Very overgrown rootball for fiddle leaf fig: WTD?

[Scott_R]

I have a FLF that's grown to >6' tall that was in a pot that was 14"H x 12"W. I should have transplanted quite a while ago but I finally did the prep. Only, it was so rootbound that I had a devil of a time getting it out of the old container.

Not only had the roots grown out of the drainage hole by about two feet (circling the saucer) but it was tightly bound into the container. The only way to get it out was to use an old carpenter's square to loosen it from the pot (a nice ceramic pot I was loathe to crack open to get the tree out). Sort of like using a knife to remove a cake from the pan.

So, now that I did that... should I cut off that long length of roots that exited the pot and just replant the part that had been inside? How much effort do I make to loosen the root ball--I wasn't sure if I'd harm the plant more than helping.

 

[oneeye]

I never cut the roots on my ficus plants, but its ok to do it if they outgrow their pots. I would replace the potting mix with fresh and return it to the same size container and put it in the same spot was in. Its really best to do a major transplant in the first of the growing season instead of the end of the season so the plant and adjust with new growth.

 

[Martin Mikulcik]

I wouldn't touch the root ball unless you see some severe circling. I'd also put it in a bigger pot now if you want it to keep growing. Otherwise prune the top the same proportion you prune the roots

 

[cpp gardener]

I would cut off the roots that grew out the bottom and leave the rest alone. Plant it in an 18-20" pot without disturbing the rest of the rootball. Being a tropical plant they don't have a dormant period and grow the same all year round as long as light and temperature are sufficient.