Basket of Joy

[BikerDoc5968]

Thanks to everyone for helping educate me on basket culture.... let's hope we see some flowers!

[BikerDoc5968]

Here's another question for those of you who do grow in baskets... and even those who just have some thoughts on this question: How do you get this guy/gal out of the basket to divide when it gets really big with all those PB's growing through the slats? Do you take the basket apart? Do you wait until lots of roots are growing on those protruding through and cut the rhizome? Just what should I do.... I'm

[Junebug]

Originally Posted by BikerDoc5968

Here's another question for those of you who do grow in baskets... and even those who just have some thoughts on this question: How do you get this guy/gal out of the basket to divide when it gets really big with all those PB's growing through the slats? Do you take the basket apart? Do you wait until lots of roots are growing on those protruding through and cut the rhizome? Just what should I do.... I'm

The easiest, less traumatic way is to just place your plant and existing basket in a larger basket and wire the two baskets together for stability. If there is old spent media in the orginal pot then I turn the plant and pot upside down prior to the transition and shake out as much of the old loose media as I can. This is also a good time to remove any dead or decaying roots. Then I add a little fresh media into the base of the new basket, seat the old basket inside, wire the baskets together, and fill the spaces between the old basket and new basket with fresh media. I tried this method with my Rhyncostylis gigantea because its roots were so beefy and they had a very firm grip on the orginal basket. It worked out really well.
Attachment 35509Attachment 35510
Another option would be to soak the roots and basket thoroughly and then disassemble the basket ever so carefully (targeting the wire connections). As you're going through the process you can use something (like a thin plastic credit card) to slide between the root and the wood. If the roots and basket are really soaked then most of the roots will pop off rather easily. You may have to sacrifice a few. Once the plant is freed you can easily divide it. A good time to tackle this method would be at the onset of new growth and new root production. This method is a bit time consuming but it works pretty well.

[Junebug]

Originally Posted by BikerDoc5968

Here's another question for those of you who do grow in baskets... and even those who just have some thoughts on this question: How do you get this guy/gal out of the basket to divide when it gets really big with all those PB's growing through the slats? Do you take the basket apart? Do you wait until lots of roots are growing on those protruding through and cut the rhizome? Just what should I do.... I'm

These are photos of one that I divided. The overgrown plant was purchased (growing in a plastic pot) in February and it desperately needed to be repotted. I wanted to hold off repotting until the weather warmed. In the mean time I watered the interior roots only once a week and the exposed roots were watered about 3 times a week. In April I removed the plant from it's pot using the soak/credit card method. Afterwards, I divided the plant and mounted each section onto separate pieces of wood. I just placed a dab of Sphag between the roots and wood and secured the plant in place. They're doing amazingly well...especially the section that had exposed roots to begin with. Have you considered mounting your overgrowth?

[BikerDoc5968]

Junebug, living in Michigan and not having any height in the GH, mounting things is a bit difficult. I had to remove the original hanger for this plant and make a new one so I could hang it high enough as not to him my head. I'd love a situation as you possibly have living in Florida that you can have the chids outside. I'm sure living on the east coast mid-state gets cool in Jan/Feb but it's a whole lot warmer than Michigan!

[Hera]

I have a suggestion for you. I agree that it is an impressive plant. What if you transfer it to a pot with large bark and charcol. It might reduce the chance of the roots over drying between watering and misting. I have no luck with bringing in plants grown in high humidity and lots of air roots because (I think) the roots are adapted to the amount of humidity they are grown in. I forsee root shriveling because of the change in conditions. If you can decrease the rate of drying slightly be introducing large bark without putting the plant in a situation where it will lose roots to smothering by a heavy medium you may have greater success. Just a suggestion based on personal experience.

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[Junebug]

Originally Posted by BikerDoc5968

Junebug, living in Michigan and not having any height in the GH, mounting things is a bit difficult. I had to remove the original hanger for this plant and make a new one so I could hang it high enough as not to him my head. I'd love a situation as you possibly have living in Florida that you can have the chids outside. I'm sure living on the east coast mid-state gets cool in Jan/Feb but it's a whole lot warmer than Michigan!

I thought northern greenhouses were climatically controlled. How cold does your's get in the winter? Remember too, that you don't have to hang them high. My largest mount is less than 3' off the ground and it's the one that's doing the best. I would think a vertical structure accompanied by vertical lighting in a greenhouse would do the trick. It's something you could ponder, I guess. Good luck with your plant.

[BikerDoc5968]

Yes, I do heat the GH in the winter but I only have about 7' floor to ceiling and only a 3' walkway between the benches and only about 4' bench to ceiling. The whole GH is only 8' x 15'. I don't have a high-pitched roof line like Brooke's GH

[Junebug]

Originally Posted by BikerDoc5968

Yes, I do heat the GH in the winter but I only have about 7' floor to ceiling and only a 3' walkway between the benches and only about 4' bench to ceiling. The whole GH is only 8' x 15'. I don't have a high-pitched roof line like Brooke's GH

Well darn then...I guess you'll just have to get another greenhouse.

[BikerDoc5968]

If I only had the space to put up another GH...'cause I've got all of this







...to go into this within the next 30 to 45 days