I've got a big old Pachypodium lamerei that I grew from seeds about 20 years ago. It includes 4 different trunks, one of which was cut from the top of another of the trunks about 10 years ago. The tallest trunk is about 40" tall. The pot they've been in for the past two decades is a 15" diameter, 7" deep round pot. The plant has always done great and continues to do so. I've noticed however, that in the past year or so, it's been very difficult to get my water measuring stick (a wooden dowel with a sharpened tip) down into the soil. Seems like it is very compacted and full of roots. So I was thinking of doing a repot. I have a slightly larger (18" and 8.5" high) pot that I could move it to. Give it new soil, a little more room...

The main thing I worry about is mangling myself beyond recognition in the process of repotting. I've been jabbed by those spines before and it's not pleasant. If I wore protective goggles and gloves, I suppose I could do it... Wanted to ask first, if anyone could recommend specific gloves that would be worthy of such a task? And secondly, should I just not worry about it, save myself the trip to the emergency room and keep the plant in the pot it's in?

Don't repot now (assuming you're in the northern hemisphere). Wait until spring when the plant leafs out again.

I would wrap a towel around the biggest stem (a few times if necessary) and then use that as a handle to lift and maneuver the plant.

I should add - I wasn't planning on repotting now. I'd wait till the plant starts actively growing again, which is usually in April.

Baja_Costero said:Don't repot now (assuming you're in the northern hemisphere). Wait until spring when the plant leafs out again.

I would wrap a towel around the biggest stem (a few times if necessary) and then use that as a handle to lift and maneuver the plant.

Thank you. Yes, I was planning on doing this in the spring, but wanted to get my plan together in advance.

Here's a pic of the base of the plant(s). I think wrapping a towel around all four trunks would be helpful. But was thinking gloves would be good too. Has anyone had experience with any particular brand of gloves that they would recommend?

Pretty much anything as long as its not pure cloth or soft rubber will do. Pachy spines are not very sharp. Just dont squeeze too hard.

skopjecollection said:Pretty much anything as long as its not pure cloth or soft rubber will do. Pachy spines are not very sharp. Just dont squeeze too hard.

Cool. OK, I should be good then! Thanks, guys.

Hope it goes well
20 years is quite a bit of history , my little pachy is a couple of years old but growing quite well for a UK window sill . Quite a bit of room left in the pot, but I was surprised how much the soil level dropped this year. So I have dug out the sides and topped it up.

Steve

It's hard to tell from the picture, but did you bury the base of the stem when you topped up the soil?

@baja
The stem did cut in a little at the base and i topped it up to where it cut in. Not much, maybe 2cm or so. Why do you ask? could this be a problem? I have not watered yet.
Steve

Don't bury any stem that was originally above ground. There is a narrow part at the very base of the stem called the hypocotyl (the embryonic stem) which I would not bury either, but there's some wiggle room for that part if your soil is open and there's not a lot of top dressing above it. You definitely do not want soil touching the wide part of the stem, where the true leaves and spines start. I hope that's clear. Remove the soil to where you can clearly see the narrow part (and keep the soil level across the pot) and then top dress up to the base of the main stem, or lower.

@baja
thanks for the heads up will sort as described
Steve

Baja_Costero said:Don't repot now (assuming you're in the northern hemisphere). Wait until spring when the plant leafs out again.

I would wrap a towel around the biggest stem (a few times if necessary) and then use that as a handle to lift and maneuver the plant.

This is what I did when i re-potted three of mine last year, found it to work better as easier then gloves.

I lost a few Pachypodiums when I buried them too deep. I got them bare root and planted deep to help hold them upright. Big Mistake.
Now I look carefully for the old soil mark and use chop sticks to hold them upright.