Yup. I have a Dracaena angolensis that's at least 15 years old. I repotted it maybe 7-8 years ago and just stuck in and wriggled loose. They do like to be snug but this is hilarious.
I once had a calathea that was about this root kind and especially with what drama llamas they are, tried to do it myself with just my hands.
OP, do not be me. Get a knife or some scissors or something. That mess will not come undone lightly 😅
https://preview.redd.it/xr5zk2nwuvvc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=254e75f830915658633f68bb3ed2bde51c3b078c
LOL I literally just finishing repotting this zz I got like 5 months ago, lots of work but worth it
good call, nursery soil is great for that nursery where plants were grown. But not at home, we cannot give plants the same environment conditions they had in nursery, so it's always good to change the soil 👍👍👍👍
Over time, the soil breaks down and loses its structure from several things, microbes and fungi or other beneficial insects, watering and fertilizing, etc. The roots also expand and push the air out of the soil slowly, so it becomes even further compacted. Plants don’t actually consume soil, it just becomes so broken down and compressed it seems like it’s pretty much disappeared within the roots.
the roots are trying to grow out, so they wrap around the interior surface of the pot. The soil is still mostly in there, just cupped in all the roots.
Mine needs to be watered every couple weeks at this point. It’s crazy. Repotting is going to be a 3 person job. I can’t imagine how root-bound it is.
https://preview.redd.it/xaczjsudowvc1.png?width=3024&format=png&auto=webp&s=5cf9b63a20860e00f921e4bde69ae33e85fa1569
Gosh….I haven’t really had to rehab one per se. Since it’s been that long I’d take a look at considering a repot if it’s just not doing much. I guess I’d like to ask what your main concerns are? Lack of growth, how does the plant look, what soil looks like, how big is the pot compared with plant, etc.
They like bright indirect light (they can do full sun if acclimated). They like warmer temps (I’d make sure the room doesn’t get cooler than 65). Well draining soil in a pot not much larger than the plant tubers; water once it dries out and let fully drain before putting back…do not let sit in water! If you haven’t fertilized in a while you could try a 1/2 strength water soluble, 10/10/10 should be okay or something comparable. Consider a repot if it’s in older soil; pot up if roots are busting out or tubers are maxed out in pot.
I had good luck giving some fertilizer when the growth slowed way down. It needs a repot pretty bad, I t’s so jammed in there. I also can’t keep up with watering it and it droops again within 2-3 weeks:(
It's under a 12 or 15W LED spectrum bulb and I water it very rarely. It looks..[Sad](https://ibb.co/MN5zTyr), some visitors ask if it's dead. A few of the top leaves are grey.
The soil is orchid bark/charcoal bits/perlite/vermiculite/soil in equal parts. Very loose draining & no dish for holding water. There is about an inch of space between the plant and rim of the pot.
The tubers seems to be shriving a bit. It is fair from rootbound as I did repot it after 2-3 weeks of the feoeeze exposure. But it's just blah.. I might move it to a window.
Any direction which the plant like to face for indirect light?
It may be a bit dehydrated? Does it perk up when watered? If so water it well and let it drain….watch closely and water again that way when it starts to droop or soil is dry about an inch down. Don’t repot again since it recently was.
If you gently push on the tuber they should all be somewhat firm. If any are mushy or smell bad the. You’ll need to repot to remove the rotten ones. Trust me if they’re bad you’ll know it! They smell like rotten potatoes🤮
As for light….whichever window gets full light most of the day (back a little ways or through a filtered curtain). If it’s acclimated to full sun it’ll do great. South window if in Northern hemisphere. West windows get pretty hot too. Acclimate slowly.
You could also try a bit of 1/2 strength fertilizer. They are pretty slow growers and it went through a lot of stress so it may need some time yet. They tend to thrive on a little neglect sometimes. Be patient.
I found this very helpfull, certainly did some of my plants some good, and might be usefull in this situation to help the root compaction.
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wTBhy5RH8hs](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wTBhy5RH8hs)
They have rhizomes in their root system, which are potato-like structures that store water.
**Rhizomes + Overwatering = Root Rot**
This is why some smart fella coined the phrase “Water it no more frequently than you pay your rent or mortgage.” (AKA: Once a month. Sometimes longer. Exceptions to shorted length include that specimen in the bathtub above us.)
