Soil
Root-bound
A plant left in too small a pot for too long runs out of room, and the roots circle the inside of the container instead of growing outward, which stunts growth and makes the plant hard to water evenly.
How to confirm it
- Check for roots visibly circling the surface or growing out of the drainage holes.
- Note whether water runs straight through the pot without the soil absorbing much of it.
- Compare how long it's been since the plant was last repotted to its current size.
Next Steps
Fixes connected to this cause
Repot a root-bound plant
Moving up one pot size, not several, gives the roots room to grow without leaving so much extra soil that it stays wet too long.