Revolutionary Gardens is your RU-vid channel for learning all about creating a better landscape. From landscape and garden how-to videos to case studies and video blogs, I want you not only to find the answer to your landscape design question but learn how much fun we have at Revolutionary Gardens. We're a small bespoke landscape design firm serving the DC metro area and beyond, and I hope you have as much fun with this as I do.
This is a great video but he doesn't mention two other problems you often find with rootbound shurbs from nurseries. The first is that they've been topping off the plant periodically with more growing medium and ferfilizer, so that roots are growing upward and winding around the trunk to the point that the root flare is completely burried. In that case, you have to get all that topgrowth cut or pulled off so that you can put the shrub in the ground at the proper height--with the root flare at or slightly above the level of the soil. The other issue is that instead of soil growers use big chunks of bark as the growing medium. Shurbs wih lots of fine roots end up completely encircling and enclosing the chunks of bark with roots, making it almost impossible to wash the bark out of the roots.
Hi Sarah! To your second point, I have a Japanese maple in my backyard that I root washed and I had to go extra aggressive with the pruners because of big chunks in the planting media. It's for sure a thing. As far as containers getting topped off, I've been lucky and haven't seen as much of that. But to be fair, a lot of the stuff we buy in a container is pretty fast growing and is coming straight from the grower (so they haven't been sitting around the yard enough to need it). Definitely a good reminder to always check what's going on under the soil!
For water economy, I fill up water in a good size pot and leave the pot in it to soak water, the n press the root ball to loosen the soil ball a bit and then start dunking the root ball in the water until enough soil is removed and roots are visible and loosened and the then do the roots surgery as needed.
I read elsewhere that roses that are rootbound should just be planted directly into the ground without cutting or spreading out the roots. I've also read that non-rootbound roses should be spread out over a cone of soil.
I just did this for a severely rootbound Rhododendron. It wasn't thriving, so I decided to move it. When I pushed the shovel in, the whole plant was still in its original pot shape, save two straggly roots that managed to break free, and it popped right out of the garden. I loosened it when I planted it, but didn't realize how rootbound it was then. I had no choice but to do what was done in the video because it was either going to die, or I could give it a chance. I hope it's happier and healthier now.
Just wanted to say thank you for the scientific nature of your experiment. Really appreciated that! Also, considering this was done nearly 5 years ago, I'm wondering if you've used vinegar as a regular weed treatment and if it works well enough to use regularly? Basically I'm asking about how quickly the weeds come back. I purchased 45% acetic acid at a pretty good price so I'm looking forward to trying it out!
I'm not honestly sure. I haven't planted palms in 20+ years but aren't they more of a fibrous mass than regular trees? Might be a good question for your local extension office!
I agree, I go to fire rock kits. I absolutely beef these out with block. Far far far easier than building one from scratch. I'm a big fan of fire rock.....I've seen the same thing. Guys just take them, stack them, veneer them . They look kind of crappy like that. I've seen guys not give them hearths, build them a few inches off the ground....yuuuuck. I've been building outdoor living stuff for 28 years... 😂, I've got to see some silly stuff. Nice work on this. I love your style. I'm a fan of the classy look :)
i discoverd that my plants didn't form any roots outside the pots and into my soil after 40 days of planting them because i bought and put them in soil without freeing the roots .
That’s how I’ve always treated rootballs when transplanting lol I just don’t prune them back like that, but I wash all the soil off and spread them out..they LOVE the stimulation in the roots as long as the soil you ultimately put them in is good, they’ll EXpLoDE with growth. Ive never had a plant die. In my experience, as long as you d don’t let the roots dry when they’re bare, thats pretty much it
THey dont lwqays just circle rounf htey send side roots out into the middddle and beyond , so that they sow the circular roots to each other. htey sow everything into a solid whole.
Oh my gosh, I wish I would have watched this a couple weeks ago. I tried my best tearing the roots apart on some bad ones, but this way is so awesome! I have 6 really bad ones that I think I’m going to dig back up to do this. I have more tomorrow to plant that I already know are terribly root bound. I’m excited to just let them all soak while I’m digging holes!! I was actually considering getting a small hack saw and just sawing the lower couple inches of root ball off 😳😂. After watching this trim job, I think I still might saw first, then soak and pull the rest apart.
I watched another Root bound video and she said DONT MESS WITH THE ROOTS and I knew she was wrong. I've planted to many plants and didn't mess with the riitbound issue they were having and as time passed Noticing how they never did well or grew up but just withered away. And I'd pull them to throw them away and they'd still be just a hard ball of roots. Watching your video made me feel much better about handling that problem again Thank you
I love mint!!! We make mint tea (muddle in water with sugar and reduce to a syrup, store in a bottle and when you want some mint tea, just add some of the mint syrup to a glass of ice and fill with water, mix well, and enjoy)
Enjoy your Videos, We have a Euonymus "Manhattan" on our deck which is in a large rectangle pot and it is root bound. Can I use this process and then replant back into the pot? Thanks
Hi Dave, I am thoroughly impressed with your work. I am in need of the landscape and hardscape design. I tried calling you several times. Could you share your best contact email?
