Here is what I have started doing. I learned this from a poster that sometimes comes here from Kansas....
I take a 10' piece of 2" PVC (very cheap at your local Lowe's or HD). Cut it up into 10, 1' pieces and then cut those lenght wise.
Then I take the two length wise pieces and tape together.Then I take masking tape (easily taken off when transplanting) and tape the bottom. Then fill the tube with soil and the tap rooted seed.
What this does is gives you a foot long pot that when it starts to out grow that one, all you need to do is go to the hardware store and buy a 10' piece of 3" and cut it into maybe 2' sections. But because you cut it lengthwise, it is very easily accessable for repotting. Just take your tape off and seperate the two pieces.

Thanks for the input for making your own , but I do wonder how long til regular shallow pots may be used for repotting , and I'd not be wanting to keep up the same practice til they're very good sized palms perhaps. I guess some species may continue to grow that one tap root for many years perhaps. but others most likely not after a certain age perhaps. I guess though , from that place where I got my first mailorder young plants, they did insist, that if you could, it still would pay to use deep , bur somewhat narrow pots even after they got older. I guess some of those palms really do want to put down some very deep roots , when possible.

Check out this site,and tell me what you think,and maybe you have used them already.

Here is a link that might be useful: Rootmakers

Thanks for the link dbrya, and it's an interesting site with some possibilities perhaps in the future for my plants.
I do tend to follow my own makeshift rules for various plant containers in some cases and especially find those plastic cups with their deeper proportions usefull for growing some tap rooted plants. Styrofoam work perhaps even better with their insulating properties to keep root temperatures from quick fluxtuations in temperatures, and of course they're so easy to put drain holes in compared to the plastic cups. I also have used waste baskets and other deeper common containers in some cases.

I have even used those 13 gallon white trash cans,that are real deep for potting up my plants,downside with them is,after being outside all summer,the uv rays break them down,after a couple years and they break apart when you go to pick them up!!
Don

Here is what I have been using.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ih=008&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWN%3AIT&viewitem=&item=180066014691&rd=1&rd=1

I have never grown palms but the nursery I worked at used to use these type of pots all the time for all different types of plants. The large drainage holes are nice because it is hard to overwater them and also once the roots start growing out of the bottom, they are air pruned.

Time shipping is added about a buck a pot,not too bad,but I can the 5 inch pots about half that price.

Here is a link that might be useful: 5inch pots

dbrya1, not sure your talking about my link but the ones I buy include the flat and are also deeper than the ones you posted, so that is why they cost more.

For the best deal, you can buy them from Anderson Die & Manufacturing - 503-654-5629. The only problem with that is they usually only sell to those with a nursery license.

I got a little sidetracked on the topic but when I read it again, I understand what your saying now. I looked up information on a few different sites and here was what I was able to come up with.

http://hort.ufl.edu/woody/palms/palmproduction.htm
"Deep liner pots with essentially open bottoms are being used by a increasing number of growers. Palm seedlings benefit from the deeper root run, and long roots emerging through the bottom opening are "air pruned" and cease growth, thus significantly eliminating the circling of roots around the inside walls of the pot. Two strategies are then possible for subsequent transplanting of the seedlings. They can be shifted successively to slightly larger containers as they grow (frequent small shifts), or they can be transplanted to larger containers than their size might seem to warrant (fewer and larger shifts). Frequent small shifts lessen the chance of loss due to over-watering, but increase labor costs. Transplanting into large containers lowers labor costs and provides for more unrestricted root growth, but may promote increased loss due to root rots when the seedlings are small. Thus, larger, less frequent shifts will require careful irrigation monitoring while the transplants establish in the new containers."

http://www.junglemusic.net/palmadvice/palms-greenhouse-culture2.htm
"To conserve money and utilizing rapid greenhouse growth, many commercial growers will pot a given plant into a container that may initially appear oversized for the plant, knowing that in a relatively short period this plant will grow into the larger container."

http://www.junglemusic.net/palmadvice/palms-containers1.htm
"One would start a seedling in a small pot and repot it over the seasons in progressively larger containers until it is of sufficient size to plant in the garden."

"A new seedling would be grown in a small container, typically ten to twenty centimeters in depth. In one to two years this seedling needs to be "stepped up" into a somewhat larger container. A palm can usually grow well in the same container for one to two years before transplanting into a larger container is needed. Greenhouse plants require more frequent repotting. The rate of growth and need for repotting is also dependent on the species one is growing."

I couldn't find the exact answer to your question but this was what I was able to find. I also know that they make containers that are taller rather than wide, even if they are the same size in volume. I would check out the link below about growing palms in containers. The picture with all the different pot sizes will give you a good idea of what size pot to find.
http://www.junglemusic.net/palmadvice/palms-containers1.htm

Hope that helped.

