Root pruning, trimming the roots of a plant, is not as common as repotting a plant, but it can be an excellent alternative.
When a plant is getting too large for its container, or, if you simply want to keep a plant at a certain size, root pruning will do the trick. The best time for any pruning is in the spring when there is plenty of time in the growing season for the plant to recover.
Many plants go dormant in the winter months and a major procedure like root pruning can totally shock their system and may kill the plant. When pruning roots (as with pruning stems) never prune more than one-third the root mass of a plant.
Before you prune, gather the necessary tools. Have some fresh potting soil and perlite handy. Removing nutrition depleted soil and replacing with fresh soil and perlite (2 parts perlite to 5 parts soil) will help the newly pruned plant recover faster. A bucket can be used to mix new soil with perlite, a trowel will help scoop the soil back into the pot, gardening gloves will keep your hands clean, and a sharp knife or shears will make the job easier.
To prune a plant’s roots gently remove it from the container by tipping it on its side. If the plant is already root bound with roots coming out of the drainage hole, gently cut the exposed roots to make it easier to remove the plant. Gently pull the plant out of the container. Using your hands, remove as much soil as possible from the roots. Trim the bottom inch or half inch at the bottom of the roots. Try to loosen and straighten the roots so they will not continue to grow in circles. If the plant is root bound, more pruning will be necessary but do not prune more than one-third the total root mass. Trim only the fine thread roots, not the tap root if there is one. Pruning might have to be done in stages of loosening soil, trimming roots and repeating.
After replanting the plant be sure to water it well and also damp wipe the leaves for a good cleaning.
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