Becoming root-bound can be a death sentence for plants, or at minimum stunt their growth. Luckily, one TikToker shared a simple 10-second solution to the problem in a recent video.
The scoop
Plants are "root-bound" when the growing roots reach the boundaries of the pot and start to circle around and around inside it in search of nutrients that aren't there. TikTok account Whitewater Creek Farm (@whitewater_creek_farm) shows a root-bound plant at the beginning of their video.
@whitewater_creek_farm Don't make it complicated ya'll! Just chop off those bound up roots and get that plant in the ground! #gardentips #planthacks #femalefarmer #flowerfarmer #flowerfarm #alabamafarmer #rootbound #mompreneur #wfhlife #farmlife #flowertok #whitewatercreekfarm ♬ original sound - Whitewater Creek Farm
"My mama taught me this, y'all, so I know it's the truth," she says. "When you get a plant and you pull it out of its pot and you see this, this is root bound."
She shows off a small, struggling plant whose roots have filled almost the entire interior of its pot, conforming to the rectangular shape.
"This plant needs your help," she says. "The best thing you can do is to take you a hatchet and cut off those bottom roots."
Once freed from the strangling roots, the plant is ready to place in the soil, where the remaining roots can grow outward instead of being trapped. "You will not kill it. You are actually doing it a favor," she says. "Now you have all these roots that are ready to go down into the ground and take up the nutrients and the water."
How it works
If you want to grow your own food, knowing how to rescue root-bound plants is a key skill. Plants from a store or nursery often come root-bound, and by remedying the condition, you'll have more healthy plants and a bigger harvest.
That's especially true if you want to save money by getting plants from the clearance rack, since they're often the ones that have been sitting on the shelf the longest and have had the most time to become root-bound. So, this tip is also saving you money!
"Don't make it complicated, ya'll!" said Whitewater Creek Farm. "Just chop off those bound up roots and get that plant in the ground!"
🗣️ How much time do you spend taking care of the plants inside or outside your home?
🔘 Several hours a week 🧑🌾
🔘 One hour a week ⌛
🔘 Less than one hour ⏳
🔘 I don't have any plants 😢
🗳️ Click your choice to see results and speak your mind
What people are saying
Commenters were impressed with the technique. "Oh I normally take the time to loosen up the roots but your way definitely is more efficient! Thank you," said one user.
"I always cut an X in the bottom and spread out the four pieces instead of cutting off to encourage growth," said another user.
"That works!" Whitewater Creek Farm replied.
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