I hate plastic net pots.

If it were mine, I'd just get out my little clippers and clip the rim in 3 or 4 places so that the plant can expand, and then just drop it into a bigger pot or basket. I wouldn't even begin to try to get it out of the basket. The roots have already "figured out" how to be free.

Roberta, I think your recommendation is the best option until it grows far enough beyond the plastic that I can remove the back-bulbs and mount the forward division.

-K

At some point you may be able to clip the plastic around roots to totally set them free, but why risk damaging them? One advantage of net pots - they are pretty easy to cut. And cheap, so no trauma about destroying them to save the roots and plant.

Or just place it into a new pot. Is there rotten sphag in there or just roots?

Reasoning on making vertical cuts in the top part of the basket, to give the pseudobulbs room to expand. The lower part where the roots are, just leave... whatever is in the center of the basket is irrelevant, that's not where the roots are anyway.

The pseudo bulbs are pressed so hard against the side of the pot in the area that needs to be cut, that it is impossible to get the cutters in. At this point I'm thinking I'll have to Dremel.

You don't have to make the cuts where the pseudobulbs are crammed in... do it wherever you can get the clippers in. The plastic is pretty thin - once you make a few slits (especially if they line up with the "mesh" part of the basket), there will be plenty of "give" - the pseudobulbs, as they expand, will just hasten the destruction of the basket. Doesn't have to be pretty, once you loosen up the top you will have relieved the stress on the plant, it will then go where it wants to go.

The middle is deteriorating bark. I may be able to remove the back of the pot and remove it.

When I bought it, I had mounting in mind, but that requires getting the pot off. Stanhopea maduroi flower downward, so a pot is not a good choice, anyway. It will grow and flower well in a wood basket, which appears to be my best "potting" option. Tomorrow I'm going to try Dremeling off the part of the pot rim being pushed out by the new growth - if I can do it without damaging roots.

---------- Post added at 11:02 PM ---------- Previous post was at 10:58 PM ----------

I'll try what you suggest first, then the Dremel. If that fails I break out the Sawsall (j/k).

Another possible approach to disaggregating the basket... if you have a cheap knife (doesn't have to be sharp), heat up the blade with your torch and slice into the plastic. Like butter. Doesn't take much, you can slice in from the outside that way without applying significant pressure. A soldering iron could do the same thing, but might mess up the soldering iron. If you do that, do it outside so you don't stink up the house with plastic fumes.