English oak help

[AlanAlan]

A few weeks go I was given this oak tree, it was planted in this pot 15 years ago as an acorn, the guy said he never fed it and every 5 years or so took it out and trimmed the roots, I have fed it a couple of times, do I need to put it in a bigger pot or just keep feeding it regularly? the trunk seems quite thin for a tree of this age.
Any suggestions appreciated as I’m a novice

 

[Wires_Guy_wires]

The pot is not 15 years old, it's not weathered enough to be 15.
I have oaks of 3 years with somewhat the same trunk size.

Can you tell us what you want to do with this oak?
Because you can potentially start refining it if you want, or grow that trunk way thicker. But your course of action depends on your wishes, and above all else: what the root system is like.
Some oaks can live off of one huge tap root that could better be fixed asap (in the right season). If it has a nice bundle of nicely spaced roots, a bigger pot would be good for growing the tree larger.

Feeding it can help it grow. But depending on where you're at, it's unlikely to push more growth now so a light feed would suffice.

 

[AlanAlan]

The pot is not 15 years old, it's not weathered enough to be 15.
I have oaks of 3 years with somewhat the same trunk size.

Can you tell us what you want to do with this oak?
Because you can potentially start refining it if you want, or grow that trunk way thicker. But your course of action depends on your wishes, and above all else: what the root system is like.
Some oaks can live off of one huge tap root that could better be fixed asap (in the right season). If it has a nice bundle of nicely spaced roots, a bigger pot would be good for growing the tree larger.

Feeding it can help it grow. But depending on where you're at, it's unlikely to push more growth now so a light feed would suffice.

How do I start to refine it or grow the trunk? My plans were to thicken the trunk over time and trim it so keep it neat, I appreciate they grow very slowly here in the UK but wasn’t sure if a bigger pot would help or to keep it in this one.
Do I need to inspect the root system?
It seems to have perked up since I got it and fed it but that may just be in my head

 

[Wulfskaar]

In late winter/early spring, you'll probably want to repot. When you do, put in better soil. Also, consider making a small grow box to put it in.

On the roots, I wouldn't trim the taproot unless there are plenty of smaller roots above where you cut. I've tried cutting young oak taproots and they end up dead quickly.

Good soil that drains freely, a little room for the roots to grow, and regular fertilizing will help this tree grow faster.

 

[AlanAlan]

Thanks for the replies, grow box it is