How to Use root ball in a Sentence

root ball

noun
  • Firm the soil around the tree’s root ball with your hands.
    — oregonlive, 6 Aug. 2022
  • Dig the hole to the depth of the root ball and two or three times as wide.
    — ExpressNews.com, 26 Nov. 2020
  • Dig a hole that is two to three times the width of the tree’s root ball.
    — oregonlive, 6 Aug. 2022
  • Dig holes the same depth as the root ball and about twice as wide.
    — Rita Pelczar, Better Homes & Gardens, 30 Apr. 2025
  • If the soil around the plant’s root ball is moist, skip a day, right?
    — Paul Cappiello, The Courier-Journal, 9 Sep. 2022
  • The hole should be two or three times as wide as the root ball.
    — Beth Botts, Chicago Tribune, 6 May 2023
  • Set the top of the root ball at or slightly above the surface of the soil.
    — Tom MacCubbin, orlandosentinel.com, 7 Nov. 2020
  • Plant azaleas with the top of the root ball just above ground.
    — Southern Living Editors, Southern Living, 22 May 2020
  • Use the soil that was dug out of the planting hole to fill in around the root ball.
    — Tim Johnson, Chicago Tribune, 14 May 2022
  • The problem could be roots that have not left the root ball.
    — Tom MacCubbin, orlandosentinel.com, 15 May 2021
  • Be sure to firm the soil around the root ball to also help hold the tree in place.
    — Tom MacCubbin, OrlandoSentinel.com, 30 Sep. 2017
  • Move it around the trunk so the whole root ball is moistened.
    — Beth Botts, chicagotribune.com, 3 July 2018
  • Choose a pot that’s just 2 or 3 inches wider than the root ball of the plant.
    — Leanne Potts, Better Homes & Gardens, 21 Nov. 2024
  • The top of the root ball should be level with or slightly above the soil of the bed.
    — NOLA.com, 27 Jan. 2018
  • Run your hands over the sides of the root ball to loosen any winding roots.
    — Arricca Elin Sansone, House Beautiful, 10 Mar. 2021
  • If soil is dry, soak the plants and build a berm at the edge of the root ball to hold water.
    — Tom MacCubbin, orlandosentinel.com, 23 Oct. 2021
  • Plant so that the top of the root ball is slightly above the soil surface.
    — Steve Bender, Southern Living, 8 June 2020
  • Place the plant in the new pot so the top of the root ball is about one inch below the surface.
    — Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 26 Oct. 2024
  • The hole should also be at least twice as wide as the root ball.
    — Sarah Bowman, The Indianapolis Star, 3 Apr. 2023
  • Soak an area around a root ball and under the drip line of trees.
    — oregonlive, 27 June 2021
  • Loosen the edges of the roots, and place the hydrangea in the pot, leaving 2-3 inches above the root ball.
    — Steve Bender, Southern Living, 1 May 2024
  • Dig a hole just as deep as the root ball and two or three times its width.
    — NOLA.com, 3 Mar. 2018
  • The larger and more intact the root ball, the less effect the move should have on the plant.
    — Tom MacCubbin, orlandosentinel.com, 3 Apr. 2021
  • Dig a planting hole 2-3 times as wide as the root ball.
    — Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 21 May 2025
  • To keep your ficus roots healthy, once a year, check the root ball.
    — Leanne Potts, Better Homes & Gardens, 2 July 2026
  • Plant food is then sprinkled onto the root ball and the surrounding soil.
    — Martha Stewart, 2 July 2026
  • Evergreen trees can shed water away from the root ball when a sprinkler is used.
    — Tim Johnson, Chicago Tribune, 28 June 2026
  • New trees, shrubs and groundcovers can be planted; do keep the root balls moist.
    — Tom MacCubbin, The Orlando Sentinel, 27 June 2026
  • Fill the pot with your growing medium and dig a hole that matches the root ball.
    — Nadia Hassani, The Spruce, 24 June 2026
  • Evaluate the size of the root ball and select a container large enough to give the plant a little room to grow into, but not too much extra space.
    — Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 11 June 2026

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'root ball.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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