Wooden baskets engulfed by large cattleyas - is Repotting even possible?

[piping plover]

Roots appearing. Another one I just liberated from a wooden basket to a clay pot. This was actually in a small clay pot within a wooden basket. LC. Ida Elizabeth Tyler. Has never bloomed for me but making progress. The bloom photo is from the website of Ironwood Estate orchids ( a wonderful family owned greenhouse in NC I Actually visited)

[Roberta]

Well done!

[piping plover]

Originally Posted by Roberta

Well done!

Thank you. Roberta, I like being aware now of the new roots prompting to repot. Probably something I should have learned decades ago but with such a short growing season here I always tackled all the repots in May - July. Feeling like I have more of a pulse on each orchid by the weekly monitoring for new roots and it’s more exciting to be working with the individual orchid’s natural cycle rather than hoping my potting schedule luckily synchs with the orchid.

[piping plover]

Here’s the Brassia Edvah Loo ‘Nishida’. It is large but not as hard to remove from basket as the others.

I learned after a few of the basket breakdowns, that a pair of loppers is much easier and less brutal than using a handsaw. With loppers I cut the slats one one side down the middle and then across the bottom. I was then able to pull open the slats like a double door and it all pivoted and unfolded on the metal bar hinges away from the root mass. This orchid also was planted within a small clay pot within the basket.

I transferred to a clay pot.