Escape roots

[Shibui]

Some developing shimpaku were becoming top heavy and regularly falling off the bench. I decided to double pot them to add more weight without increasing pot size. Should also allow extra root space and maybe enhance trunk and branch development.

The outer pots were added around 3 years ago. Outer pot just filled with 'plumber's grit' AKA 'pea Gravel - around 6mm stone, mostly for weight.

Significant root growth into the gravel.


After reducing the roots.

Sorry, no after picture. 1 redundant branch removed to improve balance then it was potted into the same sized 11cm diam squat pot to recover before I look at final styling this Summer or Autumn.

 

[Wires_Guy_wires]

Nice, I've been doing the same to a couple of mine. I'm hoping for one huge escape root to thicken a trunk really fast; if that works with escape branches, I'm absolutely sure the escape root will become a thing in the next decade.

 

[jason biggs]

these 2 grew into the ground and the increase in size in 1 year was absolutely unreal....i had to destroy the pots like that to lift the trees...

 

[Shibui]

these 2 grew into the ground and the increase in size in 1 year was absolutely unreal

Nice sized trunk, Jason. Pity about all the circling roots.

Nice, I've been doing the same to a couple of mine. I'm hoping for one huge escape root to thicken a trunk really fast; if that works with escape branches, I'm absolutely sure the escape root will become a thing in the next decade.

One huge root may be OK depending where it originates.
If it's a down root it can be cut off and not impact the nebari but if it's one of the surface lateral roots (and it often is) that will distort the nebari badly with one thick root and a few thinner ones growing from the trunk. Nebari is much better when all the visible roots are similar size.

 

[jason biggs]

circling roots gone.