Help! Roots sneaking out of drain holes and slits!

[Becca]

I have read of this happening before and I have read that some manufactures are making the side slits narrower, and I thought I bought those pots. Also, the roots are sneaking out of the drain holes, which means when I pick them up to water and put them back down, the beautiful root tips get broken off....not what I want to happen! What can I do? The are sneaking out every which direction! Does some one have a solution? I was thinking of taking some pantyhose and wrapping it around the entire pot, not sure how I would secure it to the pot since it is plastic. Any idea's? Please help me save my precious roots!

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

Repot carefully. Wait until the roots start growing again.

Use your common sense to determine whether the plant needs to be potted up to a bigger pot or put back into the same sized pot (with all roots nicely tucked in).

Watering the roots thoroughly makes the roots pliable.

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

If you need to get a box cutter and destroy the pot. Pots in general are inexpensive anyways.

[Becca]

I don't think I need to repot the 'chids, I just need to find a way to keep the roots in! It doesn't take long for them to start sneaking out, if I were to repot every time the roots sneak out, that would be almost monthly! When it is time to repot, I will cut the pot up to try and save the roots, but I need something to keep them in! Like I said, they are even coming out of the drain holes at the bottom! I am looking for solutions that wouldn't require repotting if possible! Thanks for the recommendation!

[LinhT]

Becca,

What kind of orchid are you having this problem with? Is it one of those with the really fine skinny roots?

[Becca]

It is really just my orchids that are in the Cattleya alliance. The pot sizes are anywhere from 3.5 inch round pots with slots, 4 inch square pots with just round drain holes on the bottom and the rectangular slots on the corners of the bottom of the pot, and 5 inch round pots with slots and drain holes. So the roots aren't fine skinny roots like an oncidium, but some have nice fat roots and some are medium sized. Even on the side slots, they seem to squeeze them self through the slot and then continues to grow from there. Perhaps I should take pictures? I have already broken a couple of root tips off because they are coming out of the bottom drain holes and I didn't realize it and they sit on the white open grated material, I do believe is called electrical paneling or something like that?

[Grandma M]

Is there any way that you can attach a hanger to the pot. What kind of orchid is it, is it in the vandaceous family?

Marilyn

[Becca]

Hi Marilyn! I would attach a hanger, but in my orchidarium space is pretty limited, it would be hard to get around 4 pots to hang just right and still allow space for others to sit on the shelf since there isn't THAT much distance from the top that hanging stuff would create more room if you know what I mean. It is really just my cattleya alliance I am having problems with, and one or two Phals.

[tuvoc]

Becca, I'm having the same problem (?) with a lot of my catts. My thought was that something is going right to have them grow so many roots. I don't think there is anything you could, or should do. Some root tips are going to get broken no matter what, and every time that happens to me, they just grow more! Sounds to me like you are doing just fine. The more roots, the better. Just my 3 cents. (inflation)

Kim

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

I would wait until the roots climbing out are of a good enough length to consider repotting. Roots climbing out of the pot is common. In fact, if I were you, I'd pray and thank God for something like that to happen every time.

Growing roots is obviously a good sign. I've had to repot my orchids because of this regardless of how many times during the course of the year I have to or when in the year I do it. Many people will say, you must do it during a certain time of the year however many times during the yeaar. While this is true to an extent, but you're dealing with something that is living. Anything truly alive and thriving will not stay the same forever. Staying the same forever means stagnation and eventually death, not life. So if you've gotta repot every month (which will most likely not happen), do it. The "orchid police" will not be all down on your back because of it.