Abstract: A carrousel (2) has a plurality of spaced apart holders (50) mounted on its outer periphery. Each holder receives a plant unit (90) including a plant with foliage (92) and a root/soil mass (94) received in a container (96). As the carrousel (2) turns, a cam (70) carried by each holder (50) engages a ramp (78) to cause the holder (50) to grip the container (96). The holder (50) then conveys the plant unit (90) through first and second cutting stations (4, 18) at which top and side portions of the foliage (92), respectively, are trimmed. The trimming is accomplished by flail cutters (6, 20, 21). At the side cutting station (18), the plant unit (90) moves between a pair of cutters (20, 21), and a rubber tire (84) rotates the holder (50) and plant unit (90) to provide cutting all the way around the plant unit (90). After exiting the second station (18), the holder (50) releases its grip on the plant unit (90).

Abstract: A starter plant (10) is planted in soil (17) in a bottomless container (18), which is placed on a support surface (28). The plant is allowed to grow in a controlled environment until a time in its growing season when its root system is sufficiently developed to hold the soil (17) in the container (18) when the container (18) is removed from the surface (28). Then, the plant and the container (18) are planted as a unit in soil (30) in a field. The plant is allowed to grow to full size in the field, where it develops a densely rooted basal plate (32) inside the container (18) and feeder roots (34) that extend below the bottom of the container (18) into the soil (30). The plant is harvested from the field by undercutting the feeder roots (34) and removing the container (18) and the plant as a unit from the soil (30). The foliage (12) may be trimmed to a volume no bigger than the container (18), and the trimmed plant (38) may be stored or shipped.