I'm reminded how much my palms seem to like making those deep roots , when inspecting the rooballs after a year of so after a transplant to a larger pots, and then finding very little in the way of roots branching into the upper rootball, but being mostly those deep roots already crowding the bottom of the rootballs and wanting to circle already. However, it seems the ones I most often see in stores seem to have very crowded rootballs with many fine root branches filling the entire rootball all the way to the surface near the soil line, and just wonder if that's their more ideal growing conditions in the nurseries where they're grown, or if I'm missing some clue to encourage more branching in the entire rootball , so the plants aren't so dependant on those deep roots? It's obvious, that short of making ones own containers for the larger palms , there are limits as to similar deep ones one can actually find commercially, I'd think. I'd guess the best you could do in the larger sizes, would be the very deep proportions found in those big trash cans perhaps?
Looking at the largest containers I could find in perhaps a thirty six inch diameter, there was still perhaps only an extra six inches in depth for those deep roots. Oh well, just thinking out loud once again, but at over fifty dollars for those very large containers, they're much too expensive for my budget anyway!! Looking around Lowes one day I did notice that evidently some of the big specimen rhoddies had been removed from some very big containers, but I doubt that the store would sell those ? They were of course very plain and only the usual heavy grade plastic or poly vinyl that commercial growers use in their nurseries, probably on the order of 36 in. depth and 36in. in diameter.

Jrod,thats more or less my intentions,in getting across,but like bird,I'm limited on my budget on purchasing containers.
Besides getting older now and to have to lift these pots to get them back in the greenhouses and sunroom,I ain't the man I use to be!!!Or should I say my back ain't!!!
But let me ponder a minute here,on roots,is the tap root that much more inportant than the feeder roots? I want the palm to grow slowly for reason height of my rooms ceilings,but yet I want as nice lush,healthy looking palm,and what is the best way to recieve that look?
Growers no doubt want to keep there cost down,and to sale there goods quickly as possible,I mean the more they have to repot water,fertilize,the less return on there profits!
Don

I totally understand Don. It all adds up.

I don't know much about growing palms but I wonder how important "air pruning" is to palms? I know w/ many trees that have a deep taproot, if they are air pruned, the taproot will stop growing so fast and start branching. I would think this would be beneficial to palms also.

The Anderson pots I have are designed to air prune, so I will let you know the results and if i'm able to get a fiberous root system w/ them. I also am majoring in Ornamental Horticulture and will be taking some propagation classes this semester, so I will let you know if I find out anything in those classes.

Sounds very interesting,yes,please keep me posted if you discover anything new.
Although most palms don't branch,put grows upwards by the means of a new sphere one after,but air pruing would possibly
speed up the growth,similiar to what a banana does,before one
leaf opens completely another one has already started to appear,obtaining a more compact lush growing palm,I haven't a clue to what I'm talking about,just dreaming!!!!
I don't know how they do it,but some how they get the tissue culture plants really to burst out and grow rapidly,so anything possible this day and age!!!
Don

Air pruning? I have heard the term before in reference to the air spaces that naturally occur in the ground in open pockets where there's no soil or potting mix, but those were usually mentioned in a negative sense in most cases , and not seen as desirable for most plants, but I'd not thought about the branching that does occur when the ends of roots are exposed to air, and hadn't thought about it being used as a regular pruning technique as opposed to the manual pruning I'm most familiar with. In regards to the manual technique, I've always known that for most plants , it is the best method to encourge many new and finer branches to a root system, but had thought there was some question about how palms respond to having their roots pruned by the manual method. I must find a photo of those special pots, but do understand the ones that are bottomless, and have seen those. Pardon my confustion once again perhaps? It's quite possible of course that all those palms, that seem to have filled their containers so thoroughly with a well branched root system were air pruned at some point in their growth, and perhaps that's the reason I see so many with thick well branched root systems in those relatively small pots.

Bird,I might be way off here,but I think the growers use these pots so the roots can escape the containers,and work themselves into the ground,and get more nuttrients out of the surrounding soil,which in turn would keep the growers from having too repot as often,which into would cut the cost of growing the plant.
I always thought the fiberous roots were exposed to air was a bad thing,isn't it the reason we try to remove all the air pockets out when potting a plant?

Don,
I have worked in two large nurseries and whenever the roots start escaping from the container and into the ground, its time to pot up. If the roots are starting to grow into the soil, there is a good chance that the plants are going to be root bound which isn't a good thing. If they do let them grow into the soil, whenever they are removed, the roots are damaged and that can put the plant into shock. So when you see that happen, more than likely, the grower is being lazy and needs to "pot up".

