Roots...roots...everywhere!

[Vanessa]

Yikes! I repotted nearly all of my Catts late this summer in slotted plastic pots. The roots are growing thru the slots, out of the bottom and over the top...same thing with my Phals. How is the next repot to be done without ripping up the roots that are poking out? Due to MSU fertilizer they are super plump after squeezing thru the openings. Can I lose these roots without harm to the plant?

[mnoor]

You may wish to water the pot, wait for 20 - 30 minutes. This will soften the roots and their grip to the pot. Then slowly removed the plant from the pot. If the plastic pot is of soft type, you may squeeze it with your bare hand and slide the plant out of the pot.

DO NOT simply trying to remove the plant from the pot without watering as the roots are holding tight to it and if you do so, very likely you may damage the roots.

Maybe others may have a better idea than mine.

[Ross]

I plan to cut the pots apart (or break them) to get the maximum roots out. Yep! That's the result of great culture. Might want to consider either baskets or mounts next time around.

[rogerman]

Thats why i like to stick to the vandas, asco, etc, as they are just sitting in pots with no medium at all.......
Take a look at this Vanda for example.....Plant is 3 1/2 feet tall with, roots that are four feet long.... It's in a thrre inch square pot now...... I would NEVER be able to get the roots out other than cut the pot

[Ross]

Thought I'd post this picture to show you plants grow where they choose!



I plan to cut the whole pot apart when the blooming is done. I have no idea what to expect with repotting.

[rogerman]

I'd expect a headache coming on at some stage , for a start. Looks like that plant a real mind if it's own.... Luckily mine haven't done that. I'm having problems with 1/2 inch thick roots from vandas that just go horizontal.

[dounoharm]

my vandas been sending those horizontal roots out too rogerman...i dont know why or how far they will go before gravity brings em down...

[rogerman]

I couldn't tell you that.... I have some that are three feet long I went to an old friends shade house the other day.... He's got one thats about half an inch thick thats just going straight up for about three feet

[Jerry Delaney]

I'm quite sure Vanessa, that this post will create enough disturbance that you might even be able to hear it cross country! If it were me, I wouldn't worry about it. In fact, I would most likely cut them off at the pot's edge. I intentionally prune the roots on ALL my orchids when repotting except for Paphs and Vandaceous varities (most of the vandas I try die before they can grow long roots anyway)!!. I usually trim them so that the trimmed root mass only goes down in the pot 1/3 and no more than 1/2 of the way from the top of the pot to the bottom. I don't treat the cut ends with anything , start watering immediately and only pot with dry mix. For [B][I][U]me [B][I][U], this gives me the best results. One of the things that make orchids different from most other plants is that they do not form any main, permanent root system. Repotting a huge mass of roots, most of which are going to die, just provides an area in the pot that will hold water longer and start the process of the mix breaking down much quicker. The pictures above from left to right are of a plant in it's old pot, the plant just removed from the pot, the plant with the mix removed and last, the plant with the roots trimmed.

[Lagoon]

Vanessa,

I think you'll have more success then you think you will. I know I've done away with these slotted type pots, to much work for me.

I do these soak et squeeze method, works pretty well. Sure I've lost a few roots but there was no set back that I could see. As a matter of fact giving them more room to grow was the best idea and kept my grow area cleaner looking. Besides I've had roots break and tear of being in the slotted pots anyways.

Just dig you're heels in and do it, as long as the orchids are in growth they'll be fine

Prime time for transplant would be in the warmer months.

Don't worry and