Why Are My Houseplant’s Roots Showing At The Top Of The Soil?

Are there any roots coming out of the drainage holes also?

Do you water your plants shallowly?

Does your houseplant grows in a compacted soil?

The most common reason why the plant roots may show above-ground is because the plant has become potbound. Potbound plants need to be repotted to allow them more space to grow. The usual reason for repotting is to upsize the current pot or container the plant is currently in and fill the remaining space with fresh nutrient-containing growing material.

The root of the plant tends to grow where there is moisture. If you water your plants shallowly, then the root will grow only in the surface layer (top inch) of the soil, which will result in roots that sometimes stick above ground. Start watering your plant more deeply and the roots will follow and start to grow in the deeper levels of the soil.

Compacted soil prevents water from penetrating deeper layers of soil. The roots tend to grow where the moisture is, so if the water doesn’t reach below the top inch of the soil, most of the roots will be concentrated in that top inch, even if the container is a couple of feet deep. If your plant grows in compacted soil, the best thing to do is to repot the plant and use a well-draining, commercially available soil.

Some plants naturally have roots that grow above-ground. These are called aerial roots and they can have different functions. Aerial roots on woody vines function as anchors, affixing the plant to supporting structures such as trellises, rocks, and walls. Some types of aerial roots can also absorb moisture, nutrients, and gasses from the air. Good examples of plants with aerial roots are spider plants, banyan figs, epiphytic orchids, vines, etc.