we slowly root pruned a 16 ft ponderosa over the course of 3 years ultimately freeing it from the ground and transplanting it. 3 yrs in i've been told it is thriving. roots can be trained and tweaked on in many plants and trees. my wording of them "not feeling it" was more a term of them not being harmed by it and was improperly used. as we all know, these plants love us and feel everything we do to them.