pot-bound
adjective
variants
or pot bound
or potbound
of a potted plant
: having roots formed into a dense, tangled mass that encircles the inside of a container and that allows little or no space for further growth : root-bound
Examine the root system of container plants carefully to make certain that the plant has not become pot-bound. If it has, the roots will have circled around the inside of the pot and will be a solid, entangled mass.—
Robert Emmerich et al.
Robert Emmerich et al.Grow several bulbs in one pot so they remain potbound.—Joan Lee Faust
Joan Lee FaustExamples of pot-bound in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
This is no different than the care for other indoor plants, but because palms are quite tolerant of being pot-bound for a while, gardeners may forget that the potting mix is deteriorating over time and should be refreshed periodically.
—Miri Talabac, Baltimore Sun, 4 Jan. 2024
For example, their roots may be pot-bound and they may not have been consistently watered.
—Beth Botts, Chicago Tribune, 12 Aug. 2023
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Miri Talabac, Baltimore Sun, 4 Jan. 2024
For example, their roots may be pot-bound and they may not have been consistently watered.
—Beth Botts, Chicago Tribune, 12 Aug. 2023
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Cite this Entry
“Pot-bound.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pot-bound. Accessed 28 Nov. 2024.
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