Help Root bound Atro

Discussion in 'Maples' started by thebronze, Oct 27, 2005.

  1. thebronze

    thebronze Member

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    Location:
    Denton, TX
    Well I found a 3 year old atro at Lowes tonight.
    The plastic container was torn and cracked so I took it out.
    I found the roots in a real mess. Two hardened roots were growing
    completely horizontal perpendicularly. One had a downward hook at the end
    for a couple inches. I guess the root hit the container wall
    and grew south after that. The other one went straight up and
    was shooting out of the dirt.
    This made it almost impossible to replant for a vertical fixing.

    How can I fix the horizontal roots?
    Is there root training wire or some kind of stake?
    They are almost as thick and hard as the trunk.
    It might be hard to manipulate them without stressing the plant.
    All the other roots seemed normal, very spidery and thin.
    Consequently the leaves looked very dry and powdery.
     
  2. jimmyq

    jimmyq Well-Known Member 10 Years

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    return it and ask them for one that isnt rootbound. Consider buying plants from a nursery with knowledgeable staff and not from a lowball department store.
     
  3. thebronze

    thebronze Member

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    No such thing in DFW.
    You are lucky if they speak English.
    Theres a few places that stick out but the prices are rediculous.

    Did you have any suggestions about the plant or just about economics in general ?
     
  4. Cut off those big roots. They aren't doing you any good anyway. It is the small fiberous roots that are working for you. When bonsai trees are repotted the root pruning is an essential element and the large woody roots are pruned away.
     
  5. mjh1676

    mjh1676 Active Member Maple Society 10 Years

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    That was my feeling, although I was not sure. I have on occassion pruned a few woody roots when repotting, and then other times, they have broken off on me as I was trying to manipulate them. In both case, no harm has come to the plant.

    It is best to remove as much dirt as possilble and open the rootball as to see what is going on. Just make sure there is not any branching on the woody root you are cutting that seems to have a more useful function--be thoughtful about it.

    If you are going to leave it potted, then I might wait until spring. While you might get some new rootgrowth this fall, it might be better to wait until things have leafed out in the spring and then give it a good root pruning all the way around. I suspect that many of the other roots many also have a undesireable orientation also. Maybe consider root purning in stages over the next season or two to correct things. Just speculation.

    MJH
     
  6. Ron B

    Ron B Paragon of Plants 10 Years

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