AusBonsai

I have read about tap roots and cutting them. Things I need to know are
1. Which species need to have tap roots cut?
2, When should this be done, and how?
3. I have also read that cuttings don't grow tap roots. Is this true?

I have just managed to get a camphor laurel cutting to strike. I had heard they get tap roots, but if you cut them they die. Can anyone help me with these questions? thanks in advance.

Glenda

Glenda, any species that grows from seed will develop a tap root as it is the first root that the seed will send down. Cuttings will not grow a tap root and will throw out side roots from the cut cambium. Any time the tree is repotted will be a good time to cut the tap root provided that there is enough root growth to support the tree. The tap root is generally the stabilizing root put down when the tree first grows from seed.

John T

john tapner wrote:Glenda, any species that grows from seed will develop a tap root as it the first root that the seed will send down. Cuttings will not grow a tap root and will throw out side roots from the cut cambium. Any time the tree is repotted will be a good time to cut the tap root provided that there is enough root growth to support the tree. The tap root is generally the stabilizing root put down when the tree first grows from seed.

John T

Thanks John. Just thought of another question. Most nursery-bought stock are grown from cuttings, aren't they? As such they sould have no tap root, then?

Glenda

Any roots that grow down should be cut off as close to the base as possible. Exceptions, of course, are those that might be bent up to fill a hole in the radial root pattern. If vertical roots remain it hinders planting the tree in shallow pots, and also becomes a rot risk as the vertical root will sit in the saturated zone of the potting media when replanted.

Paul

Hi Glenda,
A nurseries propagation of plants would depend on the species. You can be sure that if a plant is easy to strike from cutting it will be. Many tree species do not strike easily so these would be seed raised. Some trees develop tap roots but generally in my experience the vast majority of a trees root system is fairly close to the surface where it can take in nutrient, water and air. When starting with nursery stock you need to prune the roots regardless of whether they are taps or not.If you are growing trees from seed, the earlier you feel confident to cut the roots the better as they will develop radials much more easily if cut young.
Craig