Repotting guide

When & how to repot Nottingham medlar (Mespilus germanica 'Nottingham')

Also called Nottingham medlar, medlar 'Nottingham'.

More about nottingham medlar

About Nottingham medlar

Mespilus germanica 'Nottingham' · also called Nottingham medlar, medlar 'Nottingham' · edible

One of the oldest named medlar cultivars, 'Nottingham' is an upright small tree producing smaller-than-average fruits with exceptional, complex flavour once bletted. Hardy to USDA zone 4, self-fertile, and largely trouble-free. Fruits are harvested after the first frosts and stored indoors for several weeks until soft, sweet, and ready to eat.

Mature size: 4–8 m tall × 4–8 m wide (13–26 ft); often kept smaller with pruning at 2.5–4 m

Watch for — Powdery mildew (Podosphaera clandestina): White powdery coating on young leaves and shoots in dry spells; more cosmetic than harmful on established trees. Improve air circulation; water roots rather than foliage. Resistant varieties are preferable in high-risk areas.

How to tell nottingham medlar needs repotting

Repotting on a calendar is less reliable than reading the plant. For nottingham medlar, watch for these signs:

Roots circling the bottom of the module or pot, or poking out of the drainage holes.
The seedling dries out within a day and growth has visibly stalled.
Roots are white and matted in a tight spiral when you tip the plant out.
It has outgrown its current container for the stage of the season — pot nottingham medlar on before it becomes hard root-bound.

For the underlying biology of a pot-bound root system and why it stalls a plant, see our guide to spotting and fixing a root-bound plant.

How often to repot nottingham medlar

Pot on seedlings as they grow; not a perennial repot. Nottingham medlaris grown for one season, so the question is really “how often to pot on” — keep moving it up before the roots circle. Deciduous small tree; upright and more compact than the species; twiggy, slightly pendulous outer branches at maturity; large leathery leaves with good autumn colour.

What size pot to step nottingham medlar up to

Pot nottingham medlar on gradually — a seedling jumped straight into a huge pot sits in cold, wet, airless soil and stalls. Step up one or two sizes at a time as the roots fill each container, finishing in a large final pot or the ground. The aim is roots that never circle and never check.

Not sure of the exact diameter? Our pot size calculator takes the current pot and root spread and tells you the right next size — it deliberately recommends a single step up, never a big jump.

The best time of year to repot nottingham medlar

Pot nottingham medlar on through the active growing season, whenever roots fill the current container — there is no single date, just "before it becomes root-bound". Avoid potting on during a cold snap.

Step-by-step: repotting nottingham medlar

Pot on before it is root-bound. Check nottingham medlar regularly; move it up as soon as roots reach the edge of the cell or pot, not after they have circled.
Step up one or two sizes. Choose the next container up — not a giant one. Cold, wet, unused soil around a small root system stalls seedlings.
Knock it out gently. Support the stem, tip the pot, and ease the rootball out without breaking it. A little teasing of circled roots at the base is fine.
Pot into rich mix. Set it into fresh moderately fertile, moist but well-drained soil; ph 6.0–7.0 preferred at the same depth (tomatoes are the exception — they can go deeper to root along the stem).
Water in and grow on. Water well, keep it in good light, and resume feeding once it is established and growing again.

Aftercare

Water nottingham medlar in well and keep it in bright light; a freshly potted-on seedling can wilt for a day while roots settle, so do not overcompensate by drowning it. Do not fertilise for about 1 week — fresh mix already carries nutrients and feeding freshly disturbed roots scorches them.

The right soil mix for nottingham medlar

Nottingham medlar wants moderately fertile, moist but well-drained soil; ph 6.0–7.0 preferred. Tolerates chalk, clay, loam, and sand. A slightly acid to neutral pH (around 6.5) is ideal. Medlars are unfussy by fruit-tree standards but dislike permanently wet roots. Mulch in spring to retain moisture and feed the root zone. Always use fresh mix when you repot — reusing old, broken-down soil reintroduces the compaction and poor drainage you are repotting to fix.

Repotting nottingham medlar — frequently asked questions

How often should you repot nottingham medlar?

Pot on seedlings as they grow; not a perennial repot for nottingham medlar. Nottingham medlar is a seasonal crop, so you pot it on as a growing plant rather than repotting a perennial. Step seedlings up gradually into moderately fertile, moist but well-drained soil; ph 6.0–7.0 preferred so the roots never circle the cell, ending in a large final container. A root-bound transplant stalls and never fully recovers.

What size pot does nottingham medlar need?

When is the best time of year to repot nottingham medlar?

Can you put nottingham medlar straight into a much bigger pot?

No. Even a fast-growing nottingham medlar should only go up one pot size at a time. A vastly oversized pot holds a reservoir of wet soil the roots cannot reach, which stays cold and soggy and rots the roots — the opposite of what you wanted.

Should you fertilise nottingham medlar after repotting?

Not immediately. Wait about 1 week after repotting nottingham medlar. Fresh mix already contains nutrients, and feeding freshly cut or disturbed roots burns them. Resume your normal feeding routine once you see new growth.