When a tree or shrub is severely root-bound (left), use a pruning saw to shave off all four sides of the root-ball (center and right). This keeps roots from girdling the plant, a common cause of death for some nursery-potted plants. When planted at the correct depth, however, chances for success increased.

Can you fix a root bound plant?

If your plant is root bound, you have a few options. You can either repot the plant in a bigger container, prune the roots and repot in the same container or divide the plant, if appropriate, and repot the two divisions. For some root bound plants, you may simply want to leave them root bound.

What happens if a tree is root bound?

Results. If you leave a tree to be root bound in a pot, no matter how large, eventually bad symptoms will occur. The leaves will begin to wilt, no matter how frequently you water the plant. After the leaves wilt, they will begin to fall off.