I always fill a big plastic trug with warm water (for my comfort in low temps) and work the root ball under water, never in the open air - the diffence in how the roots untangle in water is absolute. Today on my 12th root work this fall I had the most root bound one, a big mugo pine. I had to sacrifice most of the fine matting roots to get the medium and large ones separated but finally got them all done. The girdles when unwound or pulled through from the interior and the kinks, J's and U's can be pulled out (to be anchored with clay lumps in their extended position when planting). As for J's and U's in really thick roots that are simply unworkable, that's the evidence to then take back to the vendor, the plant being maybe two seasons overdue for potting out and so unsaleable.

You get a root knot at the base of the stem because the roots were left too long in a small container early in the game, not because of something that happened later in the cycle.

I threw out a 35 dollar grafted cypress because the grower had somehow managed to produce it sitting on a root that looked like a Jehovah's Witnesses female hair braid - it consisted entirely of two roots twining around one another multiple times.

The only woody stock I see offered here that is not consistently rootbound is that customarily sold bare-rooted, such as orchard fruit trees, berry bushes and grafted roses. Anything where the roots are more or less completely hidden at time of final purchase there is a very high likelihood of a nightmare being concealed within.

Grafted conifers I seldom buy because of the consistent use of corkscrew rootstocks. Hence the wobbling, staked and tied tops of even quite small specimens.

Sometimes you can see the deflected roots coming out of the top of the container medium or field soil. I have seen 300 dollar tubbed camellias with tight turnips or small squares of roots sitting on top of the soil, in full view.

I don't make a point of squawking about it (or mislabeled stock) to retail staff because they are generally not "open to it", in a garden center industry that still has a component that tells purchasers to amend planting hole backfill, leave the roots undisturbed at planting and so on.

Even when the person I approach is a buyer or manager. But growers are not going to stop sending out rootbound stock until there is a significant backlash.

Let me quickly play devil's advocate. We've all bought rootbound plants (at least I have) and even in the cases where they are sitting on a gigantic turnip twisted root I've dug them big holes, filled them with loose soil and untangled what I could, but didn't sweat it if they still looked like a trainwreck. I've even just broke off or cut off what roots are sticking out (although I usually manage to plant without breaking off any roots) I've never lost one yet. Maybe I'm just lucky, but I don't see tossing out a tree just because it's rootbound (especially if it's for sale at a ridiculously low price) I say give your green thumb a workout. Great example, last month I went to my local Lowe's. They were having an end of the season clearance sale. I wasn't planning on buying trees, but they had 2 Tolleson's Blue Weeping Junipers, both staked and over 6 feet tall, for $10 each! Of course they were rootbound, in fact there was more root than soil in their pots, but you better believe I took both! Their retail price was $70 each and I love blues and weepers so it was a no brainer. So far they seem to be thriving in the ground and look better than when I bought them. It's worth the risk, trees are a lot more resilient than we think sometimes.

I've dug up and transplanted several conifers that I had bought back on my learning curve and just planted in the solid cylinder shape left by the pot without any thought. One mugo had started to erupt out somewhat but all the others were still completely in the original state. I untangled all and replanted with flaired roots. The non intervention method surely risks constriction with only partial eruption and sub par growth or deterioration the result.

Thank you all for your insight!

I bought this tree from a reputable nursery with a one-year return policy.

How/When would I know that it was doing well enough that it doesn't need to be returned?

I think my message got lost in translation while travelling over the pond...;-) I didn't mean to imply you should simply unpot and plant "as is" your trees, I meant that if you discover a tree is rootbound you don't have to toss it into the garbage, that to me is wasteful and unfair to the innocent tree btw. All is not lost, it doesn't require major surgery, just spread the roots out when you replant. I don't understand the point of returning a rootbound plant, if that's the species you want all the rest in that shipment/age range will be rootbound too, either you want the species or you don't. I only buy from nurseries with 1 year tree guarantees, a permanently root-damaged tree will show signs of failure well before that deadline. I've never had to use the guarantee, as I said maybe I've been lucky. If I see a plant that's on my wishlist, suspicions that it's rootbound won't prevent me from buying a healthy looking specimen. I certainly won't return it if my suspicions are true, I've got the guarantee so there's really no risk only the benefits of one year's growth on a tree I really wanted, that's priceless as far as I'm concerned. Now here comes the Greek philosopher in me: I live in a part of the world where conifers grow out of tiny fissures in solid granite cliffs. Around lake tahoe, a region dominated by conifers, you can't put a shovel more than two inches into the soil without hitting a boulder. Don't you suppose these trees are highly root constricted, perhaps even rootbound, for their entire lives? Could being rootbound actually be the normal natural state for some conifers? My devil's advocacy is working overtime today...

