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After 7 Months in a 5 Gallon Bucket......Rootbound

armac

armac

Started these in February in 5 gallon buckets, got some 15 gallon smart pots to upgrade. After seeing these roots, all my plants next year will go in at least 10 gallon pots or in the ground.

Thai peppers from Windchicken
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Yes sir! I guess those fellas have outgrown there home!
I did all of mine in the ground this year but am going to do a few in pots next year. I was thinking about 5 gallon pots... but maybe I should step up the size a bit,
 
I had heard that peppers would be fine for one growing season. I guess getting them in a bucket by Feb leaves them in the bucket too long.

Hopefully they will handle the transfer well.
 
That may well be the difference... My growing season is much shorter than yours in Texas.
I won't put anything out until Derby Weekend... So you've got a few months on me.
I have a few plants that I'm planning on overwintering. Guessing I should put them in 10g pots.
 
Wow, that is a lot of root. I don't have a great deal of experience growing, but I do have two thoughts. One is that judging from the size of what your picture shows above ground, many of my plants may be similarly root bound, but they seem to be happy in the pots there in. I'm curious what prompted you to check on whether they outgrown the 5 gallon pots because maybe my happy plants would be even happier with more room.

Second, I have heard that some plants like to be "underpotted" (though not undernurished, of course). I don't understand the logic there. Swaddling a baby makes sense, but I don't get why a plant would be positively effected by a little squeeze. I can see how the ecosystem for a container garden would be different than a more traditional - in the ground - garden. How big of an issue is being root bound for the health of pepper plants?
 
I could see the roots on the surface of the bucket. Also the bucket was very light, the roots had replaced the dirt. I think plants need room to grow, we will see if the 15 gallon smart pot can accommodate it for another year. I will overwinter these two see how big they will grow.
 
I am sure you could, but bonsai enthusiasts are looking for tiny stature in a plant. I am looking for a big plant.

I like the thai pepper and these 2 plants seemed to be good candidates for the bigger smart pots.
 
Wow, Rodney, that's some root ball! Now we know what Thai Birdseed will do below the surface!

I have several second-year baccatums in containers that are in the same same shape...Plants are huge and healthy, but the surface of the soil is a solid mass of roots. Looks like I'll be potting up in a couple of days!

Gary
 
OK When potting up my best luck is to NOT disturb the root ball
best luck is to just water well, get the new pot ready, good well draining soil, fill bottom of the pot as to keep original depth of plant
water new soil into mud add some fish fertilizr mixed as label Now gently remove the plant from root bound pot
put on the new soil and gently fill around the outside just watering DO NO PACK SOIL
then water in if the plant seems to be stressing on the next day water again do not water again untill the plant soil is dry or the plant is strugling
never fluff the roots on the hot pepper plants they are not flowers and do not like there roots moved Good Luck
 
armac said:
I could see the roots on the surface of the bucket. Also the bucket was very light, the roots had replaced the dirt. I think plants need room to grow, we will see if the 15 gallon smart pot can accommodate it for another year. I will overwinter these two see how big they will grow.
Click to expand...

Good copy Armac. Thanks. After reading your response, I went out and checked the weight of my plants. My Sweet Datil had really slowed down in growth and in flowering, so I checked it first, actually expecting it to be light. It is heavy with soil. Curiously, the red savina, which is very lush, loading up with fruit, and in the largest pot is actually lighter than of the others. I'm on the fence whether to repot at this stage in the season. Another month and it will start getting cold in the evenings. Decisions, decisions...
 
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