When a plant is rootbound in a pot, where did the soil go that was originally in he pot?

Question

When a plant is rootbound in a pot, where did the soil go that was originally in he pot?

In: 81

Answer 1

The soil doesn’t go anywhere. It’s still there. Soil is not a rock solid material. It is actually comprised of 20-30% air, so as the roots grow and spread, they simply compact the soil. They get rootbound when they can’t grow anymore and basically give up trying, or grow out a drainage hole (which is why removing a root bound plant from its pot can be very difficult).