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
Dig out one side of the rose's root ball down to about 12 inches deep.
—Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 12 Dec. 2025
Previous reports of unwelcome agricultural pests intercepted amid imports at DTW include African bushmeat brought by travelers from Togo and Gabon, caper fruit fly larvae amid fresh flowers from Italy, and pavement ants amid the root balls of two trees from Lebanon.
—Paula Wethington, CBS News, 11 Dec. 2025
Just realize that the root ball will dry out pretty quickly in the heated air of the house environment, so check often.
—Paul Cappiello, Louisville Courier Journal, 5 Dec. 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
See All Example Sentences for root ball
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Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 12 Dec. 2025
Previous reports of unwelcome agricultural pests intercepted amid imports at DTW include African bushmeat brought by travelers from Togo and Gabon, caper fruit fly larvae amid fresh flowers from Italy, and pavement ants amid the root balls of two trees from Lebanon.
—Paula Wethington, CBS News, 11 Dec. 2025
Just realize that the root ball will dry out pretty quickly in the heated air of the house environment, so check often.
—Paul Cappiello, Louisville Courier Journal, 5 Dec. 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
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 15 Dec. 2025.
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