soil and roots

Dear hosta Fans
I have followed with interest the discussions about soil and pots 
versus open ground.
So far I have not seen a good explanation for the observations.
The following might help.
1.Roots as they develop adjust to the soil they are growing in.
So in sand they make sandroots, in soiless compost they make 
soilless compost roots 
2.As long as the wrong roots are there plants have a hard time to 
make new roots. 
So if you plant has been growing in a container with soilless compost 
and you place the whole in say clay, the roots will not function nor 
will the plant make new roots as it already has ( "useless") roots. 
Solution: If you put  a plant in   a container to plant out 
later, make a mix of your potting soil with your garden 
soil say 50 - 50. . It will then much easier adapt if planted out 
later. One of you already followed that practice ( Ran?)
 If you buy a plant in soilles compost and want to plant it 
straight in the garden make a hole in the garden were you mix the 
soiless compost with the garden soil. However if the hole is 
filled with only soilless compost the roots may never grow out of 
the hole.. Lastly if you have just a bundle 
of roots in the pot entangle them and if thats too difficult take 
have of them away, to encourage them to make new roots Hope this 
clarifies your observations.
Ben J.M.Zonneveld
Clusius lab pobox 9505
2300 RA Leiden
The Netherlands
Zonneveld@RULbim.LeidenUniv.NL
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