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
Evaluate the size of the root ball and select a container large enough to give the plant a little room to grow into, but not too much extra space.
—Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 25 Nov. 2025
Divide plants by gently digging up the entire root ball, slicing it in half with a sharp knife, and returning a portion to the ground to be replanted if desired.
—Special To The Denver Post, Denver Post, 12 Nov. 2025
Dig a hole as deep as the root ball but twice as wide.
—Luke Miller, Better Homes & Gardens, 6 Nov. 2025
Trees with attached root ball displacements were noted, including one where the original location could not be determined.
—Doyle Rice, USA Today, 6 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for root ball
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Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 25 Nov. 2025
Divide plants by gently digging up the entire root ball, slicing it in half with a sharp knife, and returning a portion to the ground to be replanted if desired.
—Special To The Denver Post, Denver Post, 12 Nov. 2025
Dig a hole as deep as the root ball but twice as wide.
—Luke Miller, Better Homes & Gardens, 6 Nov. 2025
Trees with attached root ball displacements were noted, including one where the original location could not be determined.
—Doyle Rice, USA Today, 6 Oct. 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 7 Dec. 2025.
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