I think you just remove the wrapping roots and maybe an inch around the sides if you use the same pot. If you up size a pot just the rap around roots get removed.

Is Black kow another name for bovine scat.

Black Kow is just a brand name for "bovine scat", composted cow manure.! Lol!

I wasn't sure if it would be better to just bare root them or just slice off an inch or two of soil and roots, all around and on the bottom. Normally I would just up grade to a larger container, but these are in the largest containers, I can find around here. I doubt I would be able to move anything larger, and I don't want to pay the cost of ordering larger online, (which run over the $100.00 mark, plus shipping. I am, ahem...frugal. Lol.) This is just a hobby for me, but I enjoy it and the fruits of my labor.

Bob, Will I need to prune afterwards? I don't know how the root pruning will impact the top growth?

Related to root pruning and root circling, has anyone who uses square pots found significant benefits from less root circling? I read that was a benefit of the square pot, but I have stuck kept with round roto-molded so far, since I have them from prior bulk orders. I guess the other benefit would probably be a bit more stability in wind.

What do you mean afterwards? As you yank the tree out of the pot, take a look at the rootball, if you see circling fat roots cut them of cleanly with pruners, those will grow regular roots, also the j roots got to go also. You can trim the bottom a couple of inches to.

Fill your empty pot with a few inches of your new potting mix, set the Tree in, center the tree and fill the sides. You can at this time top dress with some compost, water it, shake the tree a bit so that your soil packs the roots. Do not use any package fertilizer yet till you see some new growth. While you at it, trim all weak branches and in growing branches also.

You are good to go. This is what I do, some might do it different. Do you want to see what the tree looks like now?

Bob, yes, thanks, I would love to see an "after" photo.

I found a video of a gentleman in Italy, that showed root pruning. It was a little scary, Lol! He took a machete type tool and just cut about two or three inches off of the bottom and just sort of sliced a couple inches off all around the sides. Then put new soil in the bottom and filled in the sides. It has been awhile since I watched the video, and of course now, I can't find it. I really don't want to kill the poor things, just give them some fresh soil.

Ken, I have some smaller citrus in square pots. I will have to check how the roots are when they need repotting.

If you use fabric pots or air-pruning pots, you never have to prune your roots.

the roots prune themselves when they reach the edge and dry out. this means your roots will never bound up into a ball or circle. Also it means less stress on the plant.

i have lots of experience with fabric pots and large plants (5gal to 35gallon homemade fabric pots) I use them outside during the summer and inside my greenhouse.

I've have used fabric containers for outdoors tomatoes, but I can't imagine carrying them up and down steps for winter. I would imagine the deformation stress to the roots in the bag would not be good. Are any hard self pruning pots that winter pot toters recommend?

The Page mandarin tree, repotted, heavy root pruning, clean useless branches, last spring.

this past December took it out the growroom for some fresh air,60*.

norwoodn Nice greenhouse. Good job on it. I am jealous. I just have a pile of used windows and 2 by 4's.

30 gallon pot

Cuban Shaddock from cuttings · More Info

removed and root pruned

Cuban Shaddock from cuttings · More Info

in ground and protected for winter.

Cuban Shaddock from cuttings · More Info

Fill dirt is 8 feet deep so I need a levered counter balance to keep this end of the greenhouse from sinking

Close up of the fulcrum.

cattywampus / womperjog cube over Meiwa kumquat tree.

Windows piled willy nilly with air leaking gaps filled with grass

Steve

Thank you, Bob. It looks wonderful. I am counting the days, until I can take mine outside again. We keep getting weekly cold spells in between the few warm beautiful days. So they are stuck inside until mid-March or so. I have spring fever in the worst way, along with sunlight deprivation!

As you can see, here are 3 samples how members are doing things. As long you are happy with your results. More tree’s more muscle, don’t need to go to the gym.

Steve you would be ashamed of me. I am in the window business and throw out old windows regularly. a lot of waste unfortunately. We need more people like you who are willing and able to recycle glass..

thanks for the compliment on the greenhouse. It is a one of a kind, shed-style, hot house, with automatic vent opener covered in corrugated polycarbonate. I used heavy rail ties as the ”foundation wall” and it moves with the ground freezing and thawing here in central Montana. you have to do it once to understand what needs to be done differently. Ventilation, pest control (thrips mainly in GH), and more importantly water drainage and foundation work are the main things to worry about when building a GH. The things I would do differently next greenhouse I create......

If you are going to significantly prune the roots, you should also prune the plant. The typical ratio for citrus is 1 to 4 root to tree ratio; so try to keep that balance and your tree should continue to thrive.

Thank you, John. I don't know how significantly it will be, I am still a bit scared to even attempt it. But I will have to pull up my big girl drawers and do it anyway. The trees need the fresh soil.