Always correct what you can.

tj

I've held plants for dormant pruning but not firs......even just slip potting I am weary. AFAIK, firs are very picky on their container mix...and depend on the mychrozzia on their roots in order to survive. Whether it's in ground or pot, I always inoculate the roots with myco for good measure

No roots were pruned. Just unwrapped them, unbinded them, to plant it with straight roots into the ground vs. a rounded mess. Even though I did not cut any roots but just untangled them, it was enough for them to not be happy.

'Either mildy rootbound circling the edges.'

If the plant has been up potted and root pruned as needed at the nursery and the only roots at the inside of the pot are fine and beginning to follow the inside of the pot, just plant it.

Once in the ground those fine roots won't be a problem and will grow straight away being there's no longer a restriction stopping them.

Thicker, woodier roots will need some work and straightening them during planting time is recommended.

The circling roots closer to the trunk that are too woody to straighten, may need to be clipped.

There is a point that a potbound tree is just too far gone to successfully fix.

If it's a chance you have to acquire a fairly rare tree, just do what's necessary, removing the 'J hooks' and bad stuff but remember, keep the surgery to a bare minimum. The less that's required, the better chance the tree has to survive.

I almost shuddered when I read some one was using a type of comb on the roots.

That sounds like certain death to me.

Root surgery is most successful when the tree is dormant, or maybe I said that already. 🤣

'AFAIK, firs are very picky on their container mix...and depend on the mychrozzia on their roots in order to survive.'

Don't over think this. A lot of what goes around in gardening circles are a myth:

https://www.gardenmyths.com/mycorrhizae-fungi-inoculant-products/

I use nothing but 5-1-1 bark mix for all my potted conifer seedlings, including firs.

The only feeding I give them in a weak mixture of MG and Epsom salts.

They do fine.

Once in the ground, same story.

Likely different in Bill's colder climate but evergreen conifers never really go fully dormant in my area, nor do BLE's.

Given that caveat, I loosen rootballs of everything whenever I plant. If I were planting today, that is exactly what I would do, although I do wait for late winter before undertaking any root pruning. btw, feeder roots are the first to regenerate when removed or disturbed.

I do agree with Bill's choice of planting mix as well as the omission of mycorrhizae inoculant for any woody plant, firs included. I also wait to fertilize till the next growing season (except for plants in containers). I just pay very close attention to watering.

As the OP is in a much hotter summer climate than mine, I might wait till cooler temps in fall before planting from container to ground.

It is interesting GG about loosening roots on conifers at any time of year.

Once new growth has begun in the late spring and summer, spruce, fir and possibly others have for me, went into a tizzy with major root disturbance during that time.

Generally, new growth has withered or at the least stopped putting on any further new growth for that season.

After the winter buds are set, generally by mid-July, then I can work on roots without consequences.

But I suppose too it's the amount of disturbance that's done that makes the difference whether the plant reacts or not?

Also, I think some of the plants a1an has been dealing with, are a little beyond just untangling roots.

I know many of mine have been bad, with woody, crooked & twisted main roots, plants that many people won't even deal with.

The pot bound trees I've acquired that have been properly root pruned and up potted in a timely fashion, haven't been an issue as I eluded too above. And generally, have been a non issue at planting time.

There are some thoughts that say use a hand saw to shave off inch on three sides of ball

I was scrolling through my pics and came across this one.....received it last year

Wasn't really expecting fused roots given the plant size #3

https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/e0r03uo8ikmpr9g01xogl/IMG_2683.jpeg?rlkey=czrssdgupvaz546ca3nrtp4r6&st=epc22kl5&dl=0

I often say I should stick with #7 or smaller.

#1 just seems too small

I have this one currently in a #15 shallow wide. I did do some root correction last year, upppotted for recovery and it will be planted next year.

LOL. I think I hit a milestone today....I got over my instant gratification and 1st time ordering smaller #1 G.

When I started, I wanted all semi specimen to jr sizes. #15-#6.

I then started also with #3 realizing, depending on cultivar, it will grow okay per year....and no need for larger plants .

Regardless of large or small sizes, it's always been a mixed bag of roots I get per plant. The #15 has never been rootbound but I think it's more because it's been self-pruning due to the wood box, so when unboxed, it appears not root bound.

I ordered a few #'1's today. 4 Years ago, there was no way you could convince me to order a #1 !

Good for you! ☺️

So I got my #1's in. Small little thangs....literally. Just a established fresh graft. r.The #1 feels like a cutting compared to the #3 of same parent I got last year. Granted the #3 was screaming to be in a #5.

I wish I had a pic of the #3 received last year. Pot size aside, literally, it was at least 20X larger than the #1's received.

Pros and cons I suppose right. Start smaller - plants are not rootbound.

Anything else, it kinda depends on the grower and their frequency on up-potting and or how good their growing conditions are that will dictate how happy the roots will grow.

I did learn something new recently. A really large grower:wholesaler.....if a plant is not up to their growing selling -standard-, whether it be shape or it's rootbound and needs to be uppotted and other variables, they will sell those plants to the nursery at a lower pricepoint with a particular grading. These are GRADED as AB stock. It will still have the growers tag on them, may not be the same like *grade A* material in the same pot size, in struture or root system.......So a plant can have the same growers tag, same #6 pot, but from the growers perspective, it's 2 different plants they are selling to market

One may be considered A grade and the latter considered a (lower grade), Just slightly interesting as if I was at the nursery, I would simply be making my impressions of said plant just based on pot size not thinking there was a Premium #6 graded pot and a #6 that they deemed less quality.

This came about in a conversation as I was having the nursery pre-order me some stuff they don't carry but the can order as part of their 2027 delivery and I told him I wanted #3 as I did not want to deal with rootbound #6....and this was when the info was shared on how I may be looking at AB Graded Material and don't base a decision on possibly that. He said #6 that wasn't considered second grade would not be rootbound.