stanhopea repotting help - Orchid Board

Macleania · #1 07-04-2022, 08:21 PM

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I recently removed this orchid from a metal basket and was wondering what i should do to repot it. I think placing in a coco coir basket would be a good choice. Should I be trying to divide it? orchid is stanhopea nigroviolacea "the predator"

Roberta · #2 07-04-2022, 08:34 PM

Oh, that's a beauty! A big plant like that can produce multiple spikes (that open at different times) so that it's blooming is extended. If it were my plant I would not be dividing it unless there was an urgent need. If you have a coco coir basket that will accommodate it, sounds great. The less "basket" that could get in the way of spikes, the better. (When I use plastic baskets i watch for the spikes and cut away the parts of the basket that are interfering).

Macleania · #3 07-04-2022, 08:43 PM

I dont know if i should try to pot it now or wait till it flowers since spikes are coming out

Roberta · #4 07-04-2022, 08:46 PM

Wait until after it blooms. Just rest it in a wire basket to hold it up and let the spikes do what they want. Don't make them try to find their way out of a new situation.

Is this a new acquisition or one you have had for awhile?

Macleania · #5 07-04-2022, 08:57 PM

I have had this orchid for about 8 years. Weighs about 12-15 pounds could be more ill see later.

Roberta · #6 07-04-2022, 09:04 PM

Let it do its thing... Think about repotting after it's done. When you do, you'd want to choose a method that is as minimal as possible. I'm sure it's a solid mass of roots. If you break it up, it may be some time before the pieces bloom again. Mine is nowhere near as big... Smaller plants dry out fast, and if they do they don't grow very fast. A beast like that will hold moisture well, so you don't have to do much to accommodate it, other than have a way to hang it.

Ben_in_North_FLA · #7 07-05-2022, 09:59 AM

I second Roberta's advice, my experience has been that there is a substantial recovery period of no blooms when stanhopea's are divided as they need to reestablish a solid root ball first.
What I have done with some overgrown stanhopea is separate the occasional group of bulbs on edge of plant that may have sprouted on side of basket and leave most of plant intact to continue as normal with minimal effect to the root system

Macleania · #8 07-05-2022, 07:26 PM

Do you know what the bulbs that don't have leaves are for? They seem to just sit and hold water.

Roberta · #9 07-05-2022, 07:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Macleania

Do you know what the bulbs that don't have leaves are for? They seem to just sit and hold water.

Exactly. They are the "reserves" for the plant. In its natural life on the side of a tree, it has to be able to survive those days - or weeks - when the rain doesn't fall. Even when dividing, don't be too aggressive about removing back bulbs on any genus. Stanhopeas are particularly sensitive - if they dry out, they drop leaves very readily, and the bare pseeudobulbs keep them alive until they can grow more. If you keep it sufficiently damp, you'll have a higher ratio of leafed growths to leafless one. Too dry, and you end up with the opposite and it can take awhile for it to produce new, leafed, growths.

Louis_W · #10 07-05-2022, 09:31 PM

I always vote for not dividing if you have room as well! That will be so impressive!

@Mackleania, we call those "backbulbs" they are older bulbs that have lost their leaves but still hold nutrients and water like you said. They can also be the source of new growth tips, especially if the plant gets divided or loses its main growth points.

---------- Post added at 07:31 PM ---------- Previous post was at 07:29 PM ----------

Oops, didn't realize Roberta already explained!