What is the most proper instrument for slicing plastic pots?

[Phoenikakias]

Now this is what I call a very practical question! Of course it refers also to the removal of pot's bottom end. It is significant as far as pot planting is concerned but imo it even more significant, when it comes to outplanting or repotting of palms with very sensitive root system grown in a very light medium. It is very important by the effort to remove pot's parts to disturb the least root zone, generally a difficult task, if the plastic is of good quality and elastic.

I use for this purpose an electric soldering iron, clean and rectilineal incisions, I do not even have to tip over pot for the removal of bottom.

[Jerry@TreeZoo]

"rectilineal" Are we allowed to say that here?

BTW, I use my Felcos.

[BS Man about Palms]

I was gonna say a light sabre...

[richnorm]

roots

[bgl]

A couple of well placed slices with my machete always does the job.

[Alicehunter2000]

Razor Knife

[Kostas]

I use wire cutters to initiate the cut and pull the pot apart. If not possible, I continue with wire cutters. When dealing with huge pots,I use a small pruning chainsaw. I only cut pots if absolutely necessary(thick non bendable roots through drainage holes and root sensitive species,pot really stuck due to shape or expanded root mass),I prefer to keep and reuse them

[DoomsDave]

I use anything handy that will cut the plastic, without being ruined.

I have used: Loppers, hand-held pruning shears, "box-cutters", a hack saw, a pruning saw, various kitchen knives (serrated ones work best), a "Psycho" butcher knife, and (once) a single-edge razor blade.

My favorite is the serrated kitchen knife, even a small one. Zoop! Cuts right through the plastic.

I wouldn't worry much about the roots. If you're careful, they'll more than recover. (I realize there are exceptions . . . .)

[rick]

I usually try to save the pots for reuse especially the larger sizes but if it can't be saved I put the blunt end of my felco pruners into a drainhole and make a cut straight up. Sometimes an especially stubborn (rootbound) plant might need another cut on the opposite side.

[DoomsDave]

I save my pots, too especially the big ones.

But . . .

Sometimes, plants just don't want to come out of there.

So, before I cut I will (if the plant's tough enough): grab and yank, with feet on the rim of the pot pulling the palm towards me. (Try that with a Phoenix theo!)

Sometimes, I'll massage the side of the pot, pushing down hard, which can make the roots and dirt pull away enough to pull off the pot.

Sometimes I kick the bottom (of the pot) with my steel toed Boots of Doom.

Sometimes, all three . . .

Sometimes, more than once.

[O'o Bar Master]

Small pots can be carefully cut with a good shears but on those really large pots that basically outweigh me with soil and palm, I've found a very light touch with a chainsaw along one side that just grooves the pot, followed by slicing down that groove with the tip of a hooked machete makes fast work of the project. Hate to give up a big pot but sometimes ya gotta do what ya gotta do. Lee puts her hands over her eyes when I put the chainsaw to a pot. Go figure!

Mike

[Harry]

You can use a Dremel.

It is especially handy if one is trying to cut up hard plastic as seen in the picture.

[edric]

Left cut (red handle) right cut (green handle), aviation snips, after 30 years as a commercial metal stud framer, but it's a great deal of work, next time I'll use a dry wall router on big jobs, Ed

[Phoenikakias]

  On 12/19/2013 at 9:10 AM, O said:

Small pots can be carefully cut with a good shears but on those really large pots that basically outweigh me with soil and palm, I've found a very light touch with a chainsaw along one side that just grooves the pot, followed by slicing down that groove with the tip of a hooked machete makes fast work of the project. Hate to give up a big pot but sometimes ya gotta do what ya gotta do. Lee puts her hands over her eyes when I put the chainsaw to a pot. Go figure!

Mike

She is afraid of a hawaian chainsaw (palm)massacre?

[Jeff Searle]

Just my hands. And once I used my teeth....

[Phoenikakias]

Now we have also floridian jaws!

[Kris]

my plastic planters are either mineral water bottles or industrial barrels.

For the former I use normal scissors and for barrels its elec powered chain saw.(yes some roots gets cut but nothing ill happens to the palm due to my tropical climate)

if you go to youtube/krisachar channel you can see the cut away section of those barrels . neatly cut with surgical pression.

[Mandrew968]

I am with Jeff. Mostly I pull the palm out and save the container. If it won't come out, I 'persuade' it with a couple pounds of my fist, which usually does it. I wouldn't do a Licuala like that but most palms are not as sensitive as you might think.

[yachtingone]

Like Edric I use left and right cutting aviation sheet metal snips. Almost no disturbance of the roots and it's fast and easy. Also leave no mess like other methods mentioned!

I like this topic!

Randy

[Matt in SD]

You can get hooked blades for box cutters at the big hardware stores. The sharp edge is on the inside of the hook. This allows you to actually pull outwards as you cut so you don't cut any roots. You do have to pull a bit hard, especially on thicker pots, and as they get dull, but I've cut off thick 15g pots including the thicker part at the rim. Like everyone else, I usually save the pot. Only exceptions are super rare/valuable plants that I'm paranoid about and/or when a plant has recently been potted up and the roots are filling the pot yet. I cut the bottom off, place in the hole, cut up one side of the pot and then fill the hole about 1/2 full, then just pull the pot straight up. They don't even know they got planted.

Matt

[Gtlevine]

I use a box cutter, but i was out of blades one time and my saw-zall did fast work of it.

[Sabal Steve]

I think that all of the above methods work. Often, you can give it a whack on each side (repeat as needed) and pull it out. Unless the walls of the pot are very thin, a drill or dremel with a spinning sandpaper disc will work best.

[Sabal Steve]

A sawzall is a good option too, but it will cause much vibration on smaller pots and you may loose a good bit of dirt.

[waykoolplantz]

  On 12/19/2013 at 1:11 PM, Jeff Searle said:

Just my hands. And once I used my teeth....

yes teeth