When potted palms send roots into the ground

[Zeeth]

I have some potted palms that have decided to send some roots out of the drainage holes and into the ground. I was wondering if it's beneficial to let these roots grow, and dig them out when I decide to plant the palm into the ground, or to cut them now. Any opinions?

[paulgila]

if you cut off the pot you may be able to take the palm out with the roots mostly intact when you decide to plant it,so i am gonna say leave em.

[LJG]

Depends on the palm. If it is a Bizzie and you do that, it could die when you cut later. I always try to have palms on hard surface so the roots 'air prune'.

[MattyB]

Yeah, I'm not sure what you mean Paul. I don't understand your technique.

I always try and break the roots as soon as I notice that they've rooted in.

[Zeeth]

It's mostly my coconuts doing it Len. I have as many pots on concrete as possible, but there just isn't enough space for everything.

[fiji jim]

You won't hurt a coconut cutting their roots.

Jim

[paulgila]

Yeah, I'm not sure what you mean Paul. I don't understand your technique.

the original premise is that roots are already growing into the ground.it has nothing to do with how to stop them from doing it.

[LJG]

Paul is there any chance we can get you to stop posting in this thread?

[John Case]

Yeah, I'm not sure what you mean Paul. I don't understand your technique.

the original premise is that roots are already growing into the ground.it has nothing to do with how to stop them from doing it.

I think the point is that some palms will tolerate massive disturbance to their roots and others, such as the B. nobilis example, will not. Archontophoenix are also touchy, I believe, as well as Brahea, Butia,...etc.

If a pottef palms grows its roots through the drainage holes of the pot its in, it depends on what palm it is.

Since I cannot grow a coconut, I'll leave it to those who can do help in this matter. If you want some uprooted queens, we are having a bumper year up here with them.

[paulgila]

Paul is there any chance we can get you to stop posting in this thread?

who died & made you moderator?

next time read the original statement better & you wont get so persnickety.

who am i kidding--you'll still be a pain.

[Zeeth]

You won't hurt a coconut cutting their roots.

Jim

Well, I followed your advise and cut the roots. I also followed Len's advise moved some of the pots to an area where they can't send roots into the soil. Since empty concrete space is prime real estate in my yard, I did this only with my most prized coconuts. Those are the ones that I plan to grow on my balcony when I'm at college, so I was going to need to cut the roots sooner or later.

[kahili]

I always try to stop the roots going in the ground also, when I see it happening. The longer you wait to pull up the pot, the more shock it will experience when you do finally have to move the pot.

You don't have to put them on concrete to stop them from rooting in, you can put anything under them and that should stop the roots. Cardboard, a few flats, one inside the other, plastic etc.

[ariscott]

If you can avoid that happen in the future, it will be better. I lost a few palms that way... If you can store them off the ground, it will be better. I have mine on fence panel on bricks. So, no more accidents.

Regards, ri

[Walter John]

You won't hurt a coconut cutting their roots.

Jim

agree, I've done it myself.

[Walter John]

If they air root, as in the pot sits on weed mat type surface, would it be okay to cut those roots ? I have Wodyeti bifurcata displaying this with quite vigorous air roots.

[Kumar]

Perhaps it also depends on what you intend to do with the plant - will you plant it in the soil ? IF yes, then now may be a good time to do so. Cutting coconut roots causes no harm - I see gardeners hacking away at them often, quite ruthlessly i must add.

[Zeeth]

Well, it's good to know that coconuts don't mind root disturbance as much as some other palms.

Kumar, we're renting our current house, and I'm waiting until we purchase a house to begin planting things. I wish I could have a place to plant them, but unfortunately that's got to wait.

[Kumar]

Well, it's good to know that coconuts don't mind root disturbance as much as some other palms.

Kumar, we're renting our current house, and I'm waiting until we purchase a house to begin planting things. I wish I could have a place to plant them, but unfortunately that's got to wait.

Acha - at the risk of sounding very sure of myself, I'd say you're lucky palms unlike dicots don't get too rootbound and can recover from small containers quite quickly when planted.

[Zeeth]

Well, it's good to know that coconuts don't mind root disturbance as much as some other palms.

Kumar, we're renting our current house, and I'm waiting until we purchase a house to begin planting things. I wish I could have a place to plant them, but unfortunately that's got to wait.

Acha - at the risk of sounding very sure of myself, I'd say you're lucky palms unlike dicots don't get too rootbound and can recover from small containers quite quickly when planted.

This is something I didn't know, thanks for telling me that.

I also have a Ficus benghalensis that has outgrown it's 14 inch tall pot in a matter of months. It's comical actually, as it was the size of a pin head 6 months ago, and now it's screaming to go into a 15 gallon pot

[Kumar]

This is something I didn't know, thanks for telling me that.

I also have a Ficus benghalensis that has outgrown it's 14 inch tall pot in a matter of months. It's comical actually, as it was the size of a pin head 6 months ago, and now it's screaming to go into a 15 gallon pot

Banyans grow very very fast initially - they've evolved to make the most of their seedling stage, since they are spread by birds into cracks and crevices of walls, buildings and plants. I suggest you do not plant this within 15-20 feet of any concrete structure as the roots seem to relish demolishing cement. IT's quite a job ensuring that banyan and F. religiosa seedlings that keep poppin out of my building walls / roof are killed with acid.

[Zeeth]

This is something I didn't know, thanks for telling me that.

