My plant is to big for its original pot and I am trying to move it to a bigger one but the roots are all so thigh to the dirt I can't make it expand to its new pot.
Is there a way to do this without much damage to the roots?
I try watering the plant to see if the water would gently brake the dirt and roots apart but didn't help much.
Should I just add more dirt to the pot and wait to the roots to grow in to the new dirt alone?
When I try to brake the dirt, I also brake the "tons" of tiny roots =*(
Is a hibiscus.
you know when you buy new flowers that come in those little tiny planters at the store, i was always told to break up the roots gently with my hands before placing it in the new pot with new soil, i dont see why this would be any different.
It's ok to break some of the roots in the root ball. Go for it.
What type of plant is it?
Spider plants prefer crowded roots - I'm never in a hurry to put those in a bigger pot.
You don't have to expand root bound roots to fit a new pot.
Just fill in with dirt around them and they will grow into the space.
Some plants you can gently break up the root ball a bit (I guess you could soak it in a bucket of water), but other plants go into shock when you do this - it all depends on the type of plant it is.
Additional:
A Hibiscus is a beautiful plant!
You should be able to place it in a slightly larger pot and fill in with dirt around it.
Hibiscus bloom better when they are slightly crowded.
You can Google "Re-potting hibiscus" and will find a lot of information:
http://www.internationalhibiscussociety.org/HI18_file/hiv...
http://www.herbs2000.com/flowers/hi_container.htm
http://www.ehow.com/how_12074636_repot-hibiscus.html
I don't usually break up the roots I just loosen them a bit and put it in the new container. The roots will spread themselves out once there is more room. I also do not pack the dirt down I leave that loose too with some rocks or unused containers at the bottom of the pot to let extra water flow through.
You actually stimulate root growth when you break a few of the roots so they fill new space in the new pot.
You didn't say what plant you are transplanting or how much bigger the new pot is. If the new pot is only an inch bigger than the old pot, you don't need to break the roots so they can expand. If the new pot is 12" bigger than the old pot, then breaking some of the roots will help stimulate root growth and fill in the new pot more quickly.
Look up your plant on the internet and see if the plant is sensitive to transplanting. The more sensitive it is to transplanting, the more you want to avoid disturbing the roots.
Good luck to you and yours.
What kind of plant is it?
When I transfer plants to new pots I pour the plant and the dirt out onto the ground and gently tap on the roots to break up all the old dirt. You will lose some of the roots but as long as the majority stay together it is ok.
Just make sure that the new planter has plenty of growing room.
It can take up to three months for the plant to become stable again in its new enviroment depending on the size of the plant and the type.
There are also some plants that really like to "root bound" so if you move them they can take even longer to look like they are healthy again.
Good luck!!
Blessings!
D.
~~~~~~~~~Hibiscus are very sturdy plants. It is ok to even cut off the roots that are not that close to the main stem. They also LOVE water!
Twice a week really makes them happy, They bloom more when they get plenty of water. Good Luck!
