keeping a plant rootbound to slow growth?

I have one plant that was started much earlier than my others, and I just took it out of it's pot and saw that it is getting quite rootbound. I am wondering - if I keep it this way for a while, will it slow / stop it's growth so that I can let the other plants catch up? Or will it eventually just get fed up and start to die? I'd have to keep it bound for 1 - 2 weeks, probably.

Although I have yet to acquire any experience at growing. I would venture to say that It would slow its growth. Kinda like a bonsai tree, However If it does keep growing then it may outgrow the roots ability to support it and start to die.


It just donned on me that my answer did nothing but repeat the question...Sorry.

yes, well I know it does slow it's growth - the reason I checked the roots in the first place was because I noticed growth slowing down over the past couple of days. I just want to know if it will stay put, or die.

personaly i believe that you would be safe to leave it in current container for 1-2 wks. it wont die, just barely grow. I start my outdoor plants in very small containers, (about 1/2 qt.) plant alot and then transplant the ones i want to keep into larger containers(3 gal.) This year, i left one in the tiny pot. it is about 3 months old now and is only about six inches tall and has three sets of leaves. it hasnt shown any signs of even minute growth in a month and isnt beatiful, but it surely isnt dying either. this week it showed sex, female!! so i will keep for experiment puposes.

thanks for confirming! i thought i would be okay.....i was reading about how you can keep a "bonsai" mother plant by keeping it in a small pot, and basically tending to it as you would tend any other type of bonsai tree.

maybe you should think about trying to turn that little one of yours into a bonsai mom....