Soaking the Pot?

[DebsC]

I have several smaller plastic pots sitting in larger clay pots. The roots have grown all over these clay pots and there are lots of roots!

My question is; How long can you soak a cattleya in water to loosen the roots before you might cause damage, like maybe drowning the plant?

Thanks for your opinion!

[Zoi2]

I inadvertently left one in a bucket for 3 hours, it didn't seem to harm it in any way. I did let it dry out a while before I repotted it though.
Joann

[WhiteRabbit]

I have inadvertantly left mine in water overnight - no harm done

[Zoi2]

Originally Posted by WhiteRabbit

I have inadvertantly left mine in water overnight - no harm done

Did you notice the roots any more pliable after their long soak? When I left them in for 3 hours I didn't think they were any different than just a 20-30 minute soak.
Joann

[WhiteRabbit]

m I don't really remember - sorry -
I do recall having to soak a plant once for a few hours to get it to let go of the bark and still had to carefully pry it away. It definitely got easier with a longer soak tho

[Brooke]

I left a C. guatemalensis in a bucket of water for three days before I repotted it. It never missed a beat.

Brooke

[Leisurely]

How long are the torrential rains sometimes in the tropics? I doubt if any plants are harmed by it.