Will ripping the tap root off kill the plant?

[Phillybonker]

Tap roots have anchored themselves to the bottom of my peat pots and I can't remove the bottom of the peat pots for repotting without damaging the tap root. Will it kill the plant if I damage the tap root? and should I just leave the bottom of the peat pots on?, wouldn't leaving the bottom of the peat pots on stunt growth?

Seedlings have stopped growing I'm guessing because they are in peat pots and need to have the peat pots removed for repotting.

I'm damned if I do pull the peat pot bottoms off and I'm damned if I don't. Should I rip the bottoms off half the peat pots and leave the other half on so I have a chance of getting something to harvest?

 

[bluter]

a busted tap could stunt them.
it'll at least slow them down while they repair the root structure. the tap roots won't regenerate, but the others might take over.

leaving the pot on will bottle the roots and stunt them if they can't break out.

 

[Phillybonker]

a busted tap could stunt them.
it'll at least slow them down while they repair the root structure. the tap roots won't regenerate, but the others might take over.

leaving the pot on will bottle the roots and stunt them if they can't break out.

I can pull the sides of the peat pots off but not the bottom, at least not without damaging the tap root. Will leaving the bottom on stunt growth?

 

[SmokingWings]

The loss of a tap root will not kill the plant, but as mentioned, it will slow them down for bit.

Keep in mind that those of us who take cuttings and get them to root thereby creating a clone do not have plants with tap roots. The tap root (called a radicle) is in the seed and is the first thing to start pushing out or growing when the seed germinates.

I can pull the sides of the peat pots off but not the bottom, at least not without damaging the tap root. Will leaving the bottom on stunt growth?

I was going to suggest something like this. As long as the bottom piece of peat stays wet the tip of the tap root should be able to push through it and grow into the soil below.