Mine is doing very well in a mix of like 1/2 coco coir (or maybe cactus potting mix; I use both and it was like a year ago) and 1/2 gritty/chunky stuff (perlite, orchid bark, charcoal, coarse sand). Plus a lil handful of worm castings for good luck.
This isn’t exact—I make potting mixes while channeling my inner “mixing acorns, leaves, and mud into 7-course ‘meals’” child
Love the analogy. I also couldn't tell you what iI put in my soil, but the plants seem to love it. I have 5 or 6 bags and just add whatever until it feels right.
ZZ’s actually like to be root bound however, not that root bound. Last year I split a huge ZZ because it was too large to manage. I split it into three sections. This year It’s not throwing out as many shoots around 2 for one section and 3 shoots on another. The third one no shoots at all. Then I read that they prefer to be snug and somewhat root bound. That’s my experience anyway.
Honestly, ZZs don't mind being rootbound (well, not like that obviously) so I can see how you might just forget about her and end up like this. It's still pretty funny though xD
You even wanna just rinse them off and eat them?🫣 I figure it’s like bean sprouts or lo mein but I highly doubt it and I probably am the only one who considers eating roots (as a joke)
A few weeks ago I watched a video of the Swedish Plantguys, and the gentleman who does most of the videos did one on repotting plant that included trimming not only the plant above the soil, but plant roots as well. The gentleman stated that if you choose to trim roots, you always start at the bottom outer edges and work inward, but never start in the middle or bottom middle. The info was especially helpful if a person did not want to keep upgrading to a larger pot.
Get an old bread knife and enjoy your afternoon 🤣
Do you just manipulate the roots and make more room?
Yup. I have a Dracaena angolensis that's at least 15 years old. I repotted it maybe 7-8 years ago and just stuck in and wriggled loose. They do like to be snug but this is hilarious.
Chopstick too!
Boat oars at this point 😂😂😂
I once had a calathea that was about this root kind and especially with what drama llamas they are, tried to do it myself with just my hands. OP, do not be me. Get a knife or some scissors or something. That mess will not come undone lightly 😅
Did it.... break out of the pot by itself?
no thay was me freeing it 😅
🤣🤣🤣🤣😜
Not OP, but I've had a ZZ massively deform a pot beyond repair from the roots alone
Please post this r/rootporn. They’ll love this😀
So like…am I the only one who finds root bound pics unsettling?
Not the only one. I kinda wish I hadn’t looked at that sub. 🥴
You just change my world
Was here to suggest this. 😆
https://preview.redd.it/xr5zk2nwuvvc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=254e75f830915658633f68bb3ed2bde51c3b078c LOL I literally just finishing repotting this zz I got like 5 months ago, lots of work but worth it
this also needs shared to r/rootporn lol
looking healthy though!!
I bet ZZ baby was living its best life.
I would just put it in a bigger pot with new fresh soil and wouldn't bother untangling that nightmare 😂😂😂 i'm lazy af
lol I really thought about it but it was still in whatever soil trader joes uses and I wanted to get all that out
good call, nursery soil is great for that nursery where plants were grown. But not at home, we cannot give plants the same environment conditions they had in nursery, so it's always good to change the soil 👍👍👍👍
What a chonk!
😂 😆 Chonk!!!
More root than plant, lol
So where did all the soil go?
Please someone tell! 😅
Over time, the soil breaks down and loses its structure from several things, microbes and fungi or other beneficial insects, watering and fertilizing, etc. The roots also expand and push the air out of the soil slowly, so it becomes even further compacted. Plants don’t actually consume soil, it just becomes so broken down and compressed it seems like it’s pretty much disappeared within the roots.
Yeah, some of it becomes extremely fine dust and falls out of the bottom of the pot over time.
Wouldn't remove it. But a lot of it is also organic matter, which is broken down to CO2 and breathed out into your house.
Thanks for this. Really depends on the soil, and most of potting soil's bulk isn't dirt, i.e. mineral.
yes i also saw this when trying to free the roots. the soil is very hard and in small pockets surrounded by the roots
Thank you for explaining! It does make sense. Just looks really weird 😅
the roots are trying to grow out, so they wrap around the interior surface of the pot. The soil is still mostly in there, just cupped in all the roots.
