Root ball

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Root ball of a Phoenix canariensis palm tree. Phoenix canariensis Root Ball for Universal Studios South Coast Wholesale.jpg
Root ball of a Phoenix canariensis palm tree.
The photo above displays a large rootball ready for transportation in Austria. Tree transplanting in Australia.jpg
The photo above displays a large rootball ready for transportation in Austria.
The photo above displays a root bound plant that was grown in a container. Root-bound Chlorophytum comosum.jpg
The photo above displays a root bound plant that was grown in a container.
The photo above displays two "ball and bur-lapped" (B&B) trees ready for transportation or planting. Self-service gardening materials and car park, Smith's Nurseries - geograph.org.uk - 1593377.jpg
The photo above displays two "ball and bur-lapped" (B&B) trees ready for transportation or planting.
The photo above displays a rootball being excavated. prriccu ntt[?] 1az 17.jpg
The photo above displays a rootball being excavated.

A root ball [1] is the mass of roots and growing media at the base of a plant such as trees, shrubs, and other perennials and annual plants. [2] The appearance and structure of the root ball will be largely dependent on the method of growing used in the production of the plant. The root ball of a container plant will be different than that of the field-harvested “ball and burlap” tree. [3] The root ball is of particular significance in horticulture when plants are being planted or require repotting as, the quality, size, and preparation of the root ball will heavily determine how well the plant will survive being transplanted and re-establish in its new location. [4]

Contents

Root ball pruning of container grown plants

Most commonly plants are grown in containers where the roots begin to circle and take the shape of their pot. The root balls that have been exposed to this scenario have a very high chance of developing circling or girdling roots that will become problematic and possibly detrimental to the tree or plant's health in the future. To manage this problem, it is best to remove any circling roots where you see them visible. Experts from Clemson University suggest making several slice marks in the root ball from the top to the bottom going 1 to 2 inches deep as this has been found to have positive effects. [5] They have found these cuts cause new regenerative roots to be formed behind the wounds which aid in the plant establishing roots in the new location. The experts from Florida University suggest shaving the entire outside of the root ball when it has taken the shape of the pot (otherwise known as rootbound) before planting it into a larger container or its location. [6] They have several supporting studies and images displaying how shaving the outer layer aids in removing circling roots and allows for better root establishment in the new growing area.  

Root balls of field grown plants

For larger caliper trees and shrubs after their root balls are harvested from the ground, they are contained using techniques such as ball and burlap or wire baskets. [7] This difference in production style will result in a root ball that is often larger, less sturdy, and less prone to girdling roots than a root ball of a container-grown plant however there is a longer recovery time for these larger plants based on the larger amount of lost root material at the time of harvest.  

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bonsai</span> Japanese art of training plants to mimic miniature versions of large trees

Bonsai is the Japanese art of growing and shaping miniature trees in containers, developed from the traditional Chinese art form of penjing . Penjing and bonsai differ in that the former attempts to display "wilder," more naturalistic scenes, often representing landscapes, including elements such as water, rocks, or figurines; on the other hand, bonsai typically focuses on a single tree or a group of trees of the same species, with a higher level of aesthetic refinement. Similar versions of the art exist in other cultures, including the miniature living landscapes of Vietnamese Hòn non bộ. During the Tang dynasty, when penjing was at its height, the art was first introduced from China.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ornamental plant</span> Plant that is grown for decorative purposes

Ornamental plants or garden plants are plants that are primarily grown for their beauty but also for qualities such as scent or how they shape physical space. Many flowering plants and garden varieties tend to be specially bred cultivars that improve on the original species in qualities such as color, shape, scent, and long-lasting blooms. There are many examples of fine ornamental plants that can provide height, privacy, and beauty for any garden. These ornamental perennial plants have seeds that allow them to reproduce. One of the beauties of ornamental grasses is that they are very versatile and low maintenance. Almost all types of plant have ornamental varieties: trees, shrubs, climbers, grasses, succulents, aquatic plants, herbaceous perennials and annual plants. Non-botanical classifications include houseplants, bedding plants, hedges, plants for cut flowers and foliage plants. The cultivation of ornamental plants comes under floriculture and tree nurseries, which is a major branch of horticulture.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Girdling</span> Removal of the bark from around the entire circumference

Girdling, also called ring-barking, is the circumferential removal or injury of the bark of a branch or trunk of a woody plant. Girdling prevents the tree from sending nutrients from its foliage to its roots, resulting in the death of the tree over time, and can also prevent flow of nutrients in the other direction depending on how much of the xylem is removed. A branch completely girdled will fail and when the main trunk of a tree is girdled, the entire tree will die, if it cannot regrow from above to bridge the wound. Human practices of girdling include forestry, horticulture, and vandalism. Foresters use the practice of girdling to thin forests. Extensive cankers caused by certain fungi, bacteria or viruses can girdle a trunk or limb. Animals such as rodents will girdle trees by feeding on outer bark, often during winter under snow. Girdling can also be caused by herbivorous mammals feeding on plant bark and by birds and insects, both of which can effectively girdle a tree by boring rows of adjacent holes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Layering</span> Plant propagation technique

