Where to cut roots

[mandirose1]

I'm going to repot for the first time today. I'm nervous, yet very excited!

I have a question that I can't seem to find the answer to easily, (it's hard to find the time to read with 2 under 3!)

If a root is healthy down most its length, but the tip is dried up, do I only just the tip? Or lose the whole root? Basically, do I trim where to rot/damage starts or the whole root if it's damaged at all?

Thank you!

---------- Post added at 01:50 PM ---------- Previous post was at 01:49 PM ----------

Cripes. I promise I'm literate, but that's some bad English up there! Haha!

[wintergirl]

If it's just a tiny tip of the root is dry I would leave it alone. If it's more extended then I cut. I cut up to the healthy part and leave the healthy part intact. I cut away dried and mushy and leave where it starts to be normal or healthy. Make sure you use disinfected tools.

[mandirose1]

Thank you!

[tucker85]

I usually cut a rotting roots about a half inch or more into the healthy roots. If I have lots of long healthy roots, I have no problem with trimming some of the healthy roots in order to fit it in the pot. Of course you want to leave as many healthy roots as reasonably possible.

[mandirose1]

Well, those roots I was asking about needed to be chopped a bit higher anyway but overall everything looked pretty decent. The roots at the base were firm and round but starting to yellow so I used a little more bark than sphagnum underneath/ in the roots so they could dry out a tad. I finished with a layer of sphagnum on top as it's pretty dry here at over 5,000ft in Colorado and I read that helps keep a little extra moisture in without bogging it down. I might switch back to all of this sphagnum mix, (the classic from Repotme.com,) as she seemed to do pretty well in regular sphag from the grower and complete negligence from me.


I'm going to attempt to post a photo of her in her new home next to her old home...


---------- Post added at 07:33 PM ---------- Previous post was at 07:29 PM ----------

You can check out the album when you click on the picture if you want. It's her roots and such.

[wintergirl]

Nice job.

[Fairorchids]

Through 46 years of growing orchids, incl 9 years of working in an orchid nursery, I have NEVER cut roots.

In a few cases I have 'divided' severely rootbound plants with a saw or a hatchet out of necessity, but otherwise there is no reason to cut roots. The fable that it encourages root growth comes straight out of a pipe with some mostly illegal weeds.

[mandirose1]

Say what?


Man. Everyone sure does it different.

[wintergirl]

Originally Posted by Fairorchids

Through 46 years of growing orchids, incl 9 years of working in an orchid nursery, I have NEVER cut roots.

In a few cases I have 'divided' severely rootbound plants with a saw or a hatchet out of necessity, but otherwise there is no reason to cut roots. The fable that it encourages root growth comes straight out of a pipe with some mostly illegal weeds.

So if you find a bunch of rotted roots you just replant them?

[bil]

An article I read said don't cut. If the root is dead and squishy, just get hold of the root and pull gently. The squishy bit strips off leaving a wiry core that helps to hold the plant in the pot.