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Question on roots of this plant I potted

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  • sal

I planted this a couple of weeks ago. Is this ok or should I repot deeper?

The pros always say deeper is better.

How much of the root system is buried?  Is there a reason you planted higher?  I have a few this year that I planted higher than last where they were last year.  For the most part I plant even.  The problem with planting higher or lower is the wood above the basal flare is not the same as that below.  If one buries more of the tree, that added portion below the soil line is in jeopardy of bark softening before transitioning due to being in a high moisture area.  This makes it susceptible to damage to the cambium layer and/or invasion by pests.  If the tree is planted higher, the new area above the soil line needs to be shaded from direct sun.

If for some reason the choice is plant higher or cut off some from the bottom, opt to plant higher.  I've cut off the bottom of a tree a few times with disastrous results. 

Hi sal,
It doesn't matter as long as the tree looks happy.
Do you have a pic of the canopy ? Is the tree happily growing ?
Did the tree react for good or bad ?
If the tree did not have a bad reaction then let it go, and those roots will dry at some point but the roots hidden in the dirt will develop to make the job .
My preference would have been to keep those roots buried though, but sometimes you just don't have the choice.
For a well established tree, this ain't a problem.
Because I try to keep the roots in the dirt - and as roots on fig tree are shallow, some will surface - I mound some dirt around the trunk just to cover the roots ... But that's me and I'm in Zone7 with still one or two hot weeks in summer (temps > 40°C ). If I let those roots out, they would be toasted in Winter or Summer .
And slugs like to hide in between those roots and the trunk ...

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  • sal

Its a very small plant so I have no issues with re-potting it. It sounds like that's the best course of action. I tried mounding soil around the top but it just keeps settling.

Or you could add a deep layer of mulch. I use a mixture of shredded yard waste (free from the city) and aged manure. My figs love the stuff!

Sometimes I want a plant to be planted deeper than I can get it. This often happens when I transition from the starter pot to a 3 gallon. When this happens I pop the bottom out of a smaller pot and make a collar directly around the young trunk. This allows my to get the plant in deeper without having to use a larger pot.

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