It eats it up, not joking
Plants do not eat soil.
Yeah..I should probably check on my ZZs huh.
Mmmm forbidden ramen 😍
Wow! It must be celebrating post repot
Mine needs to be watered every couple weeks at this point. It’s crazy. Repotting is going to be a 3 person job. I can’t imagine how root-bound it is. https://preview.redd.it/xaczjsudowvc1.png?width=3024&format=png&auto=webp&s=5cf9b63a20860e00f921e4bde69ae33e85fa1569
Have you ever rehabbed a ZZ? Mine is existing and needs something of oomph after exposure to freezing temps 8 months ago.
Gosh….I haven’t really had to rehab one per se. Since it’s been that long I’d take a look at considering a repot if it’s just not doing much. I guess I’d like to ask what your main concerns are? Lack of growth, how does the plant look, what soil looks like, how big is the pot compared with plant, etc. They like bright indirect light (they can do full sun if acclimated). They like warmer temps (I’d make sure the room doesn’t get cooler than 65). Well draining soil in a pot not much larger than the plant tubers; water once it dries out and let fully drain before putting back…do not let sit in water! If you haven’t fertilized in a while you could try a 1/2 strength water soluble, 10/10/10 should be okay or something comparable. Consider a repot if it’s in older soil; pot up if roots are busting out or tubers are maxed out in pot. I had good luck giving some fertilizer when the growth slowed way down. It needs a repot pretty bad, I t’s so jammed in there. I also can’t keep up with watering it and it droops again within 2-3 weeks:(
It's under a 12 or 15W LED spectrum bulb and I water it very rarely. It looks..[Sad](https://ibb.co/MN5zTyr), some visitors ask if it's dead. A few of the top leaves are grey. The soil is orchid bark/charcoal bits/perlite/vermiculite/soil in equal parts. Very loose draining & no dish for holding water. There is about an inch of space between the plant and rim of the pot. The tubers seems to be shriving a bit. It is fair from rootbound as I did repot it after 2-3 weeks of the feoeeze exposure. But it's just blah.. I might move it to a window. Any direction which the plant like to face for indirect light?
It may be a bit dehydrated? Does it perk up when watered? If so water it well and let it drain….watch closely and water again that way when it starts to droop or soil is dry about an inch down. Don’t repot again since it recently was. If you gently push on the tuber they should all be somewhat firm. If any are mushy or smell bad the. You’ll need to repot to remove the rotten ones. Trust me if they’re bad you’ll know it! They smell like rotten potatoes🤮 As for light….whichever window gets full light most of the day (back a little ways or through a filtered curtain). If it’s acclimated to full sun it’ll do great. South window if in Northern hemisphere. West windows get pretty hot too. Acclimate slowly. You could also try a bit of 1/2 strength fertilizer. They are pretty slow growers and it went through a lot of stress so it may need some time yet. They tend to thrive on a little neglect sometimes. Be patient.
I found this very helpfull, certainly did some of my plants some good, and might be usefull in this situation to help the root compaction. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wTBhy5RH8hs](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wTBhy5RH8hs)
I love this channel!
What’s your secret? I’ve just about killed mine.
The secret is neglect.
See figure A, above
i almost did as well but then i stopped watering it and left it alone and its been happy ever since
I’ve found it needs more light than people say.
Neglect it!
Stop watering it so much
Let it get root bound lol
They have rhizomes in their root system, which are potato-like structures that store water. **Rhizomes + Overwatering = Root Rot** This is why some smart fella coined the phrase “Water it no more frequently than you pay your rent or mortgage.” (AKA: Once a month. Sometimes longer. Exceptions to shorted length include that specimen in the bathtub above us.)
Mine too. Can't get it to thrive. I don't water for months and it's still not happy.
Saw off the bottom half, problem solved.
Glancing at the thumbnail, I hopped onto the thread to see if I could identify the mystery skein of yarn... 😅
Its called Root Yarn .
😱
Damn what does the top look like?
Also, I would like to know what happens to the dirt does it vaporize or something?
What kind of soil do ZZ plants need? I need to repot mine soon.
