When is a tomato (or pepper) root-bound?

[fireman949]

This is my first year really getting good plants from seed. Previous years haven't been as profitable, but I've a better growing frame / light setup and I started mid-January for my Zone 7A.

Because of what I think is a good start, I've potted up my peppers once and tomatoes twice. Below are some pictures of my root balls on peppers and tomatoes - I'm curious if these are considered lightly root bound, medium root bound, heavy root bound, or not at all (or is there a light/medium/heavy)?


First - tomatoes :

These were seeded on or around 1/15 and potted up to 4" round pots from Lowes around 2/05. Fed with light fish emulsion and the plants themselves were about 10" - 12" tall and fairly stocky.




I potted most of them up to round pots 4.5" wide and tall to give away later, the rest I planted.



And the peppers :

These were started the same time as the tomatoes and potted up at the same time to 3" square pots. The pepper in the picture is 8" tall from dirt to tip and is the tallest of the bunch.




Because I think the peppers are close to root bound and I don't have 32+ larger pots to pot-up, I'm going to start hardening off and get them in the garden this week. The forecast for the next 15 days has highs in the mid to upper 60s and lows in the mid 40s with a few nights at 38. I have raised beds with a visqueen cover I can put on if we expect anything below 40.

To me, something like this is root bound:



but I think mine are just at the - need to be potted up stage?

I'd just like to know what is considered root bound. I know at this point with both peppers and tomatoes I need/needed to do something.


This pepper is ~6" tall which is more like the rest of the peppers:

[KarenO]

They look fine. Very healthy root systems , just need a bigger pot or to be put in the ground. The first two are good, third pic is starting to look a little tight. Break it up a little when you repot that one.
Karen

[fireman949]

Thanks !! The 3rd one is not mine - just a pic I found on the interwebs of what I thought root bound might be.

Since we have very mild weather for the next few weeks and I can cover / protect if we happen to get cold in April, if I start hardening off tomorrow and get them in the garden in 7-10 days, is there a reason I should pot up?

[KarenO]

I think they should be fine for another week or ten days
Karen

[jtharper76]

Originally Posted by fireman949

Thanks !! The 3rd one is not mine - just a pic I found on the interwebs of what I thought root bound might be.

Since we have very mild weather for the next few weeks and I can cover / protect if we happen to get cold in April, if I start hardening off tomorrow and get them in the garden in 7-10 days, is there a reason I should pot up?

Hey Fireman, What part of Mississippi are you growing in. I am in SE Louisiana on the Mississippi line.

[Worth1]

You need to be very careful when buying shrubs and trees in containers.
Look for a root that is going around the main trunk.
In time it will choke the tree to death.

It will do good for 2 or more years and then start to die.
I had it happen to a nice big Pomegranate tree.
Last year it started to croak.
Then it died, I pulled it up and now it has sprouted from the roots.
I wish I would have taken a picture of the offending root.
Worth

[Labradors2]

Hi Worth,

I think the word you are searching for is "girdled". We are supposed to pull the plant out of it's container to check for any girdling roots before buying, but can you imagine actually doing this at a respectable nursery? I don't think they would appreciate it!!!!

Linda

[Worth1]

Originally Posted by Labradors2

Hi Worth,

I think the word you are searching for is "girdled". We are supposed to pull the plant out of it's container to check for any girdling roots before buying, but can you imagine actually doing this at a respectable nursery? I don't think they would appreciate it!!!!

Linda

Sometimes I steer away from big words like "girdled".
And yes I do look at the root ball at high end nurseries if I can get the plant out.
One of the guys that owns one is on a TV show here.
He says to look at the root ball.
I will and have been to his nursery and looked at the root ball.

Worth

[fireman949]

Originally Posted by jtharper76

Hey Fireman, What part of Mississippi are you growing in. I am in SE Louisiana on the Mississippi line.

North MS - Hernando near Memphis. Still too cold here to put the peppers out, but my tomatoes have been in for about a week.

[peppero]

Would there be any advantage or detriment to removing some of the roots where there is very dense root compaction?

Jon