From my perspective as a Grevillea, I feel the tightness. My roots, which are my very foundation, have explored every inch of the pot you provided. They now coil and circle, a dense, tangled mass with nowhere left to go. This constriction is my silent plea for help; I am root-bound. I need more space to continue growing and to sustain you with my beautiful, nectar-rich flowers. Here is what I need from you.
Before we begin, please prepare a new pot for me. It should be only one size larger than my current home; a mansion would be overwhelming and could lead to root rot from too much wet soil. Ensure it has excellent drainage holes. My roots despise sitting in water. You will also need a sharp, clean knife or secateurs, a fresh, well-draining native plant mix (please, no rich fertilizers or high phosphorus content—they are toxic to me), and some water. Choosing a cool, overcast day for this procedure will minimize the shock to my system.
Please be gentle. Water me lightly a few hours before the move to make the root ball more cohesive and less stressful to handle. Tip the pot on its side and carefully slide me out. Do not pull me by my stems. If I am stubbornly stuck, you may need to tap the rim of the pot firmly or, as a last resort, carefully run a knife around the inside edge to loosen my grip. You will now see the evidence of my confinement: a dense web of roots encircling the soil.
This is a critical step. My roots are congested and need guidance to grow outward into their new space. Using your fingers, gently tease apart the outer roots at the bottom and sides of the root ball. For any particularly stubborn or thick circular roots, use your clean, sharp tool to make several vertical cuts, about a centimeter deep, into the sides of the root ball. This might feel drastic, but it signals to my root tips that they are free to explore again. Prune away any dead or visibly damaged roots.
Place a layer of fresh, free-draining native mix into the base of the new pot. Position me in the center so that the top of my root ball sits just slightly below the rim of the pot. Fill in the spaces around the sides with more potting mix, gently firming it down as you go to eliminate large air pockets. Ensure you do not plant me any deeper than I was in my previous pot, as burying my trunk can lead to disease.
Once I am securely potted, give me a deep, thorough watering. This will help settle the new soil around my roots and provide the hydration I need to recover from the shock. Place me in a sheltered, partially shaded location for a week or two. This allows me to focus my energy on re-establishing my root system without the added stress of intense sun or wind. Please resist fertilizing me for at least 4-6 weeks; my newly disturbed roots are tender and need time to heal before they can handle any extra nutrients.