I also have a Ficus benghalensis that has outgrown it's 14 inch tall pot in a matter of months. It's comical actually, as it was the size of a pin head 6 months ago, and now it's screaming to go into a 15 gallon pot

Banyans grow very very fast initially - they've evolved to make the most of their seedling stage, since they are spread by birds into cracks and crevices of walls, buildings and plants. I suggest you do not plant this within 15-20 feet of any concrete structure as the roots seem to relish demolishing cement. IT's quite a job ensuring that banyan and F. religiosa seedlings that keep poppin out of my building walls / roof are killed with acid.

Well, it's a good thing that they slow down! I was starting to wonder if a few acres would be enough space for it with the rate that it's been going. It makes sense that they would grow so fast to begin with though, as they sprout in places where there is no soil to sustain them.

[BS Man about Palms]

I have found if its just a small little root or such I try to rotate it so it air prunes AND it exposes the light differently and allows you to plant it in any orientation. BUT if its rooted in well, I leave it till I know JUST when and where I'm gonna plant it. Then I do it all at once.

[Jeff in Costa Rica]

Well, it's good to know that coconuts don't mind root disturbance as much as some other palms.

Keith, Not only do they not mind root disturbance... they will take a LOT of abuse! I routinely pull one year old coconuts out of the ground (which breaks all the roots) and replant them elsewhere and they always survive. It's got to be the easiest palm in the world to move (as a young plant).

[_Keith]

Well, it's good to know that coconuts don't mind root disturbance as much as some other palms.

Keith, Not only do they not mind root disturbance... they will take a LOT of abuse! I routinely pull one year old coconuts out of the ground (which breaks all the roots) and replant them elsewhere and they always survive. It's got to be the easiest palm in the world to move (as a young plant).

If you dig carefully around the rooted in pot, and deeply under it you can remove the palm roots intact, and then cut off the plastic pot from around the roots as well, resulting in very little root disturbance, if any. Should work for all but the most finicky of palms.

[Zeeth]

Jeff - Now, if only they were cold hardy, they'd be the perfect palm! Fast growing, easy to transplant and they provide the grower with a nice treat when they set seed. Thanks for the info though, the coconuts in question are about a year old, so I was worried about what would happen. The roots that I cut ended up being about 2 feet long, so it's a vigorous grower if anything

Keith - I'll take that advise for when my other palms start rooting into the ground.

[LJG]

Paul is there any chance we can get you to stop posting in this thread?

who died & made you moderator?

next time read the original statement better & you wont get so persnickety.

who am i kidding--you'll still be a pain.

Thanks Paul. It is best for all of us that read post in this thread. Any chance you can have the Mods delete what you have written the last few days too? It would really help.

[BS Man about Palms]

Is this shark snark? (its a little toothy)

[Moose]

Is this shark snark? (its a little toothy)

On a side note, Bill I know of the technique you describe of rotating the pot if the emerging roots are not that huge. Question: How do you do it with a box type container?

Ron.

[peachy]

Keith, I buy those small elcheapo pavers and sit pots on those when I run out of concreted spaces, they are only about $1 each but serve the purpose well....and they are portable too.

Peachy

[freakypalmguy]

I made the mistake of letting a whole flat of Copernicia alba and one of Livistona decora root into the ground. Wow was that tough to get loose

That's a great idea Peachy.

Edited July 31, 2010 by freakypalmguy

[realarch]

Looks like this topic has pretty well run it's course, but none the less here's my experience.

I'll probably get snarked big time.

I've purchased a few 15 gal that were pretty well rooted in the ground, so much so we had to use the big pry bar to get them loose.

The grower just wanted to get rid of them, too big to repot. Anyway, they did survive the transplant, but took

a long time to recover. So much so that I thought they had died, but now they seem to be doing well. I'd think twice

about buying or letting potted specimens establish roots in the ground.

[DoomsDave]

Is this shark snark? (its a little toothy)

On a side note, Bill I know of the technique you describe of rotating the pot if the emerging roots are not that huge. Question: How do you do it with a box type container?

Ron.

Boreese, Dahlink!

[DoomsDave]

I have some potted palms that have decided to send some roots out of the drainage holes and into the ground. I was wondering if it's beneficial to let these roots grow, and dig them out when I decide to plant the palm into the ground, or to cut them now. Any opinions?

The answer is an unequivocal -- it depends!

On the species, the location, and how badly (or well) rooted in they are.

I offer this as a recipe for solving what I believe will be a continuing issue if you're anything like the serious Palm Psycho I think you'll be.

In general, for most palms, in warm places, in warm weather, in the big growing season, not too badly rooted in, i.e., a root or two, break 'em move 'em, transplant 'em and don't worry.

I don't have any coconuts, but this is the best time of year for them where you are, so, I say go ahead and break the roots if you have to. They'll just regrow, like so many other species do if my observations are any use at all.

BUT!

There are exceptions. Braheas, Parajubes, Psuedophoenix, some Cocothrinax, some Arengas, some Caryotas, and anything really slow you need to more careful about. Those you want to put where air-pruning will happen.

Also (I'm sure you know, I'm saying this for others!) a palm that's rooted so much in the ground that's it's planted itself will also require more care. A good example was an Arenga that was in a 5-gallon that had been rooted in for so long that the trunk was as fat as the can's diameter. In that case, we had to trench and move it as though it was in the ground, because, well, it was in the ground.

Hope this helps, and let us know what happens, whatever happens.

dave

[John Case]

Those of us who were at the Darian garden saw thousands of dollars orth of palms rooted in the ground through their pots.....and no plan to mitigate them...it was pretty facinating,...like a train wreck.