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
When the hole is half full, use your foot to gently tamp down the soil around the root ball.
—Beth Botts, Chicago Tribune, 25 Apr. 2026
Dig a hole three times as wide as the root ball, but no deeper.
—Steve Bender, Southern Living, 23 Apr. 2026
Loosen the shrub’s root ball gently and plant it in the hole, backfilling with the soil mixture.
—Cori Sears, The Spruce, 8 Apr. 2026
Dig holes the same depth as the root ball and about twice as wide.
—Rita Pelczar, Better Homes & Gardens, 6 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for root ball
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Beth Botts, Chicago Tribune, 25 Apr. 2026
Dig a hole three times as wide as the root ball, but no deeper.
—Steve Bender, Southern Living, 23 Apr. 2026
Loosen the shrub’s root ball gently and plant it in the hole, backfilling with the soil mixture.
—Cori Sears, The Spruce, 8 Apr. 2026
Dig holes the same depth as the root ball and about twice as wide.
—Rita Pelczar, Better Homes & Gardens, 6 Apr. 2026
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 30 Apr. 2026.
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