Loosening the root ball of Cestrum Nocturnum?

Good morning,

I have a baby Night Blooming Jasmine that I bought in May. It came in a 3 inch pot and I replanted in a 5 inch pot as soon as I received it. It has been growing beautifully, but I noticed that some of the leaves are starting to turn yellow and the growth seems to be stunting. I checked the roots and the plant is already root bound. I will be purchasing a slightly larger pot as soon as the nursery opens this afternoon.

My question is how to treat the root ball. I know that some plants dislike repotting, but I don't know if this is the case with Cestrum Nocturnum. I've read a couple of posts that said to cut four evenly spaced slits along the bottom of the plant to form an "X". I wonder, however, if this will be sufficient in this case. The roots are pretty wound up. With other plants that I've owned, I tended to tease the heck out of the roots so that it is no longer in the shape of the pot in which it was originally grown. Is it safe to do with this plant? Can I gently loosen, tease and cut the roots for this plant or will the shock be too much? Should I leave the side roots alone and limit the loosening to the bottom of the plant? Is it better to just place the plant in it's new home, as is, and simply fill in the existing space with new soil?

I'd appreciate any help.

Thank you!

This message was edited Aug 16, 2015 11:16 AM

This message was edited Aug 16, 2015 11:17 AM

Hi there,
Looks like you're going to be keeping this indoors in winter in your zone. Honestly I think you're trying to keep a large plant in a small pot. I would suggest "teasing" the roots apart and planting it in a good sized pot. Otherwise you're going to have to trim the roots and repot it regularly, treating it like a bonsai. When I transplant I use a product for transplant shock, it has B vitamins in it and does work. Be gentle, but vines are usually pretty hardy, you probably won't kill it.

I would purchase the largest pot you can use INDOORS, and fresh potting soil also, add a few handfuls of grit or small gravel from the garden store and mix it in with the soil, also this allows an open texture and free draining for the new soil.
These plants dont like to live in very wet soil so after watering, any water left in the saucer should be removed after about an hour.

As it is now coming to the end of the growing season in about a month, stop feeding the plant, for indoor growing, IF you did this before re-potting.

Make sure you place the pot / plant back into the same situation you had it growing in before to allow for recovery from disturbance after teasing out the rootball, this huge ball of roots is a common happening with some plants when growing in a pot,

Come spring next year, I like the member above also suggest you plant this large shrubby plant outside in a sheltered well lit area, put up framework for it to scramble up-along-or over as that is it's natural growing patern, give a feed of Blood- Fish - Bone, this is an organic plant feed and is slow released for the roots to take up, you also buy this product at garden store ready mixed to the dosage required, the dosage is printed on the packet and you should never give more feed than recommended for EACH time the feed is required, Over feeding is one of the most common mistake made by novice gardeners, they think feeding is a cure all for everything, but have you ever forced yourself to over eat, it's horrible and it is also that for plants.

Wish you well for your lovely plant, hope all goes well next season as these are lovely plants and tougher than we think.
Just enjoy it and make sure it gets plenty water and good drainage too.
Good luck and Kindest Regards.
WeeNel.