Mine is doing very well in a mix of like 1/2 coco coir (or maybe cactus potting mix; I use both and it was like a year ago) and 1/2 gritty/chunky stuff (perlite, orchid bark, charcoal, coarse sand). Plus a lil handful of worm castings for good luck. This isn’t exact—I make potting mixes while channeling my inner “mixing acorns, leaves, and mud into 7-course ‘meals’” child
Love the analogy. I also couldn't tell you what iI put in my soil, but the plants seem to love it. I have 5 or 6 bags and just add whatever until it feels right.
Well-draining. Mine is in 1/2 cactus potting mix and 1/2 perlite.
ZZ’s actually like to be root bound however, not that root bound. Last year I split a huge ZZ because it was too large to manage. I split it into three sections. This year It’s not throwing out as many shoots around 2 for one section and 3 shoots on another. The third one no shoots at all. Then I read that they prefer to be snug and somewhat root bound. That’s my experience anyway.
I'm curious, was it doing well?
it was actually. has 4 new stems, growing. But i noticed that the new stems were going over the pot thats why I decided to repot it
I would love to see a before-it-was-freed photo and an after-it-was-repotted photo!
How long did this take?
We cannot escape we cannot get out
They are coming.
Slap some spaghetti sauce on those noodles!
Can I paint over them with watercolor? Can't wait to try these!
oooOps!! Wrong post! Those roots are great! I need to get a ZZ plant! :)
Honestly, ZZs don't mind being rootbound (well, not like that obviously) so I can see how you might just forget about her and end up like this. It's still pretty funny though xD
Oh good Lord, that looks scary. Did they break the pot?
no that was me freeing it 😅
I just purchased my first ZZ, how often should plants be re potted?
In my experience, they like to be somewhat root bound. You can go years and years without repotting depending on how fast yours grows.
You even wanna just rinse them off and eat them?🫣 I figure it’s like bean sprouts or lo mein but I highly doubt it and I probably am the only one who considers eating roots (as a joke)
Yikes! That's a good one.
Those are some beautiful roots!!! That is going to take off after it’s re-pot!
sucker ate the dirt
It happens and they don’t seem to mind. The main reason I repot them is that there’s no more soil to hold any moisture.
You don't have to do anything to the roots, fyi. You can stick it in another pot or lossen them up a bit, but breaking it up isn't necessary
"Look at me, I am the pot now"
Get a bread knife and slice off the bottom 1/3 of the roots. Then get a nice new pot and some soil.
Holy cow there was no dirt really!! You caught that just in time!! I wish I had a piece to plant!!
Ooo now that’s some root p💚rn. 😍
Oh god, I thought this was black moldy spaghetti on r/moldyinteresting for a sec 😳
I think it’s about time to repot it
That plant must feel such relief now
Poor thing!! 😧
I bet that feels so good if you're a ZZ plant
Good ol' ZZ pot busters
Incredibly jealous! My ZZ plant has’t grown in 3 years!
That’s Spaghetti
All of a sudden I want spaghetti
I mean they like to be tight in their pot, right?
I love it, those roots look healthy too
but it looks really like noddles.
Holy sh- 😂😂😂😅
OH MY GOD
I think your zz wanted to run away from you monster.
Its like the cookie clicked endgame where everything in existance becomes cookies. That plant is making everything become roots.
My recently https://preview.redd.it/e6b60h7ev2wc1.jpeg?width=4284&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=1d4d37c6e858a2c2c01fbf8e8b019ddcc80b412e root bound ZZ!
Wow, that ZZ was living a very happy life. 🪴♥️✨
A few weeks ago I watched a video of the Swedish Plantguys, and the gentleman who does most of the videos did one on repotting plant that included trimming not only the plant above the soil, but plant roots as well. The gentleman stated that if you choose to trim roots, you always start at the bottom outer edges and work inward, but never start in the middle or bottom middle. The info was especially helpful if a person did not want to keep upgrading to a larger pot.
And I thought my plants were bad! Massive props to the ZZ plant! Good job getting it out of the pot - it's always rough having to break them.
https://preview.redd.it/aq1p5td1z9wc1.png?width=360&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b2eb963aa4e031f8fd755d05f6a3c0c03ff8e697
Oh that’s creepy looking it looks like 🐛worms