Speaking of the devil: What you do with old, rootbound stock (So it won't tip over in the wind later) is set the plant, still in its pot, down on the ground where you want to plant it. Now, carefully mark the exact shape of the pot bottom with your spade. Take plant away, and dig out a hole to exact size of rootball, or "cylinder" as the case may be! Now, insert the plant tightly into that space you've dug out. Discard any extra soil and tamp firmly to make sure the thing stays put! Don't water until you're sure there's a good stretch of hot and dry weather coming. Then water it just enough so that once the sun has baked the whole mess into brick-like consistency, it will be cemented in place!

Here's this thing:

;^)

+oM

I've had shrubs fall over nearly flat under the weight of snow after about 25 years in place, discovered they had pivoted over on base-of-stem root turnips.

The whole top was being supported up to that point by the occasional major roots that had managed to grow out of the turnip shape.

Friends cut down a long-established stripebark maple recently that was oozing from the trunk, above a constricting, circling root.

If there are multiple pots of the plant I want available, I, with no shame, will gently pull them all out of their pots and check the roots. Sometimes if you really want it you just have to decide how much is too much work to do. I usually wash then detangle.

To bboy: And there are hundreds of thousands of examples of trees with picture perfect root systems that fell after 25yrs because of a snow/wind/rainstorm. How many of the tree casualties in New Jersey this week were caused by being rootbound vs. hurricane winds? I think a lot of the rootbound stuff is paranoia frankly, when I go into detailed discussions the fatality rates always are either anecdotal or well within normal mortality rates. I've seen plenty of maples ooze sap because of environmental conditions and disease, what makes you think it was caused by being constricted by a circling root? Is that a common sign of being rootbound in maples? Is it a fatal condition? How much of this is urban legend?

Hi, I want to make it clear I'm not trying to pick a fight with anyone, I'm just being provocative. I'm not in the nursery business so there's no incentive for me to convince you to buy rootbound trees lol! I was just using the Socratic method, not being snarky. I'm a sucker for critical thinking. Cheers.

The last 2 trees from Forestfarm I got (a Pond and Southwestern white pine) were hideously rootbound. I had to cut out at least 50% of the roots on each.

Both sulked in the ground for yrs and even their survival was in question. Finally, after 4 years, they turned the corner & now are getting established & grew ~2.5' this yr.

I like Forestfarm, but even they didn't/couldn't address the grown-in-pot issue of girdled roots.

Man, what a waste of time that was......my intended humorous break in this dialogue fell with a barely noticeable thud. OR was that the sound of people accepting it as well-intended nonsense?

+oM

Remember, most are oh so serious about their plants and their plantings. Even when they don't know what the Hell they are talking about.

what a waste of time that was......my intended humorous break in this dialogue fell with a barely noticeable thud.

===>>> yeah.. welcome to my world ...

the short story regarding the above.. is to do away with INSTANT GRATIFICATION... and buy very small young.. second year grafts ... do the untangling.. and wait 5 or 10 years ...

i just dont understand.. how you expect some wholesaler.. to grow a tree for 10 to 15 years ... to 3 to 5 feet tall ... so you can spend 200 to 500$ for it.. for that instant kick.. and then complain.. because.. get this.. its been grown in pots for 5 , 10 or 15 years ..

or in the alternative.. they didnt get enough root when ball and burlapping it ...

whatever ...

either pay the 500 to 1000$ for PRIME large stock.. or dont come complaining to me ... that that end of year bargain.. is a mess ...

