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.—
Carey Brothers
Carey BrothersExamples of root ball in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
To prepare one for your home, gently shake off any excess soil from the roots, then place the root ball in a plastic bag and water thoroughly.
—Halee Miller Van Ryswyk, Better Homes & Gardens, 12 Dec. 2024
Dig a planting hole 2-3 times as wide as the root ball.
—Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 11 Dec. 2024
Plastic pots had melted off the root balls of day lilies and irises.
—Jeanette Marantos, Los Angeles Times, 1 Dec. 2024
Remove the burlap and wire baskets on the root balls once the tree is positioned in the planting hole.
—Tim Johnson, Chicago Tribune, 17 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for root ball 
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Halee Miller Van Ryswyk, Better Homes & Gardens, 12 Dec. 2024
Dig a planting hole 2-3 times as wide as the root ball.
—Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 11 Dec. 2024
Plastic pots had melted off the root balls of day lilies and irises.
—Jeanette Marantos, Los Angeles Times, 1 Dec. 2024
Remove the burlap and wire baskets on the root balls once the tree is positioned in the planting hole.
—Tim Johnson, Chicago Tribune, 17 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for root ball
Dictionary Entries Near root ball
Cite this Entry
“Root ball.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/root%20ball. Accessed 30 Dec. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share