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

[Roberta]

Sometimes they go for the basket, sometimes they go wild... I'll take roots any way the plant wants to grow them. This L. purpurata probably belongs in the Root Porn thread...It does both.

[piping plover]

Originally Posted by Roberta

Sometimes they go for the basket, sometimes they go wild... I'll take roots any way the plant wants to grow them. This L. purpurata probably belongs in the Root Porn thread...It does both.

That is amazing! And how they always just gravitate to the corners of the pot; it must make the orchid potting mix sales companies happy. Bet the blooms are spectacular on that one.

[Roberta]

Originally Posted by piping plover

That is amazing! And how they always just gravitate to the corners of the pot; it must make the orchid potting mix sales companies happy. Bet the blooms are spectacular on that one.

Here it is.... (One of my more successful Santa Barbara Orchid Estate $7.50 specials) This L. purpurata season was spectacular in general. All are not this aggressive, but all seem to be happier in baskets - and love to escape. Which says that they really don't want to be confined.

[piping plover]

Originally Posted by Roberta

Here it is.... (One of my more successful Santa Barbara Orchid Estate $7.50 specials) This L. purpurata season was spectacular in general. All are not this aggressive, but all seem to be happier in baskets - and love to escape. Which says that they really don't want to be confined.

Just stunning blooms - thank you for sharing that Roberta! and for $7.50 - even sweeter.

[DirtyCoconuts]

Ah mazing!!!


Good stuff there!

[piping plover]

Hi all, I still have not repotted this large cattleya into another basket. I do have an enormous wooden basket I picked up on my last trip to Florida, but I’d have to charge it rent for all the indoor space it will take if repotted. Anyhow, one growth went over the edge so I created a satellite clay pot for it and will eventually cut the plant after another season or two. I want to get some of this into clay. It’s my 30 year old cattleya (LC.) Moonwind ‘Mt. Madonna’, yes that noid I spent 30 years trying to identify. In case something happens to the parent plant I want some extras in other pots. Photos below of satellite pot orbiting the basket)

[SouthPark]

Such beautiful flowers! Definitely ----- back ups where possible are a really good idea. I'm a fan of backups.

[piping plover]

Originally Posted by SouthPark

Such beautiful flowers! Definitely ----- back ups where possible are a really good idea. I'm a fan of backups.

Thanks SP! Yes I agree. I like the look of wood baskets but they are much more difficult than clay pots for repotting extras. That’s my only regret with putting all my orchids in baskets years ago. I am finally transferring some back to clay when opportunity arises.

[SouthPark]

PP ..... the look of the orchids growing in the baskets is excellent. And they certainly have been growing extremely well in your baskets. I really like that natural look of the orchid growing really well in the basket like that.

[piping plover]

So, look what has happened with my little satellite pot orbiting my large cattleya basket. Of all the growths this cattleya produced this summer, the only one with a sheath is the lead that escaped into the satellite pot. Do you think the other leads are suffering in my large basket with old media and roots? I hear growers mention that the old media becomes acidic. However, in the jungle trees where the orchids naturally grow won’t they have the same problem with old media?