variants
or less commonly rootball
plural root balls also rootballs
: the compact mass of roots and soil formed by a plant especially in a container
If there are large circling roots or you have a difficult time straightening the roots, the root ball should be thinned and the soil loosened before planting.—
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Carey BrothersExamples of root ball in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Build berms at the edge of root balls of new trees and shrubs to direct water to the roots.
—Tom MacCubbin, The Orlando Sentinel, 29 Mar. 2025
Transplant Seedlings Bury zinnia root balls at the same depth the plants were growing in their indoor containers and bury biodegradable pots along with your plants to avoid disturbing delicate zinnia roots.
—Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 25 Mar. 2025
The bulky root balls of containerized stock may need to be loosened up or their roots may be circling the container and will have to be pulled apart and straightened prior to planting.
Vegetables.
—Joshua Siskin, Orange County Register, 6 Mar. 2025
Digging around a root ball roughly 45 feet in diameter began on June 1, followed by an operation to insert large inflatable airbags underneath.
—Jack Bantock, CNN, 14 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for root ball
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Tom MacCubbin, The Orlando Sentinel, 29 Mar. 2025
Transplant Seedlings Bury zinnia root balls at the same depth the plants were growing in their indoor containers and bury biodegradable pots along with your plants to avoid disturbing delicate zinnia roots.
—Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 25 Mar. 2025
The bulky root balls of containerized stock may need to be loosened up or their roots may be circling the container and will have to be pulled apart and straightened prior to planting.
Vegetables.
—Joshua Siskin, Orange County Register, 6 Mar. 2025
Digging around a root ball roughly 45 feet in diameter began on June 1, followed by an operation to insert large inflatable airbags underneath.
—Jack Bantock, CNN, 14 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for root ball
Cite this Entry
“Root ball.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/root%20ball. Accessed 6 Apr. 2025.
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