2.To remove the plant, slip your hand over the top of the pot and hold the plant's stem, then turn the pot upside down. Tap the pot against a hard surface, then slowly pull the pot away from the plant. After several tries, if the plant still doesn't come out, use a knife to cut around the edge of the soil. If that doesn't work, you can break the pot. If you happen to break some of the roots, don't worry. There are times when a plant's roots are pruned to keep a plant at a smaller size, so breaking off a few roots in the replanting process won't hurt anything. In fact, if the plant has become rootbound (roots tightly curling around the sides and bottom of the rootball), it is important to slit through the sides and bottom of the rootball to encourage the roots to branch out into the new soil.