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Extremely pot bound ceanothus

peteski2011peteski2011 Posts: 67
in Problem solving
help please everyone.

i have very very pot bound ceanothus that I am transplanting into a bigger pot for a friend. How on Earth do I even begin to give this thing a chance of rooting out into fresh soil with the roots as bound up as this!!! The ceanothus has not been given a chance! Do I cut the white roots and hope? Leave it and hope? Any advice would be gratefully received as the roots are welded welded together!! 

Thank you!

Posts

  • BenCottoBenCotto Posts: 4,718
    Monty dealt with something similar, though much smaller and less compacted, in yesterday’s GW programme.

    Drawing upon his advice, I would push a large screwdriver about 3/4” into the rootball about a quarter of the way from the base and lever it out. Repeat every 3 or 4 inches around the circumference. I might do something similar in the base too. Then plant it.
    Rutland, England
  • AnniDAnniD Posts: 12,585
    I would take a spade or even a pruning saw to the lower part of the rootball, and then attempt to try and loosen the roots that have been exposed. It may not be correct , but that's what l would do  :)
  • peteski2011peteski2011 Posts: 67
    Petrified if I cut the wrong thing or am too aggressive it’ll shock it to death! 
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    You don't have to be too precious with it. You can run your fingers up and down it to break roots free a bit, or use something heftier as @AnniD says. 
    It's surprising how plants will respond to what seems like brutal treatment, and many shrubs/trees are root pruned to keep them in post long term in nurseries  :)
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • NollieNollie Posts: 7,529
    You have to be quite brutal with it for it’s own good! If you just tickle around the edges, it will just keep growing round in the same pattern even in a bigger pot, so you need to break up that rootball at the base, which will stimulate new roots that will then spread out into the fresh soil around it. The usual method is to dig your hand in the centre of the base and pull outwards several sections, but if it’s too compacted to do that, I would do the same as AnnieD and wield the breadknife, saw, spade, whatever.
    Mountainous Northern Catalunya, Spain. Hot summers, cold winters.
  • peteski2011peteski2011 Posts: 67
    Cheers everyone. Job done. Used the screwdriver method and broke up what I hope should be sufficient of the root ball that it now has a fighting chance!
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