Increase nutes feedling with flowering root bound plant?

[Alcan]

I have a 5.5 ft female plant in a 5g container at day 25 of 12/12. From seeing some roots appear through the holes on the bottom, I can only conclude the plant is root bound. That and the fact that it just seems less vigorous than the rest of the girls in this grow. As for watering, I give her a good half g or more once per week with another feeding of nutes every other watering. I watered with plain water on Saturday (two days ago) and today (Monday) the pot is already light to lift up and a flaccid look to most of the leaves.
Qst is this, since the plant is more likely than not root bound, should I basically water and feed as the plant needs it or stick with my regular water/feeding schedule.
The plant was a monster before flowering , so I want to try and keep it all alive and well until harvest time.
In general, can root bound plants do as well as non root bound plants when given the proper nutes and water etc. ?

 

[Alcan]

Day 25 12/12.......


Quick update : I watered this morning with nutes and all looked well. No dying leaves or yellowing to new leaf growth. In fact the whole plants looks really healthy.

Now does anybody think that with the faster uptake of water since the stray roots began to show at the bottom, would sticking to a once per week nutes regimen be the best course?. Or, would providing nutes at every other watering be better. On average the plants get nutes once per week now, and plain water when soil dries out. I am beginning to see that I may be watering 3 to 4 times per week over the coming weeks. Even if I water her with one gallon, in approx. 2 days she is dry again. So, stick to watering and feeding nutes every second watering .....or......fert once per week and other times plain water when needed?...........If anybody can advise , I would be really happy .

 

[vostok]

Should you suspect rootbound plants, then allow to dry out for a day or two, then grasping the trunk pull vertically in a gentle motion to elevate the root ball from the pot, you should see a mass of white roots en circled the root mass, the mass will be very tight, and you will wonder that if you were a plant would you be happy with this...?

If in doubt, pot up to a 7-8 gallon plant, is no biggy to deal with, tho in reply to:
can root bound plants do as well as non root bound plants when given the proper nutes and water etc. ?
No they can't as the mass of roots strangles itself, like eating a burger with very long hair, you just gotta have a plan, the easiest plan is to pot up

Good Luck

 

[RonSmooth]

Roots visible through the drainage holes does not mean the plant is root bound. If you are just seeing them, it's not even close.

How hard would it be to pull the plant out to quickly examine the roots to know if it is root bound?

Better bet than just assuming and potentially causing some problems, no?

 

[vostok]

Roots visible through the drainage holes does not mean the plant is root bound. If you are just seeing them, it's not even close.

How hard would it be to pull the plant out to quickly examine the roots to know if it is root bound?

Better bet than just assuming and potentially causing some problems, no?

Ron is correct, just because a plant has wandering roots does not mean it's Root Bound, rather just to wander around ....lol
best to ignore these wandering roots as they will be pruned by the air....see aero pruning