This difference, however, can mean success or failure with a plant. If the soil in the original root ball is finer or more compact than the fill soil, water will move into the root ball from the fill soil, often causing a waterlogged condition resulting din root death. If the soil used as a fill is more compact than the root ball, water will move from the root ball into the fill soil. This may result in a dry root ball, again causing the death of the houseplant. The problem is solved by breaking the root ball up prior to potting.
Care needs to be taken to prevent damage to the roots.
Some authors recommended washing the dirt off the roots. This seems like a drastic step to take but may be necessary if the root ball is very compact. Breaking the root ball allows one to check to see if the plant actually is root bound, or if the root-bound look is a result of oxygen starvation of roots within the original root ball. Step 5 watering the plant after re-potting, is a good idea. Step 1 - Knock the plant out of the pot and check the root system.