Here is more information on the technique of air pruning.
http://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/nursery.html

Bottomless Pots
Another way to prevent root circling is to use air root pruning. This works in much the same way as copper: root tips that come in contact with air are killed and the root system branches out within the root ball.

Growing tree seedlings in bottomless milk cartons is one way to use air root pruning. The milk carton, when folded open, creates a long square bottomless container. These containers are placed in a wooden flat with a wire-screen bottom and then filled with a soilless nursery mix. (Another option is to place them in plastic milk crates.) When the seedling germinates, the taproot grows downward and out through the bottom of the container where the root tip is exposed to the air, becomes desiccated, and dies back. Repeated air root pruning stimulates lateral branching and results in a fibrous root system as opposed to a strong taproot system. The benefit to the tree is rapid establishment in the field or landscape with increased scaffold branching and top growth. Nursery stock production by the milk carton method is especially useful for on-farm tree production and can be used in the propagation of a wide range of woody plants, including strong tap-rooted species such as black walnut and pecan, as well as pines for Christmas trees.

There are other types of containers that promote excellent root branching and discourage root circling. One of these products is RootMaker, developed by Dr. Carl Whitcomb at Lacebark, Inc. (Dr. Whitcomb, formerly head of the nursery research program at Oklahoma State University, is well known for his numerous innovative approaches to unusual container systems.) RootMaker pots have staggered walls and a staggered bottom, which prevent root circling and direct roots toward the many holes in the walls and bottom of the pots.

Tubes
Growing plants in long bottomless tubes is another production system that uses air root pruning. The tubes are generally made of plastic or styrofoam, and can be single tubes or imbedded in a flat. Tube plants range in size from large plugs (sold as nursery liners) to seedling trees grown in long, narrow pots (sold directly to consumers). Regardless, tubes are popular because massive quantities can be quickly grown in a small area. Tubes are particularly adaptable to small-scale nursery production and to specialized stock like perennials and tree seedlings.

Thanks for all that great info,question with all that fiberous root system,doesn't that make the pot rootbound faster??
I've pot plants before,and even when I didn't see any roots coming out of ther bottom of the pot,when I went to pot in a different pot,there were so many roots in there ,no soil was to be seen.

I'm honestly not sure but what I do know is that most plants should be safe in their containers for at least a year until it is time to pot them up.

This quote from Jungle Music explains it better than I can:
http://www.junglemusic.net/palmadvice/palms-containers1.htm
Most growers can look at a plant and tell that its time to repot. This comes with experience. A root ball should come out with gentle tapping and "en bloc". If the dirt merely falls away from all the roots, the plant wasnt ready to be stepped up. If there is nothing but white roots and no soil, youve waited too long.

I own a landscaping company that I operate while i'm in college and this is a common problem with many of the plants at the nursery. I come across many plants that are either root bound or weren't ready to be potted up. So it can even be difficult for the growers to know when the time is right, so don't feel too discouraged.

I guess it's a rare commercial grower that can grow their plants to perfection for the market, if you consider the actual condition and developement of the roots when the consumer gets around to taking the plant out of the pot for potting up to a bigger container or for planting it in the ground, and considering the costs of labor being the biggest expense over and above the cost of building greenhouses and real estate, etc. I'd guess the average grower doesn't want frequent repottings nor even the frequent inspections for root developement that would require most likely. I guess the new "air pruning" systems are meant to guarantee better and fuller root developement and to discourage that circling of roots that one finds in some rootbound plants, though it's still necessary to repot when needed to prevent those plants from getting too rootbound. In the days when I had fewer plants and more space, and wanting to see maximum healthy growth on all my various types of indoor plants, I'd check rootballs often on nearly all my plants , and then would repot them at appropriate times , so they'd make the best growth, without any of the setbacks from being too rootbound at transplanting time. Wish I could say the same now, but even when it comes to inspecting plants when I buy them , to get the best root systems on newly purchased plants, I rarely remember and only in the case where roots are poking out drain holes do I usually notice any problem!! At any rate, even with the best root systems from those new air pruning pots and containers, potting plants up at the appropriate times is still necessary.

Jrod
What do you mean ? " We never deal with any lazy growers " lol... : )

haha, I know how the nursery business works because i've worked in them but I really had no say in how I thought they should be operated. I understand the issue w/ operating cost but also being a consumer, I expect a top quality product. Working in the business has also taught me a lot of what not to do whenever I own my own nursery, haha.

