What is a 'root-bound' plant?

What is a 'root-bound' plant?

Tracy DiSabato-Aust (Garden Designer and Author) gives expert video advice on: How do I choose plants for my garden?; What size plants should I choose for my garden?; What season is best for planting? and more...

A root-bound plant is a plant that has roots encircling the mass of soil that's at the base. Usually they're intertwined. There may be roots coming out of the bottom of the pot, and what we normally have to do is come in and use a pair of pruners and make 3 to 5 cuts, and that will cause those roots to branch out and into that outlying soil rather than continuing to encircle around the root ball that was originally existing.