root bound shasta daisies

Question

I already planted some root bound shasta daisies in my front yard. Will they die if I don’t dig them up and cut the root bound areas? Or can I sink a butcher knife into the ground and cut them that way?

Answer 1

They won't die if you leave them. In rare cases, rootbound plants put into the ground will continue to grow in a circular pattern that then strangles the root ball, but this does not usually happen. In most cases, even if the plant is rootbound when planted and the roots are not loosened, the root ball will in most cases spread out and grow just fine.

If you are still worried, you can just use a spade and plunge it into the soil around the plant in one or two locations to help break up the root ball.