De-potting a pachira: can the pot be saved?

[Low Altitude]

Hello All –

Please see attached a photo of my dear pachira aquatica, unnecessary background removed courtesy of a certain AI agent...

The thing is six years old; three years ago I transplanted it to the pot you see. It's now outgrown that pot, which is barely six inches diameter. A new eight-inches pot is on the way.

Problem: I've been a bad dad and left it a bit late: the root mass has expanded and is busting at the seams. Because, as you see, the lip of the pot tapers inward, I just can't pull the poor thing out – it looks like I'm going to have to break the pot to free the plant and re-pot it. That would be a shame, because I like the existing pot and would like to re-purpose it for something else (maybe some cuttings from this parent).

Any ideas? Any way to separate those stem 'bulbs', maybe? I dunno... any ideas gratefully received...

Thanks...

 

[Meadowlark]

Howdy @Low Altitude

You have a beautiful plant there. It shows no signs of stress I can see.

Those money trees do tolerate some degree of being root bound. A lot of folks deliberately keep them in relatively small pots to manage their growth.

Are you seeing any signs of stress...any roots protruding out the drainage hole?

I would tend toward going as is unless you see obvious signs of plant stress. If you look at photos online of the indoor versions most of them will be in relatively small pots.

Having said that, the pot design really looks like the plant can't be removed without cracking open the pot. If/when it shows stress, I'd sacrifice the pot rather than the tree.

 

[Oliver Buckle]

I had that problem with a datura, I made a cut down in with a trowel at one place and then went all around the edge with a small saw. It took it a while to recover and flower again. but datura will take a lot of mucking about, I don't know about pachira. It's a really nice pot, pity about the shape, it would be good for Spring bulbs or dahlia

 

[Chuck]

My opinion is this. That plant although healthy looking now will not always be happy in that pot. It is too big to remove from pot now but with a little money tree plant butchering you could "probably" wind up with 2 or 3 good root cuttings and save the pot. Even if all else fails you will still have the pot, So, either live with the plant as is until death do you part or sacrifice the plant, possibly getting additional plants as your reward for killing the plant and saving the pot. And Walmart sells money tree plants about that same size for about $15

 

[Sheal]

You could try turning the pot on its side and rolling it, alternating that with cutting into the soil with something long around the edges. It may just come away if someone holds the pot steady and you pull the plant, grasping the base of the stems. Whatever you do don't water it as the soil will swell.

 

[Low Altitude]

Howdy @Low Altitude

You have a beautiful plant there. It shows no signs of stress I can see.

Those money trees do tolerate some degree of being root bound. A lot of folks deliberately keep them in relatively small pots to manage their growth.

Are you seeing any signs of stress...any roots protruding out the drainage hole?

I would tend toward going as is unless you see obvious signs of plant stress. If you look at photos online of the indoor versions most of them will be in relatively small pots.

Having said that, the pot design really looks like the plant can't be removed without cracking open the pot. If/when it shows stress, I'd sacrifice the pot rather than the tree.

Hi Meadowlark –

Interesting, thanks so much. Exactly as you say, I chose that fairly modest-sized pot years ago partly to constrain the thing's growth. I wanted a houseplant for my limited space, not a tree – a friend had a much older one, maybe 12 yrs old +, which had 'gone vertical', was crowding the ceiling and becoming demanding.

The issue with my guy is that the amount of medium in the present pot can only retain so much water and unless I rigorously remember to water the thing every three days (I try !), it routinely gets the tell-tale brown leaf tips – hence my (reluctant, same as you) inclination to give it a (slightly) bigger pot.

So I think the time has come. I shouldn't be sentimental about the existing pot, as you say, at the expense of the plant; silly sentimental me...

 

[Low Altitude]

I had that problem with a datura, I made a cut down in with a trowel at one place and then went all around the edge with a small saw. It took it a while to recover and flower again. but datura will take a lot of mucking about, I don't know about pachira. It's a really nice pot, pity about the shape, it would be good for Spring bulbs or dahlia

Hi Oliver –

Very interesting, thanks: maybe try and gently 'butcher' the thing, yes, and hope it's not fatal. The difficulty will be, though, even if I try to separate the stem/root 'bulbs' then yank them out one-by-one (first one out hardest, then getting easier with the space created), the individual plants are intertwined further up at the foliage, so I doubt it will be possible. Thinking...

 

[Low Altitude]

You could try turning the pot on its side and rolling it, alternating that with cutting into the soil with something long around the edges. It may just come away if someone holds the pot steady and you pull the plant, grasping the base of the stems. Whatever you do don't water it as the soil will swell.

Hi Sheal –

Yes, I wonder: wait until three days after a watering, maybe leave it a few extra days just this once and see if the soil mass contracts a bit (as you infer, it's now jam-packed against the wall of the pot and 'bound in') – then try twisting a bit and see if 'brute force and ignorance' ( as my dad used to say) might prevail and I'll be able to prise and yank the plant out.

Thanks for your thoughts.

While I'm at it, any thoughts on the optimal soil composition for pachira? What I have now I must have researched years ago – it's pretty fibrous and quick-draining; but I'm open to advice!

 

[Low Altitude]

My opinion is this. That plant although healthy looking now will not always be happy in that pot. It is too big to remove from pot now but with a little money tree plant butchering you could "probably" wind up with 2 or 3 good root cuttings and save the pot. Even if all else fails you will still have the pot, So, either live with the plant as is until death do you part or sacrifice the plant, possibly getting additional plants as your reward for killing the plant and saving the pot. And Walmart sells money tree plants about that same size for about $15

Chuck –

Good thoughts, thanks so much. And how funny: I went looking (on a budget for a replacement pot that would be as close to the original in appearance, just without that in-turned upper rim... and it was indeed Walmart that came to the rescue:

Robot or human?

A bit more than $15, but it's a beaut, have to say...

 

[Sheal]

While I'm at it, any thoughts on the optimal soil composition for pachira? What I have now I must have researched years ago – it's pretty fibrous and quick-draining; but I'm open to advice!

I'm sorry @Low Altitude I can't help you with soil choice as I'm not acquainted with Pachira. However, I was in the same position as yourself with a potted shrub many years ago. I learned my lesson with internal lips on pots. I did manage to free the shrub the way I described though. Good luck!

Is this any help below...

potting soil for pachira - Search Videos

Watch videos instantly on Bing—enjoy direct playback, discover related clips, and dive into trending content all in one place.

www.bing.com

 

[Low Altitude]

Interesting video – and admirably brief!

I should be able to improvise something like the lady recommends from supplies to hand. Interesting too, seeing her timelapse of some real babies from 0:20→. I wonder from what she started them...

I've been trying some front/branch cuttings myself (see photos here). About a month ago, I cut off three that were looking a bit lanky and 'extra', tipped them with rooting hormone powder and put them in water to see what might happen.

One died fairly quickly, one has sprouted a decent-looking taproot, and the third is taking its time, just beginning to root-bud around the base:

 

[Oliver Buckle]

The web tells me it needs good drainage and organic material. My interpretation would be a bag of general purpose compost and add a good helping of sharp sand. I buy a bag of sharp sand from the builder's merchants, open it at the top fill it with water, and then make holes in the bottom to let it drain. Sometimes they dredge it where there is salt water and that just washes it through. You can get several times the amount of sand for a fraction of the price you pay for horticultural sand, and it is a bit coarser, which is good for drainage. Sharp sand is good for root development as well if you are taking cuttings, of anything, not just the pachira, and of course it keeps forever without going off.