Roots on the surface are not a problem, unless they signify there is no more room in soil below for roots to colonize. As roots close to the stem age and grow, they change function from roots that gather water and dissolved nutrients, to roots that support the plant (anchor/prop roots) and roots that serve as plumbing (water/ nutrient transport to the top of the plant and photosynthate/ other biocomponnds from the top to roots. It's a normal part of the aging process. Your plant needs repotting (different than potting up) when the root/ soil mass reaches the point where it can be lifted from the pot intact. If you pot up BEFORE your plant gets to that point, there is no need to repot, but once the roots congestion reaches that point where roots/soil can be removed from the pot in a solid mass, potting up ensures your plant will be limited by root congestion until you fix it. That said, it's better to wait until summer to repot, and to put your plant on a schedule that sees it getting repotted every 1st, 2nd, or 3rd summer at the longest. Al

Gigim, I did see the other conversation. Personally, I might have planted it a little further out, because I like some clearance around plants and that crape myrtle will fill up that space pretty quickly. I don't think moving it is a necessity though. Most commercial nurseries would probably have planted it that close when doing a landscape job. You can prune the plant as it grows to keep it from growing over into your way on the steps. Also, I think examining the plant in context (even more than we can see in the other thread's picture) is important. In other words, looking at a picture is not like being there. Bottom line for spacing is for you to imagine the plant at it's "mature" size (and it will almost surely grow larger than that, eventually) and go from there. A simplistic definition for adventitious root is a root that grow from the trunk, above the original root flare, when the lower part of the trunk is buried below the surface. A plant will grow these roots to compensate for being planted too deeply. Probably the biggest trouble with planting a tree a little too deeply is that adventitious roots can grow around the trunk and become girdling roots as they and the tree grow larger. If planted a lot too deep (a relative thing), lower roots may die off due to a lack of oxygen. From your description and the picture, it's very unlikely that your crape is planted deep enough for this problem, especially if it's in reasonably well draining soil.

First, a minor update on my main jade and its roots...since this Thread found its way back to the top of the page... ____________________________ Hey, Darlene! Yes, I did root my Pachira from a single leaf, which had been rudely broken from my brother's tree (his tree still lives, but in a sickly shadow of its former glory). I think I received the leaf sometime in early spring, maybe even as early as February (I can't verify, since I wasn't taking notes then, as I do now). Anyhow, the leaf-stem was simply stuck into some potting soil, in the bottom of a tan-grey plastic cup (about the size of a can of tuna), which stayed in a sunny window. The potting soil was kept wet at all times, as there were no holes in the cup for drainage. I had no idea if it would work. My brother just handed it to me, and said "Take it." Eventually, the leaf grew a new tip, and that was when I put it into a pot. If you want to grow a plant from a leaf, you have to snap off a healthy leaf, all the way back to the trunk. Then you need to keep the soil moist so that the leaf won't dessicate. It might be a good idea to keep the tender leaf out of intense sunlight and away from heating/air conditioning vents for the first week or so. Then you can move it, gradually, into the light of a sunny window. If you have leaves to spare, you might want to try several at a time (to guarantee success). I'd use small styrofoam cups, filled with 50% perlite, 40% potting soil, and small gravel (for weight) and charcoal the remainder of the way. Good luck! Josh

Planting 'high' is now a pretty well accepted and recommended practice for ANY soil condition, poor drainage or not. There's a variety of reasons supporting this - settling (collapse of the soil surrounding the roots - common with containerized trees and shrubs), less chance of overwatering, improved drainage, minimizing soil interface issues between native soil/backfill and the rootball soil and to maximize soil oxygen levels (lowering risk of transplant shock). It has been established that trees planted with at least a quarter to a third of the rootball above grade establish faster than those planted at grade level. Feeder roots should not be present on the top of the rootball - that is not their 'normal' location on a healthy, well-grown young tree. If they are present, it is an indication that tree has been grown too deeply, either in the field (for B&B stock) or in a container. Larger, structural roots are not so much of an issue as they are a) a better indication of a proper planting depth and b) not inclined to dessication like feeder roots would be. Regardless - virtually any respected and current tree planting resource will advise you NOT to cover the top of the rootball with backfill soil. Mulch is quite different but even then, mulch very lightly over the top of the rootball (feather out to a greater depth further away from the tree) and avoid any mulch touching the trunk.