Layering is a vegetative propagation technique where the stem or branch of a plant is manipulated to promote root development while still attached to the parent plant. Once roots are established, the new plant can be detached from the parent and planted. Layering is utilized by horticulturists to propagate desirable plants.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Container garden</span> Practice of growing plants exclusively in containers

Container gardening or pot gardening/farming is the practice of growing plants, including edible plants, exclusively in containers instead of planting them in the ground. A container in gardening is a small, enclosed and usually portable object used for displaying live flowers or plants. It may take the form of a pot, box, tub, basket, tin, barrel or hanging basket.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Liners</span>

"Liners" is a horticultural term referring to very young plants, usually grown for sale to retailers or wholesalers, who then grow them to a larger size before selling them to consumers. Liners are usually grown from seed, but may also be grown from cuttings or tissue culture. They are grown in plastic trays with many "cells," each of which contains a single liner plant. Liners will typically range in size from a 36 cell tray up to a 288 cell tray. The most common size used in commercial nurseries is between 50 and 72 cells. The term "liner", is typically used for perennial, ornamental, and woody seedlings. Annuals in this form are usually referred to as plugs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Microgreen</span> Vegetable greens harvested shortly after sprouting

Microgreens are vegetable greens harvested just after the cotyledon leaves have developed with one set of true leaves. They are used as a visual, flavor and texture enhancement. Microgreens are used to add sweetness and spiciness to foods. Microgreens are smaller than "baby greens" because they are harvested soon after sprouting, rather than after the plant has matured to produce multiple leaves.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Flowerpot</span> Container in pottery or plastic in which flowers and plants are held

A flowerpot, planter, planterette or plant pot, is a container in which flowers and other plants are cultivated and displayed. Historically, and still to a significant extent today, they are made from plain terracotta with no ceramic glaze, with a round shape, tapering inwards. Flowerpots are now often also made from plastic, metal, wood, stone, or sometimes biodegradable material. An example of biodegradable pots are ones made of heavy brown paper, cardboard, or peat moss in which young plants for transplanting are grown.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Floral industry</span>

The floral industry is focused on the production, distribution and sale of flowers for human enjoyment. As in many countries, the floral industry began in the late 19th century in the United Kingdom, where flowers were grown on a large scale on vast estates. The industry continues to diversify from the production of cut flowers to the production and sale of plants and flowers in many different forms. The global floral industry market size is estimated to be worth US$ 50040 million in 2022 and is forecast to increase to US$ 58030 million by 2028 with a compound annual growth rate of 2.5% during the review period.

Moon Nurseries is a wholesale horticultural nursery located in Chesapeake City, Maryland, USA. Moon grows different varieties of B&B trees, shrubs, and container plants including grasses, roses and perennials. It began its operations in Yardley, Pennsylvania in 1971 under the ownership of Walt Flowers and began production at the current Chesapeake City, Maryland location under the leadership of John Pursell in 1989. Today, Moon Nurseries is an employee owned and operated company producing over 40,000 trees and 350,000 container plants a year from their Maryland nurseries.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tree spade</span> Machine for transplanting trees

A tree spade is a specialized machine that mechanizes the transplanting of large plants whose hand-powered transplanting would be prohibitively laborious. These include large bushes and small or medium trees. By bringing mechanized power to what was formerly only a manual process, tree spades do for transplanting what tractors and combine harvesters do for agriculture, and what excavators and other heavy equipment do for construction. Today, tree spades are widely used in the tree nursery industry to increase production rates, and in the landscaping industry for tree removal and transplanting.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Root trainer</span> Aid to the cultivation of young plants and trees

Many pot designs train the roots. One example is a truncated plastic cone in which a seedling is planted. There is a drainage hole at the bottom and the main tap root tends to grow towards this.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bonsai cultivation and care</span>

Bonsai cultivation and care involves the long-term cultivation of small trees in containers, called bonsai in the Japanese tradition of this art form. Similar practices exist in other Japanese art forms and in other cultures, including saikei (Japanese), penjing (Chinese), and hòn non bộ (Vietnamese). Trees are difficult to cultivate in containers, which restrict root growth, nutrition uptake, and resources for transpiration. In addition to the root constraints of containers, bonsai trunks, branches, and foliage are extensively shaped and manipulated to meet aesthetic goals. Specialized tools and techniques are used to protect the health and vigor of the subject tree. Over time, the artistic manipulation of small trees in containers has led to a number of cultivation and care approaches that successfully meet the practical and the artistic requirements of bonsai and similar traditions.

References

  1. "Definition of rootball | Dictionary.com". www.dictionary.com. Retrieved 2023-04-13.
  2. "Canadian Nursery Stock Standard (9th Ed)" (PDF).
  3. "How to Plant Balled and Burlapped Trees". www.arborday.org. Retrieved 2023-04-13.
  4. Carter, Louise; Lawson, Joanne Seale (1998), The New Three-Year Garden Journal, ISBN   9781555913922
  5. "Planting Trees Correctly". Home & Garden Information Center | Clemson University, South Carolina. Retrieved 2023-04-13.
  6. "Root Systems - Nursery production - Landscape plants - Edward F. Gilman - UF/IFAS". hort.ifas.ufl.edu. Retrieved 2023-04-13.
  7. "Proper Balled-and-Burlapped (B&B) Tree and Shrub Care". LSU AgCenter. 2019-06-21. Retrieved 2023-04-13.