Bought 3 big plants in one small pot. Any advise to seperate them?

Scuba_Steve · Mar 23, 2015

I just bought this at Sam's Club. I know, kinda weird place to buy a plant.

Cherry Bomb

There are 3 stems coming out of the dirt.

I assume this is going to be a root bound tangled mess of roots when I dig it out.

Any advice on how to safely separate it? Hopefully without losing any pods.

Ozzy2001 · Mar 23, 2015

I've seen people heavily soak the medium and gently rinse it out. Then just take your time and seperate as delicately as possible. Search seperate plants or seedlings and I bet a couple of threads will pop up with more details.

hogleg · Mar 23, 2015

I would fill up a 5gal bucket of water and start working the root mass with my hands while submerged. If that doesn't work I'd carefully take the ginsu to it.

hottoddy · Mar 23, 2015

... or keep together and pot up into 10+gal pot or similar. As annuums, they shouldn't get too big and have plenty resources for all. I've done it both ways.

Phil · Mar 23, 2015

I would go with what either hogleg or hottoddy said. If I were to try and separate them, carefully work them in water or cut them..... but knowing me, I'd decide that's just too much BS to mess with and plant up to a big pot and let it do its thing.

moruga welder · Mar 23, 2015

if its 3 total plants you want , i'd just go back and buy 2 more and call it a day ! much easier . :onfire:

Scuba_Steve · Mar 23, 2015

Thanks guys,

I got them apart with what I believe to be minimal damage. I pro ably lost 1/2 of the tiny roots. They were indeed rootbound and immensely intertwined. I used a 5g bucket full of water as suggested.

Btw, I only really wanted one plant, but will grow out all 3 unless I find a good home for the others. I just happened to have 2 more identical pots with built in cages from some tomatoes I bought that were just as big. They each are in their own one now.

Ozzy2001 · Mar 23, 2015

Yeah you might as well, if anything just to be sure you have one that survives the shock. Although it sounds like you were successful.

meinchoh · Mar 23, 2015

You should be okay as long as the tap (main) roots were left intact.