Hot take: Root bound definition

[Wires_Guy_wires]

Merriam Webster defines a plant being root bound as "A tangled mess with little to no room for new growth".

I agree with this definition. Because being root bound is a problem for plants, and there are signs like yellowing foliage, wilting, growth retardation, pushing the rootmass above the pot rim, and a couple more.

I disagree with the idea that circling roots around the edge of a container are a sign of being root bound. Because it's not. It's a sign that the roots favor hugging against the container walls over being in the center of the container. It's what roots do.

Plants being rootbound almost always involves circling roots. But not all circling roots are caused by being rootbound.

As you might suspect, I've done a stroll around ye olde internet again and it irks me that people call circling roots around the edge of a pot 'Root bound'.
Over the course of a year I've seen a lot of people do repotting based on the assumption that circling roots mean that there's no more room for growth. But that's not it. There's plenty of room usually, and let's be honest: the roots always probe the container walls first, and get to branch in the core of the container later.

This post is meant to spark a discussion and maybe change some minds. Let us know what your opinion is about what being rootbound is, and maybe just as important: what it isn't.

 

[BobbyLane]

Merriam Webster defines a plant being root bound as "A tangled mess with little to no room for new growth".

I agree with this definition. Because being root bound is a problem for plants, and there are signs like yellowing foliage, wilting, growth retardation, pushing the rootmass above the pot rim, and a couple more.

I disagree with the idea that circling roots around the edge of a container are a sign of being root bound. Because it's not. It's a sign that the roots favor hugging against the container walls over being in the center of the container. It's what roots do.

Plants being rootbound almost always involves circling roots. But not all circling roots are caused by being rootbound.

As you might suspect, I've done a stroll around ye olde internet again and it irks me that people call circling roots around the edge of a pot 'Root bound'.
Over the course of a year I've seen a lot of people do repotting based on the assumption that circling roots mean that there's no more room for growth. But that's not it. There's plenty of room usually, and let's be honest: the roots always probe the container walls first, and get to branch in the core of the container later.

This post is meant to spark a discussion and maybe change some minds. Let us know what your opinion is about what being rootbound is, and maybe just as important: what it isn't.

There's two reasons for this, one is because as you say, many folk dont actually know what root bound is and two, because most newbies just want to do root work, they want to 'repot' since its a major part of doing 'good bonsai'. I think many of us went through a brief phase of wanting to do 'root work' for whatever reason we made up in the beginning.
Now when i go to a nursery and find a tree with good nebari and fibrous roots circling the pot, its a bonus, to me its just well established and probably ready for a lot of work.
A mistake most make, which youve covered is they assume its rootbound and they reduce the roots, then the tree just takes longer to develop.

 

[Ply]

Over the course of a year I've seen a lot of people do repotting based on the assumption that circling roots mean that there's no more room for growth.

Then what would be your visual cue as to when a plant is root bound?

 

[0soyoung]

"Circling roots" do not occur in air-pruning containers or slab plantings, yet such plantings can and do eventually become root bound = "A tangled mess with little to no room for new growth".

Then what would be your visual cue as to when a plant is root bound?

there are signs like yellowing foliage, wilting, growth retardation, pushing the rootmass above the pot rim, and ...

... slow percolation (of water), and ...

 

[dbonsaiw]

There's two reasons for this, one is because as you say, many folk dont actually know what root bound is and two, because most newbies just want to do root work, they want to 'repot' since its a major part of doing 'good bonsai'. I think many of us went through a brief phase of wanting to do 'root work' for whatever reason we made up in the beginning.

The mere sight of even a few circling roots was enough to convince me initially that the tree was "rootbound" - that was obviously incorrect and lead to unnecessary repots. Caring for trees in pots is not intrinsic to human knowledge and we need to learn the ins and outs. I'm only starting to appreciate this now as I discuss bonsai with friends and family and realize just how much I've learned in the past few years. Personally, no matter how much I was aware that bonsai is long process, it took me a while to begin to internalize this. I would have repeating in my head that it can take decades to develop trees as I proceeded to root prune and chop things needlessly basically as soon as I bought a tree. Surrounded by machines, plastic and concrete it takes a bit to get back to nature and understand the rhythm of trees.

