Poor results with pot bound root pouches

5 years ago

last modified: 5 years ago

I've seen some nurseries leaves trees in root bouches much longer than traditional containers for some reason. Perhaps they don't bleieve they won't encircle or become pot bound?

I had several 5 gallon plants that I did mail order (last time I'll ever do that) that where all root pouches. All of them where overgrown in the pouches so the roots where so thick and dense I couldn't do root surgery if I wanted. I did what I could with the roots and snipped those that where encircling.

Here are my observations after 2.5 growing seasons on the pot bound 5 gallon root pouches

- Fort McNair Buckeye - stem growth 6"

- Crimson Spire Oak - stem growth 0"

- Shawnee Brave Bald Cypress - stem growth 0"

- Autumn Splendor Buckeye - stem growth 12"

- Persian Belle Parrotia - died

- Firefall Freeman Maple - stem growth 12"

- Dwarf Chinkapin Oak - stem growth 3"

Here are my observations after 2.5 growing seasons with pot bound 5 gallon containers

- Praire Stature Oak - stem growth 36"

- Praire Stature Oak - stem growth 24"

- Northwind Hybrid Maple - stem growth 18"

- Hybrid Swamp Burr Oak - Stem growth 12"

- Chinkapin Oak - stem growth 18"

- Autumn Splendor Buckeye - 36"

Here are my observations after 2.5 growing season with (barely) pot bound 1 gallon containers

- Japanese Lilac - 48"

- Bronze Tablet Hybrid Maple - 24"

- Artist Etching Triflorum Maple - 24"

- Fringe Tree - 36"

- Purple Haze Hybrid Maple - 36"

- Chinese Birch - 6"

At the end of the day the source and species has a lot to do with the success but boy those over grown plants in the root pouch sure had some consistently poor results!

Lessons learned...

Stick with 1 gallon mail order
Avoid several mail order sources in general
Avoid pot bound root pouches
My next observations will be the container stock vs the B&B plants I planed.
B&B growth rates are well exceeding the 5 gallon root pouches. Mind blown for some of you!

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (5)

Embothrium
5 years ago
Are these fiber containers?
whaas_5a
Original Author
5 years ago
Advertised as root pouches but more like a fabric
Related Discussions
Why do some growers prefer to keep plants root bound?
Q
Comments (15)
I have a couple of comments. But my main question is at the end. Quote: "If you have ever spent time on any plant forum you know the common advice is to keep your plants root bound, or at least when you repot give the roots only an "extra fingers width" on each side the pot." I have never seen anyone recommend that you keep a plant literally 'root-bound'... In so small a pot that the large roots are circling the pot, and having the root mass pretty much completely fill the pot. But it's also true that more non-pros have killed plants from serious and stupid "over-potting" than any other cause other than perhaps persistent over-watering. Take a small plant, put it is a much bigger "pretty" pot with a lot of cheap potting soil, water it once a week, and the small, shallow plant roots are trying to survive in a desert while the bulk of the pot-soil is moist. I *always* advise people to pot-up very slowly... after making sure that I have looked at the roots, and that the plant is not root-bound. I suspect that nursery staff start their plants in small pots because it eases time and labor, and reduces the expense and the watering, and allows them to toss cheap any that do not propagate or thrive. Those that do, they pot up a level. And perhaps again. But I strongly suspect that they hope to *sell* them before they become literally root-bound. And they don't, so things become root bound. There are some plants that like their feet a little more constrained, while others want to grow wild. But are you saying the there is some folk-practice among pro-growers that it is somehow *good* to keep the roots seriously constrained? I would be interested. LindaS
...See More
Container Trees Root Bound, Really Bad?
Q
Comments (28)
nooooooo !!! .. lol ... i have to admit.. i didnt read all the replies ... see link that i often use in the tree/conifer and shrub forums ... dealing with this is not limited to fruit trees ... so the rules are the same ... but the one thing i didnt see in the replies i read ... is anyone addressing actually what the understock is ... these fruit peeps choose their trees.. based onto only on the fruiting part itself.. but choose based on what is below.. they will have to tell you why.. and for what reasons ... and you can not.. predict what the understock is.. when buying a big pot.. at the bigboxstore .. for that reason ... and the fact that they are mailed to your front door at the appropriate planting time ... many of us prefer mail order ... read the planting guide.. and you will probably find out.. you dont need to dig a big planting hole.. unless you buy a really big tree.. and most tree peeps.. dont believe in instant gratification ... as big plants.. have big transplanting stresses.. and can take years to get settled in and get established... as compared to smaller plants ... which can take off like rockets.. all things properly done ... go small.. get understock appropriate to your area.. and get something sublime ... as compared to what the local guy or store.. throws in the parking lot.. and your rewards should be great ... now all i have to do.. is figure out.. how i ended up in the fruit forum .. lol ... good luck ... ken ps: another trick.. is to talk with a local orchard ... they plant trees every year.. and they know what will easily grow local.. and often offer trees for sale... at planting time ... basically bare root stock they are planting.. thrown in a pot until you stumble by and buy them.. so they havent been in the pot long ... at least my local one does .... Here is a link that might be useful: link
...See More
Is it worth reusing old, root bound potting soil?
Q
Comments (5)
I grow several dozen vegetable plants in large containers, and annually purchasing new soil would be prohibitively expensive. Most commercial potting soil is some combination of perelite, vermiculite, sand, and one or more organic sources, peat moss or "forest products" or some combination. The organic stuff decomposes over time, resulting in a a higher concentration of stuff that won't break down, so one needs to add organic stuff, like compost, to "rejuvenate" the potting soil. I usually let it get really dry, then dump all the pots out together on a concrete slab, smash up the root balls with a shovel and shake out the big parts, add a few wheelbarrows of compost, mix well, and refill the pots. 15 years and counting.
...See More
What's the most root-bound conifer that you've rescued?
Q
Comments (24)
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
...See More
Embothrium
5 years ago
last modified: 5 years ago
Yes I typed "fiber" but it's fabric. How these work is the roots grow out through the fabric instead of being deflected by solid pot walls. Heavy root sections inside the container are expected. But circling roots are not - I'd look at the Carl E Whitcomb Lacebark Inc. web site to see what his current remarks are about using fabric containers.

If it has any relevance to what you are seeing now I do know that some years ago there was a problem with a manufacturer not making fabric containers to designer specifications, resulting in crop failures.
whaas_5a
Original Author
5 years ago
last modified: 5 years ago
The problem is that many of them don't start in root pouches. So you end up with girding roots early on. If the plant is left in the root pouch too long it creates dense thick mats of roots that you can't get through.

Here is one example. I ripped mats of roots off for clarity.
Embothrium
5 years ago
Yes: if you plant an already root-bound liner in a fabric container then it is too late for the fabric container to prevent it from being root-bound.

Poor results with pot bound root pouches

Comments (5)

Embothrium

whaas_5a
Original Author

Related Discussions

Embothrium

whaas_5a
Original Author

Embothrium

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

Poor results with pot bound root pouches

Comments (5)

Embothrium

whaas_5aOriginal Author

Related Discussions

Embothrium

whaas_5aOriginal Author

Embothrium

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

whaas_5a
Original Author

whaas_5a
Original Author