Promoting root growth

[Daluke]

I’ve noticed that my trees have roots growing out of the bottom of the pots when on wooden benches that are moist.

Is this a way to promote more root growth in recently repotted trees? Trick the roots to grow further into the pots chasing moisture??

[Boics]

Hi Daluke.

I've noticed that If roots are left to run plants/tree's will take up more moisture/nutrients and will grow faster.
Sometimes in Bonsai we don't want this (faster growth) as it may result in less refined growth, longer internodes, larger leaves etc.
This is why we generally put tree's that are in a more advanced stage in Bonsai pots.
The pots restrict growth that might be too vigorous and non-desirable.

On the flipside if you want to grow tree's faster one can always put them in the ground.
As an alternative (say mid way point) I've often left tree's that are in pots on top of soil, roots will grow from the pots into the soil which will promote more vigorous root growth (which often translates to tree growth too).
This mid way method works especially well with pots that are more open such as Colanders and Orchid pots etc.

I hope this helps?

[treeman]

I’ve noticed that my trees have roots growing out of the bottom of the pots when on wooden benches that are moist.

Is this a way to promote more root growth in recently repotted trees? Trick the roots to grow further into the pots chasing moisture??

You won't get '''more'' root growth as such. You will get extension of the escaped roots. Just as with branches, the more one root grows the less it's neighbours grow.