I am often asked about trees that have been planted as long as 10 years but never really did well before they finally died. When these plants are removed from the site the owner often finds a tight mass of roots, so tight that it might be possible to put the root system back into the original container.
Several factors relate to the problem.
Such plants that fail to establish in the landscape have root problems that may have started at planting time, or even earlier in the nursery that produced them. J-hooked roots develop when they are sharply bent to one side. This can occur during machine planting if the roots are swept to one side. Circling or girdling roots grow horizontally around the trunk or other roots in the ball. This occurs if you fail to tease or spread the roots when shifting to a larger container or when the plants were placed into the landscape.