Privet late root pruning

[Steven1969s]

Hello everyone.

I have a privet that I was supposed to root prune in spring and forgot about it.
Is it to late to root prune now? I'm starting to see roots pop out of the pot and don't want to see the tree suff er.

Please let me know.
Thanks,
Steve

 

[0soyoung]

Wait about 6 weeks and you can likely do anything you would in spring - repot, root prune, etc.

 

[Steven1969s]

Because it would be dormant in summer?

Wait about 6 weeks and you can likely do anything you would in spring - repot, root prune, etc.

 

[BrianBay9]

Privet are as tough as they come. Perhaps not best practice to root prune out of season, but I've picked them up on the curb after a hedge was ripped out. Middle of summer, 48 hrs after they were removed and left for dead, very few roots left. Cut them back, potted up and they sprouted out like there was nothing unusual going on.

 

[0soyoung]

Because it would be dormant in summer?

No, it is because auxin and carbohydrates are available from the newly hardened foliage to grow roots = capacity to recover from root damage. There is a big change in growth patterns following the summer solstice.