I have 2 new conifers.....will probably aim to do the same exploratory excavation a year from now on my new acquisitions. It just delays my planting schedule as I end up holding the plant for one extra year in a container to wait for dormancy...then do root correction....and then plant it.

One of my 1st firs I added was a large speciemen size Icebreaker. I killed it before it even reached fall of the same season.

Scared sh@@l#ss since losing it, I've been very careful about root correction when receiving them. I grow them for one season without touching them.....and then do a root correction the following year. Here is the replacement Icebreaker that I did not touch since receving it 2-3 years later. It's currently showing no signs of stress removing the extra roots....most of the tips has bud break/new needle growth on them.

This late winter/spring, I decided to get down to the root flare.

I ended up pruning off 7 or so opportunistic roots....left little stubs for dieback and I'll clean that up next year.

https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/mwtmepxjyw2wvvvdvq87w/IMG_2293.jpeg?rlkey=vqwa03514q98ukfh1pmxr9pnc&st=r5hphmi5&dl=0

https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/xcvxwa6b63x9j5cni3r7g/IMG_2294.jpeg?rlkey=w5cyxqdlqjnt9orbym20niqep&st=36usqd79&dl=0

https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/pv242j9mgd4xmqwfu2678/IMG_2295.jpeg?rlkey=9dc30m2xum5xjtuz4v0rbg9jx&st=9pw5lk11&dl=0

Would you have left it alone or pruned it off as such ?