| You don't go to your local
garden supply and ask for a lever, you appropriate one. This tool is used
for prying orchids out of pots. Any sturdy piece
of metal will do the job. It should be sharp enough to work between the
pot and the medium, but not so sharp as to maim you if you slip. There are
times when you may need to apply considerable force such as repotting that
Cattleya you should have done two years ago. A dull wood chisel
works quite well as does a dull kitchen knife with a stiff blade,
but buy one for this specific use because you'll ruin any kitchen utensils. You may be able to find special tools at garden supply and in catalogs that have features such as
serrations which are useful to the orchid grower. Look around and find
tools that are comfortable for you.
a special potting tool, wood chisel, and oyster knife |
