Should I increase pot size for Cym and if so how much?

[RosieC]

Hi everyone. My large Cym has not been repotted since I bought it and now it has finished flowering and is growing, I want to repot.

It seems rather tight in it's 5.5" pot and I wonder if I should increase the pot size when repotting and if so how much.

The other thing to consider is that the existing pot is a tall Cymbidium pot. Do I need to get another one the same (but larger) or can I use a wider standard depth pot.

This picture is taken from the side where there is some space between the p-bulbs and the pot. As can be just seen on the right of the picture they are right up to the arround the back. The roots at the top also seem quite packed, but I've not looked inside the pot yet.



I have noticed a new lead growth today. It has this tiny lead growth, another 4 lead growths each at least 8" high. Is this a good time to repot or should I wait for a different time?



Also just as an aside, I decided to count p-bulbs and growths for the first time today and there are some fans of leaves which don't look like the lead growths but have no p-bulbs. The lead growths are tight, narrow, tall columns of leaves, these are wide open fans of leaves. Are these the next stage on before the p-bulb forms or something different... I'm quite new to growth pattens of these

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

Pot up a 2.5 cm (1 in).

The size of the white or clear pot on the bottom is good enough.

[WhiteRabbit]

Rosie - the pbulbs will develop as the newer growths mature. I have most of my cyms in standard nursery pots. The tall cym pots are just too easily blown over by wind outside for me.

Be prepared! LOL Cyms can have a huge amount of long, fat roots, and it can take some time to get old media out from them, and to seperate dead stuff from good.

Good luck and have fun

[Cym Ladye]

Rosie,

If you want to keep a specimen sized plant, I would pot it up to a 2 gallon standard or 2 gal short black plastic pot. Be sure to carefully clean off as much old bark from the roots as possible without disturbing the root ball. If it is potted in a cch mix, then just loosen the outer roots and settle into a new cch mix. If using bark, more cleaning needs to be done.

Basic rule of thumb is to leave about a 2" margin between the outer edge of the plant and the edge of the pot.

Good Luck,

CL

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

Originally Posted by RosieC

Also just as an aside, I decided to count p-bulbs and growths for the first time today and there are some fans of leaves which don't look like the lead growths but have no p-bulbs. The lead growths are tight, narrow, tall columns of leaves, these are wide open fans of leaves. Are these the next stage on before the p-bulb forms or something different... I'm quite new to growth pattens of these

New growths on Cymbidiums always develop this way.

1. Tiny shoot.

2. Larger narrow shoot with leaves.

3. Once shoot gets to be as large as it can get, the pseudobulbs start developing.

4. When the pseudobulbs are fully mature, so is the entire growth.

5. Eventually older leaves will die back.

[WhiteRabbit]

Originally Posted by Cym Ladye

Rosie,

Be sure to carefully clean off as much old bark from the roots as possible without disturbing the root ball. CL

In the past - I have thoroughly cleaned and seperated all the roots - I use the 'jet' setting on the hose attachment to help get old bark from the roots - it hasn't seemed to be a problem ...
Should I not be doing that, and why?
thanks
and sorry Rosie - don't mean to hijack your thread

[snakecharma]

I personally would not repot, cyms tend to flower and "do" much better in a full pot. If it were up to me I would wait another 12-24 months.
But thats just me

Our last repot needed to be cut up with a shovel, roots pruned, the main part went back into the original pot and all the other bits inc back bulbs were potted on. The only casualties were 3 back bulbs that didnt reshoot. Cyms are a tough plant and shouldn't be too fussed about having media hosed out of their roots

[RosieC]

Thanks everone.

King, the white pot is actually a decorative glass pot without holes. It gives me a good idea of the size I need though. I have some opaque plant pots which will probably be suitable from some large non-orchids which have moved up to even bigger pots.

The media I can see looks a horrid broken down mess, so I think I will be removing all of it. After taking part in another thread about cym repotting a few months ago, I plan to use medium CHC, small bark & perlite.

I plan to keep this plant together. It may be large enough to split (7 p-bulbs and at least 5 lead growths) but I like large plants and choose this one in the shop due to it's size.

Thanks again everyone

[RosieC]

Originally Posted by snakecharma

I personally would not repot, cyms tend to flower and "do" much better in a full pot. If it were up to me I would wait another 12-24 months.
But thats just me

My main reason is that the medium looks VERY broken down. I bought it in December and I've not repotted it. I would be happier to have it in medium I know about.

snakecharma, if I DO repot do you think I should try and fit it back in the same pot as I usually would with a Phal (might be difficult if there are a lot of roots) or should I go to a bigger pot, then just leave it alone for a long time to fill that pot?

[Matilda]

I wouldn't worry too much about being careful with the roots.

YouTube - Brian, the orchid guy? live at the Pacific Orchid Exposition