKY]

This is a Eucalyptus Nicholii (gum tree) not the same as Peppermint for cooking. That is a ground cover growing herb.
Cheers
Kirky

[elljuu]

Oh its the gum tree. Nice I wonder how it will look as a bonsai.

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[Raymond B]

Thanks for the reply thoglette, I wanted to have a go at pruning it today, but didn't get the chance. Will hopefully get time to do it next week

[Raymond B]

This is a Eucalyptus Nicholii (gum tree) not the same as Peppermint for cooking. That is a ground cover growing herb.
Cheers
Kirky

It's most likely A.Flexuosa, I'm here in WA where I don't think you get the E.Nicholii

[Raymond B]

So I chopped the trunk down to the first shoot. Hopefully it grows some more shoots and I can dig it up maybe next year. One thing I want to ask, if someone knows, is what can I do about the leaves if some of them look like the ones in the second photo? Sorry about the photos, it was getting a bit dark

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[Lane]

As you have time on your side it is beneficial to put vertical cuts with a spade around the circumference of the trunk, do this in stages every month or so, to promote root growth closer to the trunk.

The tap root heading straight down is likely to be your biggest threat when it comes time to dig.

[Raymond B]

I was thinking of doing that but the ground is rock hard. Gonna be a bit of hard work

[brodoyouevenbonsai]

You should have no problem getting it to survive. Last August i dug a peppy (agonis flexuosa) up and bare root it. A year on its still alive and healthy. Not sure about the leaves. Someone with a bit more experience might be able to help.
Chris

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[Raymond B]

Getting some good budding at the base

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[Raymond B]

Still haven't got around to digging it yet, but that's scheduled for sometime this spring. These are the latest photos, they're not super great, hard to isolate the tree from the background.

[thoglette]

Still haven't got around to digging it yet, but that's scheduled for sometime this spring.

As long as you manage the roots, keeping it in the ground is the fastest way to get trunk.