 

[Wires_Guy_wires]

There's two reasons for this, one is because as you say, many folk dont actually know what root bound is and two, because most newbies just want to do root work, they want to 'repot' since its a major part of doing 'good bonsai'. I think many of us went through a brief phase of wanting to do 'root work' for whatever reason we made up in the beginning.
Now when i go to a nursery and find a tree with good nebari and fibrous roots circling the pot, its a bonus, to me its just well established and probably ready for a lot of work.
A mistake most make, which youve covered is they assume its rootbound and they reduce the roots, then the tree just takes longer to develop.

I'm in the camp of thinking "because my hands were itchy" is a solid reason to do any type of work at any time.
The bonsai police might think otherwise, but I do believe that fighting boredom, enthusiasm, exploration and playing are part of the hobby. No harm, no foul. We're all humans after all.
I'd just prefer if we all could say that out loud, and don't have to - maybe - wrongfully shout rootbound. Bonsai is fun and the root stuff is seriously lovely to do. I don't blame anyone for wanting to dig in.

Then what would be your visual cue as to when a plant is root bound?

If you don't know when a plant was last repotted, one, or highly likely more, of the following signs:
- Growth restrictions in the sense that everything was done right, and still the plant underperformed.
- A thick mat of roots when scraping the top soil.
- A thick mat of roots all the way around the pot in an equal distribution means that every space is occupied.
- Feeder roots escaping the pot holes, instead of just long whitish running roots.
- Yellowing of the older and newer foliage at the same time.
- Health decline due to water uptake issues even though the soil is optimally watered.
- The plant pushing itself out of the container.
And as naughtysoyoung said: slow percolation.

If you do know when it was repotted, the above + the question "did the top growth match the root growth?". It's unlikely that a tiny pine with 3 branches, that produced 8 needle pairs each, had serious ramified root growth in one season. Now a shohin pine with 12 branches that produced 8 needle pairs each, a decent trunk and an already worked root system, can and probably will fill a tiny pot within a year. Of course the pot size matters too.

 

[amcoffeegirl]

I have ficus and that means that fatter circling roots can cause trouble with the overall presentation if not addressed in a timely manner.
Crossing roots turn ugly fast in the growing season.
Once you let it go then you have to make larger cuts for corrections.
Just playing the devils advocate here because I too have often cut too soon. It is ok to wait for the proper season for work.

 

[Shibui]

I have ficus and that means that fatter circling roots can cause trouble with the overall presentation if not addressed in a timely manner.
Crossing roots turn ugly fast in the growing season.

Now we have another aspect. Crossing and fatter circling roots are aesthetic rather than horticultural problem. Definitely need to be addressed and corrected sooner rather than later but not to be confused with pot bound.

 

[Potawatomi13]

Merriam Webster defines a plant being root bound as "A tangled mess with little to no room for new growth".

I agree with this definition. Because being root bound is a problem for plants, and there are signs like yellowing foliage, wilting, growth retardation, pushing the rootmass above the pot rim, and a couple more.

I disagree with the idea that circling roots around the edge of a container are a sign of being root bound. Because it's not. It's a sign that the roots favor hugging against the container walls over being in the center of the container. It's what roots do.

Plants being rootbound almost always involves circling roots. But not all circling roots are caused by being rootbound.

As you might suspect, I've done a stroll around ye olde internet again and it irks me that people call circling roots around the edge of a pot 'Root bound'.
Over the course of a year I've seen a lot of people do repotting based on the assumption that circling roots mean that there's no more room for growth. But that's not it. There's plenty of room usually, and let's be honest: the roots always probe the container walls first, and get to branch in the core of the container later.

