Princess Diana clematis “drowning” in its pot

You can save it. Just give it a larger pot with new compost. Ideally, I'd plant it in the garden. As for that old pot, I'd smash it with a hammer. Or just pick it up and smash it down on a brick or concrete. A hammer & chisel ought to do it - a few good carefully placed wacks.

If it were mine I would cut all the roots off that are coming out of the bottom and the drain holes of the pot and try and get it out of pot, then either repot into larger pot, plant it in the ground, take some cuttings in Summer, I also put large pots on soil so the roots go down into soil.Keeps shrubs etc smaller and easier to manage in my small garden.

I'd also cut the roots off the bottom, Then using a sturdy rod/pole push the rod through the hole to push the plant up out of the pot. You may find gently running a large knife/bread knife around the edge of the pot to help release the soil from the walls of the pot. If that fails lay the pot on its side and then you and another take each end. One pushing on the rod the other pulling the top material. You may have to take the supports out and prune it down. That wont be a problem as it will grow again from the roots.

If it is still refusing to come out then prune it and stand the pot upside down covered with plastic to prevent more rain getting in. When it is a bit drier it may come out easier.

It would be a shame to destroy the pot. I had to do similar with a shrub and after a lot of pushing and pulling I got it out.

Then either repot in the ground or pop into a larger pot.

Thank you to all of you for the really helpful suggestions. If I can I’d like to save the pot and also I’m not strong enough to lift the pot so I think I’ll try the push me pull you option first ! If that doesn’t work it’ll have to be the brute force hammer approach

good luck with it. but try to let it dry out a little first.

Do try running the bread knife round the inside as deeply as you can get before trying to push and pull though...

Where do Goyers find al these old bread knives? I'm still using the one I got 50 years ago...

Mine is 43yrs old Stera, I just give it a really good wash haha :o)))

I wouldn't be so quick to cut the roots that protrude. You'll be adding more trauma to the plant as would a bread knife and loosing a season's growth.

the knife around the edge of the pot does very little damage but breaks 'the seal ' between the wet surface and the pot. There will be more than enough root to compensate for the loss of the protruding bit that will only be for anchorage. As the plant wont be in growth any damage to the peripheral roots wont compromise the plant. New root hairs will develop in a mater of days.

Steragram - its not an old bread knife, its my actual bread knife! Just gets thoroughly washed,, that's all... quite possibly the most useful bit of kit from the kitchen that can be used in the garden. I use it to split large clumps of a plant as well... We would not have been able to get my clematis out of its large pot last year without running it round the outside edge... once it was out, I used it to cut it into 3 clumps. All growing merrily away a few weeks later...