Fittonia Roots

Question

I have a Fittonia ‘Frankie’ and I have recently noticed that its roots are growing out of the bottom holes of the plastic pot it is in (the plastic pot sets down in another decorative pot). Can I cut these roots back? I noticed they were sitting down in water that had drained through to the bottom of the decorative pot. Can’t this cause root rot? I do not really want to repot in a bigger pot because I am happy with the size the Fittonia is now. It is currently in what I think is a 4-inch planter, although it might be a 6 inch.

Answer 1

It is root bound. It either needs to be repotted or it needs its roots trimmed. To trim the roots, take off about 1/2" to 1" of the rootball all the way around and the plant back in the pot.