JR_Roosa

I play it by ear.

If it's inexpensive (and if I'm the one shopping, then it is), I'm more concerned with making a mess than with hurting the tree. I get a feel for how stuck in the pot it is and how loose the soil is. If it feels like it's just been repotted or like it's going to spill soil all over the place, I ask for help or try to get a good peek at the roots by looking down along the side, by digging around with a finger, or by looking though big drain holes if there are any. 9 times out of ten, it's got roots all around to hold the soil together (unfortunately) and it pops out without trouble. If it starts to leave half the soil behind in the pot, then I know there's probably nothing to see but dirt anyway.

I also only check the roots on stock that I really like the top on so that I'm not pulling out more than a couple of trees at a visit.

Also, I think that anybody who works in a nursery knows what I'm up to (and will ask me if I need help out of sheer customer service), and the only funny looks come from other customers, who would give me really funny looks if they knew what I was planning to do to the tree.

I have never had anyone at a nursery ask me not to pull stock out of pots, but if they did, I would apologize profusely and probably not shop there anymore. That's like the car dealer asking you not to look under the hood because opening and closing the hood might hurt the car. Hey, it's his car and his lot, but it's my money.

-J.