divide, repot, leave? what do do with my large catt

[lobotomizedgoat]

I was gifted a large noID catt a few months ago. At first it was rather dormant, but after adding some supplemental lighting it sprouted new roots from a section of the plant that hangs out of the pot. My question now is what to do with it?

The simplest option, other than "nothing", seems to be dividing that section of growth. Depending on where I make the cut I could easily select 2-4 bulbs (4th without leaf) for the new plant, but I'm still new to this and apprehensive about unnecessary cutting. Of course, repotting/re-centering the plant sounds like the least pleasant option at the moment, due to its size.

Also, with regard to dividing, I wonder how it would affect the remaining plant. It clearly has many leaves and back bulbs, but it would be losing its newest growth. And the other two young-ish bulbs* it has are also hanging outside of the pot already, so new growth there would put me in the same position.

What would you do? Any advice is appreciated!


*One of those bulbs is on the opposite side of the plant from the new root growth and other is in the middle of the plant. Both have bud sheaths, as does the one with new roots, but the middle bulb's sheath began yellowing recently. I also discovered (and accidentally damaged) one budding root below the middle bulb today. The opposite bulb appears to have no new root growth.

[Ray]

If you have the room for it, consider a large basket and grow it on. The larger the colony, the more robust the plant will be, and the blooming will show for it.

Otherwise, there is no problem dividing it. I’d do as few, equal divisions as is manageable.

[SADE2020]

I like big Catts, in a bigger pot will make a show if you get few flower at a time.

[K-Sci]

Originally Posted by lobotomizedgoat

I'm still new to this and apprehensive about unnecessary cutting.

What size is the pot it is in?
-Keith

[lobotomizedgoat]

Originally Posted by K-Sci

What size is the pot it is in?
-Keith

It is 8.5" in diameter and ~8" tall. The green decorative pot is 10.5" by 9" tall.

[estación seca]

The trick to repotting is to do it about a week and a half ago, when the roots were tiny nubs. As you've found it's easy to damage them when they get longer. Over time you'll figure out what time of year this plant grows and get ready to repot it.You could repot now; divide or not is up to you. It will be hard to divide it without damaging roots.

You could certainly leave it in that pot for one more growth cycle. You could repot now; divide or not is up to you. It will be hard to divide it without damaging roots.

Some people don't unpot and remove old medium for larger Catts. You can drop the pot into a larger pot and backfill with new medium. They don't make new roots from older parts of the rhizome, and the newest roots are the most active, so this works fine.

Other people have everything ready at normal growth season, and repot as soon as the new roots form.

[lobotomizedgoat]

Originally Posted by Ray

If you have the room for it, consider a large basket and grow it on. The larger the colony, the more robust the plant will be, and the blooming will show for it.

That actually hadn't occurred to me! It's living indoors in a carpeted area, but I suppose all I'd need to make it work is a large drainage tray underneath. I also lack a sufficient mount to hang it from (except outside in too much direct sun), but a cursory search does show some free-standing options.

It also occurs to me now that I just saw some terracotta trough planters at a local garden supply store that would probably fit its dimensions. Though, I suspect those would need some extra ventilation drilled. Has anyone here grown in that type of pot?

---------- Post added at 03:40 PM ---------- Previous post was at 03:25 PM ----------

Originally Posted by estación seca

The trick to repotting is to do it about a week and a half ago, when the roots were tiny nubs. As you've found it's easy to damage them when they get longer.

The embarrassing thing is that I knew this and meant to deal with it back when they appeared, but I procrastinated for a bit and then life got in the way.

Originally Posted by estación seca

Some people don't unpot and remove old medium for larger Catts. You can drop the pot into a larger pot and backfill with new medium. They don't make new roots from older parts of the rhizome, and the newest roots are the most active, so this works fine.

My lazy side likes this option. In such cases do you water the old and new media evenly, or focus on the newer medium and roots?

[K-Sci]

Originally Posted by lobotomizedgoat

It is 8.5" in diameter and ~8" tall. The green decorative pot is 10.5" by 9" tall.

It's in a big pot already! I would have guessed it was a 4" pot, so I'm glad I asked. The volume of an 8-inch pot is five times greater than a 4-inch.

Next question: Your plant has multiple-growth leads with 3-4 bulbs outside the inner pot. I only see roots from one of the front bulbs. Where are the roots from the other bulbs with bases that are outside the pot?

-Keith

[lobotomizedgoat]

Originally Posted by K-Sci

It's in a big pot already! I would have guessed it was a 4" pot, so I'm glad I asked. The volume of an 8-inch pot is five times greater than a 4-inch.

Next question: Your plant has multiple-growth leads with 3-4 bulbs outside the inner pot. I only see roots from one of the front bulbs. Where are the roots from the other bulbs with bases that are outside the pot?

-Keith

The bulb on the far side (left side in the second photo) has no visible root growth. The one in the middle had a budding root tip that that I damaged yesterday when I pealed back the dry sheath that was covering it. That area also has two dried/dead-looking root tips further back along the rhizome that I had never noticed before. I cannot say if they sprouted while I've had the plant.

I also noticed a root tip growing counter clockwise along the inside of the pot halfway around the empty side near the surface. My guess is it's coming from further back on that first growth I mentioned that has no external roots, but I haven't been able to trace it.

[Shadeflower]

Originally Posted by K-Sci

Next question: Your plant has multiple-growth leads with 3-4 bulbs outside the inner pot. I only see roots from one of the front bulbs. Where are the roots from the other bulbs with bases that are outside the pot?

I thought about this one and I was thinking what could be the reason... Then it hit me.... The plant was being cared for by someone else who really did not want to repot it and thus gave it away instead.

So what happened to those roots? Most likely removed by the previous grower!

we all know beginners love to snip off things and hate "unsightly" aerial roots. Maybe they thought snipping off the roots would stop it growing out of the pot and when that didn't stop it away it went?