Dividing Up a Community Pot - Orchid Board

spencer · #1 04-19-2011, 12:15 PM

I was wondering how most people divide up a community pot when the roots are intertwined. Is soaking the compot and then teasing apart the roots enough? That is what I did last week and some of the roots didn't make it.

Also, do people pot the smaller plants in a community pot back into another community pot? I ask this because my community pot was from H&R Nurseries which said 15-20 plants in the compot. When I was done, I had 40 plants. 20 were large enough that they could go into individual pots, but the other half ranged from "sort of small" to "tiny". I didn't want to throw them out, but I didn't think they'd live in pots of their own so I put them in a new "community pot". Not sure if this is the right thing to do as the roots will probably grow intertwined.

Daethen · #2 04-19-2011, 12:21 PM

It sounds to me like you are doing great with them. At least it is what I would have done.

Connie Star · #3 04-20-2011, 08:43 PM

I'm interested in this too. I bought a flask of 6 C. dowiana in Costa Rica last year and put them in a compot in March '10. 2 of them are definitely ready for small individual pots, the other 4 are still pretty small. They are also in sphag which is looking old. Could I put the 4 small ones back in a fresh compot?

spencer · #4 04-20-2011, 10:52 PM

I can let you know if my re-compotting works, but I haven't found any better answers either asking in forums or using Google.

sweetjblue · #5 04-23-2011, 09:47 AM

Spencer soaking the compot is the way to go as it makes it easier to untangle the roots. It's always hard not to damage some roots
Here's a pic of a compot that I recently repotted.

The larger plants in this compot went into their own individual pots.
The smaller plants went back into a couple of compots. The larger plants end up shading the smaller plants and therefore they don't grow as fast.
Putting the babies back in compots is a good idea. They will soon have a growth spurt with the additional light and more room to grow.
The larger plants in this compot had LS of 7" or more and the babies 3-5" which could have gone into their own pots but compots keep them more evenly moist which adds in their developement.

Hope this helps!!

Judi

Connie Star · #6 04-23-2011, 08:11 PM

Are they phals? Catts?

sweetjblue · #7 04-23-2011, 08:56 PM

Sorry,
I should have said what mine are. Phals. But the method will be valid for most genera.

Judi

Btw, it took almost a half hour to tease them apart,
don't think I damaged any roots.