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
  • Dig a planting hole 2-3 times as wide as the root ball.
    — Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 12 Feb. 2025
  • Gently remove the clove from its old pot, keeping the root ball intact.
    — Sj McShane, Martha Stewart, 9 Feb. 2026
  • If the rose is potted and has new leaf growth, keep it in the container until a firm root ball develops.
    — Rita Perwich, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 Feb. 2026
  • Dig a hole twice the size of the root ball and gently spread the roots inside.
    — Andy Wilcox, Better Homes & Gardens, 6 Feb. 2026
  • Dig a planting hole 2-3 times as wide as the root ball.
    — Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 5 Feb. 2026
  • Girdling roots should be removed, and circling roots should be corrected by shaving off the outer edge of the root ball at planting.
    — Larry Figart, Florida Times-Union, 14 Jan. 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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