- Check the surface of the pot for wet, smelly mix, which could be a sign of overwatering and rotting roots. Rock the plant gently; if the stem moves easily with no resistance, chances are the roots are starting to rot. Wilting, yellowing discoloured leaves are another sign of root rot.
- Check the potting mix surface for weeds too – some, like hairy bittercress – are really hard to get rid of and should not be brought home unless it’ a real bargain and you’re prepared to do some extra work to control the weeds. Jerry recommends removing the top few centimetres of soil, bagging and binning this, and top dressing with fresh mix, then watching for any remaining seedlings that might pop up. Quarantine the plant until you’re sure it’s safe.
- Give the root ball a squeeze. If it’s very tight, chances are it’s root bound which can be problematic for most plants. Exceptions to this rule are orchids and plants in the Monocot group which have short-lived, fibrous root systems that can cope with being root-bound. Dicots, including fruit trees and citrus, have longer-lived roots and if these have become spiralled in the pot, they will need to be pruned off before planting out, otherwise they will fail to spread and support the tree.