Is this a problem?i

[silken]

Originally Posted by mimigirl

Oh i can repot now!? Thats good to know. Plastic pot, bark, good drainage in pot. I have rexus fir bark home.
Thanks for the input.

Only repot when there are new root nubs visible! I use Rexius medium bark but everyone's growing conditions need to determine what they use.

[mimigirl]

:Silk en dont pot if has new growth but no new roots? Wont i lose this plant if it cant absorb water? I m confused

[silken]

Originally Posted by mimigirl

:Silk en dont pot if has new growth but no new roots? Wont i lose this plant if it cant absorb water? I m confused

Many people on this forum as well as myself, feel the best time to re-pot an orchid is just when new roots are beginning to show.

Often when re-potting, you are changing to a different type of media, or going from old dank moisture retaining bark or coco chunks to new much drier bark or coco chunks. So the old roots have to struggle to adapt to a new situation. New roots will adapt to what they get much easier. Bifoliate Catts in particular will sulk and maybe even slowly die if disturbed at the wrong time.

However, of your roots are in very bad media and it is a must to re-pot or risk losing all your healthy roots, then I usually make an exception. Often when I get a new plant that is the case.

I'm not sure how your existing roots are. Are there some healthy ones? When was it last re-potted. All those things need to be taken into account. It likely has some roots and depending on the parentage, you may see new roots soon on the new growth. If it was recently re-potted into bark or a suitable media, you won't really gain much from disturbing it again. Hope that helps.

[mimigirl]

It helps but i dont like it. Know what i mean. I am afraid they both will die. I just started a diary so prior to now i dont know when it was repotted. May have been spring or fall 2013. One of them bloomed this year, but again dont know which. I will check the roots tmrow. Thanks for your help!

[silken]

Originally Posted by mimigirl

It helps but i dont like it. Know what i mean. I am afraid they both will die. I just started a diary so prior to now i dont know when it was repotted. May have been spring or fall 2013. One of them bloomed this year, but again dont know which. I will check the roots tmrow. Thanks for your help!

If you can just slide it from the pot without disturbing too much and see what you can see in the root zone. Many people here like clay pots and there is nothing wrong with them. But I like clear because I can see what's going on with the roots. The roots also seem to like it. They grow on trees in nature with roots exposed to light and it is thought that they photosynthesize.

Make sure the media is getting try in the centre and bottom where less air is getting. When you say it is bone dry in a day, I don't see how deep in the pot it can already be bone dry. If it isn't and you then water, you could be drowning the roots and causing rot.

If you don't have some seaweed (kelp), you might want to try it. It contains rooting hormones and seems to do wonders with my Catts and Phals in particular. It can be found at hydroponics stores.

[mimigirl]

Are the first two pics showing two new roots? In third should i cut any old ones off? Should i repot?

[silken]

Originally Posted by mimigirl

Are the first two pics showing two new roots? In third should i cut any old ones off? Should i repot?

I'm only seeing one picture. It is pretty much un-potted now so you may as well re pot. Only cut hollow, mushy roots. Sometimes old roots are brown, but still alive. If they are firm, keep them. The media looks old and broken down to me in the picture. Keep it open and chunky. For bark, you should soak it for at least a few hours or overnight. I often put some in a Pyrex bowl with water covering it and microwave on high for about 5 mins which helps sterilize and wet it faster. Rinse well in cool or tepid water. Right now before you pot it would be a good time to soak in seaweed water. After the roots are all cleaned up and the plant and roots all washed off under the tap, soak the roots for an hour in a bowl of seaweed water. If you don't have any, the plant can sit out for a day or two until you get some. It could make all the difference as to whether this bounces back well. It sort of looks like it was being kept too wet.

Remember to use a pot that just fits the root ball and leaves a space for the new growths so they don't overhang the pot. Over potting often causes root rot.

Hopefully someone else will weigh in with any useful info.

[mimigirl]

I was way overpotted. It sat about 2 inches in soil, almost detached from bottom which was 2 inches also. I misted it til i get home. All i have is superthrive. Can i use that. Thank you so much for telling me to check the roots. It just lifted out of pot with virtually no media attached. I will look for seaweed water locally but it might be something i need to order. Can i use superthrive? It cant do any worse,

[silken]

Originally Posted by mimigirl

I was way overpotted. It sat about 2 inches in soil, almost detached from bottom which was 2 inches also. I misted it til i get home. All i have is superthrive. Can i use that. Thank you so much for telling me to check the roots. It just lifted out of pot with virtually no media attached. I will look for seaweed water locally but it might be something i need to order. Can i use superthrive? It cant do any worse,

SuperThrive is good too and better than nothing. Only use recommended dosage or you can get growth abnormalities. The seaweed can come in liquid or dry form and I have used both with good results. I have had SuperThrive and it helped, but for me, seaweed makes a big difference. The plant has roots exposed in nature and they don't want to be wet all the time so there is no harm in leaving it un-potted for a few days until you have everything you need to do a good job.

[mimigirl]

Thank you for all of you help!