Help repotting a root-bound Dendrobium

[Lightingale]

Hello,

I've had this Dendrobium for about 2 years, and it has rebloomed twice. It's still in the original medium from the store. I use Seramis as I like the visual of how moist the medium is.

It's a healthy plant, but gets mealybugs occasionally, hence the decision to repot.It's got two new shoots of growth that need to be staked.

I got it out of the pot and it seems like a solid mass of roots. I can't seem to pick out obviously mushy or dead ones, so I'm at a loss of how to start. Image attached.

Any guidance?

[Dollythehun]

If it were mine, I'd soak it in warm water awhile and then gently start teasing the roots loose. A sink sprayer will help dislodge the loosen potting medium. If that doesn't work...drop it in a larger pot, poke your medium in as best you can and carry on.

[Lightingale]

Thanks for the advice! Hopefully soaking it will loosen it up a bit.

[Roberta]

Don't worry about removing all the old media... get what you can get without harming roots, but it looks quite happy, and clearly is ready to go to the next size of pot. Then the roots will grow into the new media in the (somewhat) larger pot, not concerned about what might be in the middle. Don't over-pot, a new pot should accommodate about 2 years' new growth.

[estación seca]

When I have a plant like that, I don't try to remove anything. Just drop it into the new pot with some new medium around the old root ball. Manipulating that will damage lots and lots of roots.