I got this plant from my friend 2 years ago. I recently noticed that lots of roots grow outside the pot. What should I do? Should I cut them? I don't want to repot it to a bigger pot because there is no enough space for a bigger pot in my bathroom. Thanks.
by whynotfart
10 Comments
As the pot is plastic, you should be able to cut it away without damaging most of the roots. Lose the pot, save the plant
Yes, trim the roots and choose a bigger pot that will accommodate some serious growth – the plant wants a lot more room. That looks like a 5″ pot? Go for an 8″ next. If there’s a pot volume on the bottom (say, 1litre), double it this time.
cut away the pot gently , open up the root ball and re-pot into a many times larger planter or in the ground,
Cut away the pot, it won’t be easy. If you’ve got a power mini tool like a ‘dremel’ that would be perfect, BUT, cutting the roots will also be OK, though not guaranteed
break the pot and replant in a bigger pot
You said you don’t want to repot it due to lack of space but not doing so may kill the plant. If you want to take that chance (it may be fine, it looks healthy) then snip off all the roots outside the pot and cross your fingers. But you may be better off buying a new, smaller plant and getting this one repotted and placed elsewhere.
Edit: you could get a taller rather than a wider pot, if that helps.
Roses are tough as fuck so you’d probably get away with trimming the roots.
You can also cut a plastic pot open with your secateurs
Cut away those roots! I don’t know why everyone is suggesting that you cut away the pot when you’ve said you want to keep it in the pot. [There’s a video here](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wTBhy5RH8hs) that explains why root pruning is a good option, and how to do it.
Snip the pot open and get the plant in a bigger one!
To keep the pot size, trim away the excess root growth and pop it back in with some fresh compost.