NEW CONTAINER IDEA!!! NEED YOUR COMMENTS!

[andsoforth]

Hi all,

I have always had problems with transplanting my seedlings out of pots because it's hard digging them out of the pot while they are root bound. I was thinking of some ways to overcome this problem and came up with this handy little pot. I took a lock and lock container and cut a hole in the bottom so when I turn it over, I get a pot with a detachable bottom! Now it's easier to transplant because I can just remove the bottom of the "pot" and tap the whole plant out.

Would just like to share this with you guys! Does anyone face similar problems with transplanting?

Feel free to comment and poll above. Thank you!!

Here are some pictures of how I did it with my smaller lock n lock pot. I drilled holes in the container so water can drain out.

Step 1: Modified Pot
[img]https://i1262.photobucket.com/albums/ii603/butterfry90/Step1.jpg[/img]

Step 2: With plant and soil
[img]https://i1262.photobucket.com/albums/ii603/butterfry90/Step2.jpg[/img]

Step 3: Lock opened
[img]https://i1262.photobucket.com/albums/ii603/butterfry90/Step3.jpg[/img]

Step 4: Cover removed
[img]https://i1262.photobucket.com/albums/ii603/butterfry90/Step4.jpg[/img]

Step 5: Use plastic to wrap soil when move to the next pot
[img]https://i1262.photobucket.com/albums/ii603/butterfry90/Step5.jpg[/img]

Step 6: Place in pot
[img]https://i1262.photobucket.com/albums/ii603/butterfry90/Step6.jpg[/img]

Step 7: Remove plastic container
[img]https://i1262.photobucket.com/albums/ii603/butterfry90/Step7.jpg[/img]

Step 8: Done! Clean and Easy!
[img]https://i1262.photobucket.com/albums/ii603/butterfry90/Step8.jpg[/img]

[lorax]

That's rather ingenious. I just make biodegradable newspaper pots when I'm dealing with plants that have fragile root systems, but those aren't very robust.

Off to the cincuentazo for me!

[skiingjeff]

I love the idea for certain plants that don't do well in transplanting but wonder about the cost. What did you use to cut off the bottom and leave it smooth?

Thanks for sharing the info!

[andsoforth]

Hi Skiingjeff!

I cut the container with a heated pen knife which makes it much easier to slice from the melting and leaves a smooth finish. I'm from Singapore and such container is very common and cheap:-)

Thank you for your comment!

[Kisal]

With plastic containers, you can just squeeze the sides to loosen the rootball, and the whole thing usually slides out easily. A tap or two of the top rim in the palm of my hand is about all I've ever needed to get a plant out of a pot. It works even for root bound plants. If necessary, a dull knife such as a table knife can be slipped gently around the edges, between the soil and the container, just as one would do to remove a cake from a pan.

Your container is nice, but too expensive, I think, for my budget.