This post is meant to spark a discussion and maybe change some minds. Let us know what your opinion is about what being rootbound is, and maybe just as important: what it isn't.

Agree this far.

and playing are part of the hobby. No harm, no foul. We're all humans after all.

Completely DISAGREE! "playing", unneeded repots/root damage generally foul and harmful to tree. Not what intelligent caring tree keepers do. Itchy hands is reason for other non harmful hobby, not abusing innocent trees. No excuse for stupid actions.

 

[Wires_Guy_wires]

Glad to disagree with you @Potawatomi13
How did you learn that unneeded repots are harmfull? I can only speak for myself, but I'm the kind of person that has to find it out by doing it.

 

[Potawatomi13]

Glad to disagree with you @Potawatomi13
How did you learn that unneeded repots are harmfull? I can only speak for myself, but I'm the kind of person that has to find it out by doing it.

From others stupid mistakes! Best way to learn such things. Pay attention.

 

[Shibui]

The other beginner measure of 'pot bound' I've heard is there are roots coming from drain holes. Roots grow down and out so the first places they reach is the edges and bottom of the pots. Roots at drain holes is NOT a good measure of pot bound.

 

[Srt8madness]

The other beginner measure of 'pot bound' I've heard is there are roots coming from drain holes. Roots grow down and out so the first places they reach is the edges and bottom of the pots. Roots at drain holes is NOT a good measure of pot bound.

Roots hitting the drain hole is often how I safely can tell a plant is happily growing roots after a repot!

 

[amcoffeegirl]

Now we have another aspect. Crossing and fatter circling roots are aesthetic rather than horticultural problem. Definitely need to be addressed and corrected sooner rather than later but not to be confused with pot bound.

It is my belief that circling roots are crucial to address as these can impact the aesthetic of a bonsai quickly. They are more vigorous than the fine feeders and may throw the tree off balance in terms of growth.
It is my aim for a balanced tree.
It may not be pot bound but still need work.

 

[Dysfunctional Vet]

Root bound = Having to smash pot with hammer to get the tree out.

 

[Gabler]

It is my belief that circling roots are crucial to address as these can impact the aesthetic of a bonsai quickly. They are more vigorous than the fine feeders and may throw the tree off balance in terms of growth.
It is my aim for a balanced tree.
It may not be pot bound but still need work.

Do you mean in development, refinement, or both?

I can see how in development, when you’re trying to get nebari of balanced thickness on all sides of the tree, you’d want to prune overly aggressive roots to promote even distrbution of strength. Since you’re promoting strong growth overall while developing a tree, I would expect it to bounce back quickly and continue growing vigorously.

I was under the impression that in a refined tree, you want to err on the side of being slightly pot bound to help reduce the size of new leaves and branches.

Of course, I’m oversimplifying and I understand there’s variation amongst species about how much root work they tolerate, and climate/growing season length would play a role.

 

[amcoffeegirl]

Do you mean in development, refinement, or both?

I can see how in development, when you’re trying to get nebari of balanced thickness on all sides of the tree, you’d want to prune overly aggressive roots to promote even distrbution of strength. Since you’re promoting strong growth overall while developing a tree, I would expect it to bounce back quickly and continue growing vigorously.

I was under the impression that in a refined tree, you want to err on the side of being slightly pot bound to help reduce the size of new leaves and branches.

Of course, I’m oversimplifying and I understand there’s variation amongst species about how much root work they tolerate, and climate/growing season length would play a role.

I think it comes with knowing your species too.
I’m speaking for ficus only but it may apply to others. I can remove most of the roots on a ficus and still have it bounce back if done in May or June and kept in proper conditions.
I’m battling over grown roots now on a tree that was given to me. I have removed the rock and many large roots I plan to go farther in 2023.
The base has grown large but many cuts will be needed to get where I want to be.