DONT disturb the roots - OR - Is the AOS wrong?

[DirtyCoconuts]

Nice MJG!!!

[SouthPark]

Regarding recommendations such as disturb roots as little as possible. I'm definitely all-for it. Once an orchid is growing and moving along nicely, then it does make good sense to just let it do its thing.

It's only for cases when we just have to do something, like unpot/repot etc, then what needs to be done ---- must be done.

I also do support recommendations about repotting or making divisions etc during active growth periods ----- as there is a lot of sense and common sense behind it all. We just have to take in all the information, and make good or best use of it.

It doesn't mean that doing something differently than recommended by mainstream will lead to orchid troubles. But it is good to have (or build) a pretty good foundation to start with. That does help heheheheh.

Most of the relatively long time growers (here and everywhere) have enough experience to know what to expect when they do something with the orchids.

[Jeff214]

hmm... My psychopsis has been sulking since the last time I repotted it in bark mixture 5 years ago. I haven't touched it since then. Perhaps it's time be bold (with the utmost care for the roots, of course)...

[MJG]

When I repotted mine recently, it was so rootbound and stuck to the plastic pot that I had to cut the pot away. I ran water over the roots and very gently peeled them away from the pot. I gently picked all of the old potting medium away from the roots as I held the roots under the faucet. I was really careful to not injure the roots as I pulled the bark pieces off. I didn't do any aggressive root pruning. Fortunately the roots were in good shape. And then I put it in its new pot with a fir bark mix.

It didn't mind being repotted, but I really did very little root manipulation. Jeff214, I hope yours repotting goes well and your psychopsis decides to thrive!

[Ray]

I always struggled with psychopsis, but several years ago I had an opportunity for a great deal on a bunch of NBS plants for resale, so figured I’d try again.

Sold most of them pretty quickly. The one I kept seemed to be doing nothing, then basically disappeared. About 6-9 months later, I saw what looked to be a flower spike reaching up behind the bench. Apparently, I had knocked it out of its pot while watering and it fell into a semi-hydro pot full of LECA sitting on the floor. It rooted and flourished under my overhead deluge system that kept it constantly moist.

[DirtyCoconuts]

Well ray has now provided the first anecdotal evidence to suggest that they are fine with being moved around lol

That is a great story. Thank goodness they have such long spikes!!

[Clawhammer]

I received a mature psychopsis that was completely rootbound grocery store phal style. Not knowing about its aversion to being disturbed I did a pretty radical cleanup and repotting. I read later in the day about its aversion to having its roots messed with and I figured I killed this beautiful plant.

It was growing two news leaves at the time of repotting, they were almost fully grown but no bulbs yet. It stopped growing and I thought it was going to fade but it just sat there for 3 months neither going uphill or downhill. After 4 months I noticed the bases of the leaves began to start fattening up. Couple weeks later roots began to emerge. A total of 7 months later I have fat purple bulbs under the leaves and new growths are starting.

So it did sulk, but it wasn't as bad as I had feared. It was on par with a bifolate catt

[WaterWitchin]

I grow in SH, and the one I've had for awhile seems to really like it. The new one, so far it appears to be pushing out new roots/growth since transferring a couple of months ago.

I look at growing guidelines like I look at recipes. A general place to start. And with time and experience, it's easy to look at a recipe and see one that will need fewer tweaks to be a good or great one. And some recipes that you look at and say, Well YUCK, that ain't happening.

[farley101]

Repotted the mature one with huge spike I recently bought into a bark mix, cleaned up the roots a lot. So many dead roots left on the plant, removed a good chunk of them, made the plant a little unstable. Plenty of new roots growing, plant still looks fine, we'll see if the spike keeps blooming!

Ordered a seedling from Hausermann, that one will be put into S/H. Trying to experiment with it in my growing conditions, might not be a great idea in the winter when it so dry/cold around here. Won't know if I don't try though!

[SouthPark]

Originally Posted by farley101

Repotted the mature one with huge spike I recently bought into a bark mix, cleaned up the roots a lot. So many dead roots left on the plant, removed a good chunk of them, made the plant a little unstable. Plenty of new roots growing, plant still looks fine, we'll see if the spike keeps blooming!

I had a cymbidium (link) arrive and it's coming up to winter time now, and I repotted it in new media. A relatively large plant this one. Not an oncidium, but I would have done the same with any oncidium - and at pretty much any time of the year too.

I was pulling bark out from between the roots etc. No problem with the roots at all. Also checking for any signs of snails etc. All was good. Very strong and healthy and lots of roots. The width of each root was quite thick too. Potted in scoria now. Pretty much ran out of scoria after putting this plant into a fairly big pot.