Hi everyone, I was at the store today and found a woven wicker basket type pot with a plastic lining inside. I bought it, removed the plastic lining and repotted my Meyer lemon into it hoping that it will have the same effect as a root pruning pot when the roots eventually grow through the openings. Has anyone ever tried this before?

No never tried it, but it is certainly a unique idea. When you water does it make a mess? - Millet (1,235-)

I would think it would rot over time...

Not as much as you'd think millet, it just kind of trickles down the side into the tray.

I thought about it rotting also Laaz, but I figure by the time it's time to repot I'm going to have to cut the the pot to get the rootball out anyway, so the pot will only be in use for a year or two.

As I was reading the post I was thinking that you would probable lined the basket with some cloth, like a cloth that prevents weeds, that let’s in/out water, but would help keep the dirt in.

If Ray lined the basket, that would defeat his purpose (air root prunning) Since the basket does not allow water to run out, to the point of causing trouble, Ray's idea of the roots being air pruned as they grow through the openings will probably work. - Millet - (1,235-)

I'll keep everyone posted on how it works, because it could be a good, cheap alternative for people that can't get the actual root pruners. The only drawback I can see is that the pot can't be reused because it will most likely need to be cut down the side to get the rootball out, and will probably rot over time like Laaz said.

Millet, when the roots air prune in your Rootmaker pots, can you see them sticking out of the holes on the side of the pot, or do they shrivel and recede?

I have never seen a root sticking out of a RootMaker container, they shrivel and recede. When a citrus root is air pruned, the root develops multiple roots starting about 4 inches back from where it was air pruned. Is your tree planted in a CHC medium? Keep us informed of your trees progress. - Millet (1,235-)

Yeah I have it in the chc from the pet store, and it's been growing like crazy since I put it in there. Of course it probably helps that it's been 85-95 degrees and humid for the last month here.

I'll keep everyone posted on the tree's progress, although I probably won't know anything about the root system for at least a year.

I tried to make a root pruning container out of weed barrier fabric. It wasn't too successful. The roots grew right through the fabric into the bark I had around it to keep the container from flopping over. At some point I'd like to get the smaller size root pruning containers from Rootmaker to start my seeds in. Right now there's a lot of rumors of layoffs at work, so I'm waiting for things to calm down before making too many unnecessary purchases.

Phillip