Root-bound plant
Roots grow out of the drainage hole or over the compost, and the root ball is one solid mat of circling roots. Water runs straight through, the plant dries out quickly and barely grows.
The plant has been in the same pot for too long, so the roots have no room or nutrients left.
What can you do?
- In spring, repot into a pot 2–4 cm wider with a drainage hole and fresh compost.
- Gently tease out circling roots with your fingers or score the root ball vertically in a few places.
- If you can’t or don’t want to go bigger, trim off some of the roots and put the plant back in the same pot with fresh compost.
- Water well after repotting and keep the plant out of strong sun for a week.
Prevention
Check every spring whether roots are coming out of the pot and repot young, fast-growing plants every year. For large tubs, replace the top layer of compost every year.