What is root pruning?
When repotting relatively large plants, you may not want to increase the pot size. In this case most plants will handle root pruning, especially if the weather is good- not too hot or too cold. It is a good way to rejuvenate old plants with compact, tight root balls. To root prune remove the pot and using a big sharp knife, remove a 3-5 cm (1-2 inch) layer of the root ball from the sides and bottom. Repot this smaller root ball into the same pot or similar sized new pot as described above in repotting. Soon active new roots will grow out from the cut root ends- these new roots will rejuvenate the plant, especially if you combine this with a modest amount of stem pruning.
