Rootbound -- Good or Bad?

[KaraKW]

Just wondering... is it "bad" for a plant to be "rootbound"? I've heard that it will bloom more when it's rootbound. Don't know for sure if that's true... Will a plant die if it's rootbound? What are the pros/cons?

I don't have any plants that ARE rootbound. It was just one of those questions that I wondered about. :)

Kara :wave:

[DixieDreamer]

Rootbound plants have outgrown their container and the roots are searching for room to grow and nourishment. The problem with container plants that are rootbound is that the plant tends to dry out very quickly (mostly roots little soil at that point), and the roots may not "untangle' easily once transplanted - hence having a hard start. Most folks tend to lightly break up a rootbound plants root ball just to encourage the roots to grow outwards as quickly as possible.

As for the blooming - there is actually some truth to that. Many rootbound plants are somewhat nutrient starved and water stressed. A stressed plant (especially annuals) want to rush to flower and set seed before it dies. If it feels like it may expire early (stressed) it will move more quickly to the bloom stage. This is a tactic used by many high volume nurseries - rush to bloom by crowding the roots/stressing the plant... fertilize frequently while watering... and ta da.... you have masses of plants in your nursery that are already blooming when you buy them. If you can avoid the temptation - a plant that is not root bound and is not blooming is likely to actually transplant better and produce a longer more productive blooming season for you.

That's as much as I know about this topic.

[Mamu]

Kara I find most hanging plants I purchase at the nursery are rootbound.

I remove the plant from the pot as soon as I get home. While it's still manageable. Here is the part that may scare most people. I cut with a sharp knife, 1 1/2 inches from the sides and bottom of the plants root ball.
I repot it with good soil and water it good daily. I also use a liquid fertilizer on hanging plants weekly.

The plant usually last the whole growing season, and is always covered in blooms.

[amcnj]

Some varieties will not bloom unless rootbound, while others enjoy the room. So you need to know about the specific plant. In general, most do well with repotting. It's more the exceptions that require a crowded pot to bloom from what I have seen. At present the names of some requiring "rootboundness" escapes me; old age I guess.