It's not about LAZY, but actual human limitations when it comes to getting too much work done in too short a time, and no matter how dilligent the workers, its possible they can't manage all the tasks assigned to them in the hours they're alloted each day. That's where the actual number or workers to do the work comes into play , and employers of course want the most work from the fewest employees, to keep down labor cost, even if it means not every task is done to perfection, especially repotting!! Of course the repotting itself can increase costs, so there's always a tendency to avoid frequent repottings and allowing plants to get rootbound as long as the above ground portions of the plant still look good for sale! I was very surprised to read a web site about new Florida regulations regarding selling plants that are rootbound, and I guess there may be some very new stringent regulations regarding that!! Of course though, speaking practically, I'd guess they'd need to add many new inspectors from the state department of agriculture to inspect the plants in nearly every nursery in the state, if it is true, and I can't see that happening, so what's on paper may be far from what's actually achieved.

I understand what you are saying but from a consumers standpoint, they are paying for a quality product, so they should get a quality product. Personally I will go somewhere else before I buy a plant that is either of bad quality or rootbound. Consumers don't care what problems the business has but the problem is that most people don't really know what too look for when buying and choosing the right plants.

I'm not saying all nurseries that don't get the chance to repot are lazy but then again, its still an excuse. The majority of plants can be kept in the same container for a year or more until they start becoming rootbound anyways, so its not an on-going process. Oh well, that is just the way I see things.

I do agree to a point, that the average cusomer isn't interested how nurseries are run, or problems in each, and in general most can do quite well even with selling routbound plants , since the general public doesn't know what to look for when searching for the best plants. If it was otherwise many nurseries would have to improve their growing standards or they might end up failing as businesses, since the public then wouldn't buy their substandard products. I'd have to admit though I almost never give new plants the thorough inspection they should get prior to buying them by examining those rootballs as I should, but then of course it's strongly discouraged for customers to actually remove the plants from their containers to inspect each rootball. A cursory inspection to look for roots at drainage holes can give some clues of course, but I've never had the nerve to start popping plants out of their pots for a better view of the rootballs.
I still contend that the idea , that a limited staff can find time or work so efficently or quickly they can do everything to perfection, is unrealistic and not fair to the folks , who are trying to do their best, and I have worked in a greenhouse as well. It's obvious though, until such time as the general public is better educated, the standards for most plants being sold will not improve much.
I also have another pet peeve, regarding all plants to have proper tags on them when sold, stating the exact botanical name and the hybrid and cultivar names as well, but it seems the general public isn't sufficently interested in that problem to insist all growers start providing the tags. I continue to get more and more irritated every time I find another plant, without a proper tag, other than for example "houseplant" , which of course tells you next to nothing about it's requirements etc.

Bird
I am not disagreeing with you but i will say most nurseries are big operations.

If you can't get the job done with the staff you have then you
hire more it's simple as that.

Afterall these guys are supposed to know alittle bit about these plants anyways !

I think that this issue bothers me more than most because of the area I am in. The majority of people here don't have enough dispensible income to buy plants and it is a difficult climate to grow a lot of different plants, so most people don't even care about plants.

The nurseries around here have the same attitude and seem to not really care of the quality of their plants. It is very difficult to find plants that don't have problems. It's probably a 50/50 chance trying to find a plant that has a problem. In fact, I worked at a landscaping business here and I have heard my boss talk about plants that have been in the same 5 gallon container for their 4th year.

The large nursery I worked for was in Oregon and it was much different there than here. People had the money, they had more knowledge, and there was also much more competition. Repotting was a problem at that nursery but the majority of our plants were excellent quality. Also because people were more educated about plants, any plants that weren't up to quality weren't bought. The plants that weren't up to quality just didn't sell. Like I said, I can't speak for every nursery but I know at this nursery I worked out, we had a large enough staff but there were problems w/ organization that even the owner would admit. I was able to visit many nurseries while I was in Oregon and I noticed that the most organized nurseries seemed to have the least amount of problems.

I don't pull the plant out of the container either for the same reason you don't. What I have had luck with though is I have found a nursery where basically any plant I pick is going to be perfect. The only problem is, its two hours away but its worth it to me in the end. I agree with you about the label on plants also AND how some nurseries don't have the label or price on a SINGLE plant. You have to talk to someone at the front desk, then they have to look it up for every single plant!

I must say one of the worst cases of poor nursery practices, I've ever seen was for some Arbor vitae, that a landlady of mine bought very cheaply (of course) at K-Mart many years ago, and the second I began to unpot them to plant them in her front yard, I could see they were in pure sand , and evidently had been grown in rows and dug for sale, and having lost all the original soil most likely in the process , where just packed in pure sand. Of course though the tops looked nice and green and actually well shaped, that amount of root damage from soil loss, and repotting showed up within weeks and they were dead within a month. I'd almost gather that the grower, in order to conserve the soil in his nursery beds had intentionally removed the original soil and replaced that in the containers with the sand? Of course this is an extreme case , I'd guess?