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
Step 3: Remove Seedlings from Seedling Cells The easiest way to remove seedlings from their cells is to gently press a finger against the underside of the seedling cell until the plant’s root ball moves up and out of the seedling tray.
—Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 19 Feb. 2025
Gently remove the plant from its pot and loosen the root ball.
—Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 12 Feb. 2025
Dig a hole that’s slightly larger than your seedling’s root ball.
—Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 19 Feb. 2025
Dig a planting hole 2-3 times as wide as the root ball.
—Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 12 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for root ball
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 19 Feb. 2025
Gently remove the plant from its pot and loosen the root ball.
—Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 12 Feb. 2025
Dig a hole that’s slightly larger than your seedling’s root ball.
—Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 19 Feb. 2025
Dig a planting hole 2-3 times as wide as the root ball.
—Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 12 Feb. 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 9 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share