===>>>> do you think they will get it +om???? ... wink, wink

ken

ps: same with the rooted plants .. juniper ..cham .. they started with a 6 inch twig that rooted.. how many years to be able to sell that 3 to 5 foot plant???? .. crimminey.. buy it at 12 inches.. and guess what.. its not as root bound ,....

do go ahead and buy the bargain ... just dont complain.. when your bargain is NOT prime USDA beef ...

whatever the heck that means ...

most of them might only live 20 to 50 years ...

ken

Sad plants often fail to establish and develop well. Wasting time and money on junk is not the road to satisfaction.

+om, you forgot to mention using a post hole digger for that 'perfect' hole.
Mike....with a PHD

Some here think they know what they are talking about but in reality don't know what the hell they are talking about.

I can only think of 3-4 on this forum that give correct answers and know what the hell they are talking about.

The rest including me fall into the other category.

This I do know. Your main concerns about survivability are unanswerable. All potted root bound plants are unique to their own set of roots. It's a guessing game as to know if the plant will accept the surgery you preformed on it. It is important to keep as many hair follicle roots as possible. These are the main players that will feed and keep you plant alive until it develops additional root growth.

Interior yellowing of foliage is normal especially this time of year.

Should you have kept it. No.

For sure you will know by early next summer if your plant will live.

Dave

Typically I "bare root" my potted plants if it's during the dormant season (and sometimes even if not) so I can inspect the rootball for such issues, and untangle if possible.

Best case, I get a bare root plant with FAR more preserved roots than a field-dug, worst case, I return it or toss it.

Hehe..I somehow failed to get back to this thread in a timely fashion. Botann, your post hole digger pseudo-suggestion reminds me of an issue I'm dealing with constantly on the job-that of landscape contractors that use augers to plant trees. In the world I inhabit, augers are simply not a part of tree planting. The Forestry Dept. of which I am associated has used a stump grinder for years. This is absolutely the perfect equipment for producing that wide, shallow planting "bed" to set the tree in. But I understand not everybody's got one of these, nor are many of the sites I deal with in the Stormwater component of my job, which is where all the guys with augers are showing up, accessible to a large, tractor-drawn implement.

Maybe I'd better start a new thread over in "Trees" on that one. There is much to be said.

My worst root adjustment was on my own property up north. Found some delightful looking Abies nordmanniana at the end-of-year hose-out sale. Too good to pass up. It was Nov.-getting kind of late to be planting trees up that far north. Well of course, the roots wound around and around inside those big pots. I did what I could but either it wasn't enough or as I more strongly suspect, it was too late in the year for that amount of root work. These charming plants were more than half dead by the next growing season. Essentially, they are now little deformed fir bushes, not entirely dead, but also not likely to make a decent recovery. I'm going to walk through all my plantings yet this year sometime if I can beat the snow and see what I've got there. But I don't expect much.

+oM

I'd like to clarify my PHD remark in case there's some confusion. PHD is a Post Hole Digger.
Mike

No I got you, Bot. I know you know, I just don't know if somebody that might wander on here that doesn't know all that much would know! Ya know?

;^)

+oM

Ok - please forgive my ignorance. Is the method Severn mentioned above different than the "bare-rooting" that Joe mentioned? I had seen this thread a few days ago, so with all my plants that I planted today, I pretty much did Severn's method, although I didn't cut any roots out (except this one REALLY bad stiff J root that would've just stuck up out of the ground), because some people (I think maybe Ken?) had said you don't want to do root surgery this late, or at least very minimal since the plant is going dormant and won't have time to grow new roots to store energy for the Winter. I was taking root "surgery" to mean the cutting part though. But the untangling and taking off all the soil is ok to do at any time - dormant or not - right? Or not?

So on my end-of-season-clearance-at-Lowes shop a couple weeks ago, I had bought a 4" pot of Picea abies 'Nidiformis' for $2.00. During my dutiful unraveling, turns out there were TWO of those (poor) suckers in there so I got a "2-fer"! Although the roots were pretty much ALL J's... So who knows if either one will live... Did that shop before finding this forum... Sigh. I won't even tell you about the poor Rhodie I had also gotten and worked on (and probably destroyed)... Double sigh...

Mary