Runaway Cattleyas - when can I repot!?

[Les Barstow]

I purchased a Potinara (Hawaiian Prominence 'America') about 6 weeks ago. When I bought it it had two spikes in bloom and a new leaf starting up; it was a bit tight in/over the pot. Now I have at least TEN new growths spaced at least a month apart from many of the plant's bulbs, and the formerly new leaf has opened most of the way and is showing the tip of a new flower spike. Horrible problem, I know - but 23 pseudobulbs are *not* going to fit in a 4 inch pot! When do I repot it if I've got a new flower spike and existing (maybe 2wks left) flowers? Also, is it time to divide the plant already, or would it make a nice grand 6 inch display?

[estación seca]

Welcome to the Orchid Board!

The time to divide and repot is when new root nubs are just showing.

But, if you have space, just drop the current pot into a pot larger in diameter by about 2"-4"/5-10cm, and backfill with bark or LECA. That's what I would do with such an amazing plant.

[ArronOB]

Why divide? You have the makings of a grand old specimen plant there.

I would plant that into a wide basket and let it increase exponentially each year.

I have some old Laelia which I grow in baskets. I’ve had them since 1996 and I let them grow for about a decade until about a metre across at which point they are starting to get a bit threadbare in the middle and I divide them and start again. They produce 30 or so flower spikes each.

I have heard people say that old plants loose their vitality and flowering is diminished but I haven’t seen any evidence of it.

Periodically I cut off small clusters of 5 or so pseudobulbs to give to others, or as safety stock. At this size the plant is not visually diminished by loosing a few such branches.

I don’t get why people are always trying to divide their plants.

[estación seca]

A lot of windowsills are only three inches wide.

[ArronOB]

Originally Posted by estación seca

A lot of windowsills are only three inches wide.

Oh year. Good answer. I always forget how many people in the US grow inside.

[Les Barstow]

I was mostly wondering because I'm not used to cattleyas growing so many new growths. I'm growing indoors on Closetmaid wire shelving, so there's room to grow it.
My original question was mostly: if you aren't supposed to repot while it's flowering, when do you repot if it looks like it will be a forever bloomer - at least this coming season?

[estación seca]

The drop into a bigger pot method can be done at any time.

[ArronOB]

Originally Posted by estación seca

The drop into a bigger pot method can be done at any time.

Always wondered about that. Doesn’t that mean you are including the stale media from the smaller pot into the larger pot ?

[estación seca]

Originally Posted by ArronOB

Always wondered about that. Doesn’t that mean you are including the stale media from the smaller pot into the larger pot ?

Yes. Roots on the older part of the plant don't do much after about 2-3 years. Tearing apart the root ball is far worse for the plant than leaving it in old medium.

[Les Barstow]

Thanks, all. The plant in question, a Rlc. Hawaiian Prominence 'America', dropped its current blooms yesterday and got a repot today. 4" square root system simply transferred to a 6" round pot and filled in. IMHO it looks much better with some growing room for all those new shoots!
New and old images.