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Janet · 04-10-2014, 05:22 PM posted to uk.rec.gardening

In article , says...

stuart noble wrote:

A lot of shrubs are doomed from the start if the root system isn't
right. I always soak them overnight and tease the roots but, if the root
ball is too dense, they will always be rather feeble specimens.

I always soak new shrubs overnight, but as a complete amateur
I usually worry that if I tease out the roots
this is likely to do more harm than good.
Any advice on the best way to do this?

A good rule of thumb is, try not to dislodge any of the potting
compost from the roots.

I cut off any hard dry roots coming out of the drainage holes, before
taking the pot off.

If I can see just a few fresh roots well spaced out down the sides of
the compost, no need to tease anything, I plant it as it is.

If I can see a close fibrous network of fine roots all round the
edges of the compost, I just use my finger tips or the tips of a
handfork to gently scritch/roughen them a little bit.

If I can see large fresh pale/white roots ( almost pencil thick)
spiralling round the base of the pot and the distal tip is in view, I
very gently uncurl it to ease the root loose away from the potting
fibre; when placed in the planting hole the roots might still be
rather curved but their spiral is larger and looser than before. You
can use globs of the filling-in soil to pin them in the right direction
away from the plant, and those growing tips will soon head out into
surrounding soil.

Janet