to break up a rootball or not to?

**toker89** · 08-09-2012, 03:57 AM

so i have a severely rootbound plant in a 1 gallon pot. i am planning to transplant in a 2 gallon next watering, but i just want to know what is the recommended method of dealing with the rootball. should i break it up or just leave it alone? i've seen people who recommend gently cutting it with a razor or just teasing out the roots a bit. then there others who just leave it be and let the plant sort itself out after transplanting.

my first intsinct is to just transplant and leave the rootball alone since i like to play it safe but what do you guys recommend? is it really necessary to cut the rootball or is that just to speed things up?

**bud nugbong** · 08-09-2012, 04:13 AM

definatly tease it a little bit to let it know its not in the pot anymore. If its severly rootbound the roots have been going in circles enough to make a wall out of itself. just break it up a little bit and pull some strands to get them headed out.

**Rimiv** · 08-09-2012, 05:19 AM

Hey, check the 'how to make a bonsai' guide that's about (Google for it), it explains how to cut down the rootball. Really easy if it's a square pot, you just slice it down a little, will improve plant's health and nutritional uptake tremendously despite how odd it might feel cutting away some of the plant.

**dannyboy602** · 08-09-2012, 07:34 AM

remove plant from pot.
score the rootball to losen the roots...with scissors or a knife. also you can remove the entire bottom of the rootball if it's really potbound.
plant into a pot that's 2 or 3 sizes larger. ie...1 to 3gal...or 3 to 5 gal. that's standard. you shouldn't go one size up. it doesn't allow for proper repotting. and it almost always leaves air spaces in the new pot...that could be a problem later on

to break up a rootball or not to?

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