Specimen size orchids

[Plodde]

I think the definition probably varies. For me a specimen size is anytime you see an Orchid and immediately go; " WOW! now thats a big orchid"
Anything that hasn't been divided in years and years and when I'm bloom the plant has more flowers and bulbs/ or canes the you can count.

[lotis146]

Originally Posted by Plodde

I think the definition probably varies. For me a specimen size is anytime you see an Orchid and immediately go; " WOW! now thats a big orchid"
Anything that hasn't been divided in years and years and when I'm bloom the plant has more flowers and bulbs/ or canes the you can count.

Alright now that sounds about what I was thinking.

[Leafmite]

Originally Posted by Plodde

I like where this is going. very cool idea.
I would be very interested to see what this looks like 5 years from now.
I have a couple of my Orchids ( cattleya, rhynchostylis) in wooden baskets with large chunks of bark. When they start to out grow those baskets I'm planning on just putting those baskets in bigger baskets. no repot no nothing. I know this sounds like a bad idea?.?.
what do you think?

It isn't a bad idea if you are using LECA or red lava rock. Then you don't need to worry about the medium compressing and causing trouble.
If you are using bark or moss, it is best to remove the bark/moss when moving the orchid to a larger pot. Larger pot + compacted medium = a middle that never dries out.

[bil]

If the plant starts shouting "Feed me!" It's probably a specimen.

[camille1585]

Originally Posted by astrid

I have read several times on this board that some people just take their super pot-bound orchids and do exactly that. They just take the orchid out of the old pot, put it in a slightly bigger pot, and fill the small gaps around it with new media. They all seem to have good success.

One reason this would be a good idea is that the roots would not get broken while you tried to get out all the old media.

One reason this would be a bad idea is if you did not pot the orchid yourself, you might be repotting with some weird sphagnum (or god knows what) in the middle. I would do a first repot and replace all the old media, and then just keep repotting every year or two in the way you suggested.

That's how I repot the Onc I attached a photo of earlier. The roots are so dense that I can pull it straight out of the pot and you can't see any bark mix through all the roots... So I simply chuck it in a larger pot and add more bark! Same with my Max tenuifolia and a couple other orchids. They are all in bark, and no problems yet with the center.

I added a photo of Rosy Sunset's roots. The green is a layer of moss which has grown over the sides, but if I peel it back the roots are as dense as the ones on the bottom. This one is due for a repot. But since it lives at the office, I need to remember to bring potting supplies with me one day.

[camille1585]

Originally Posted by bil

If the plant starts shouting "Feed me!" It's probably a specimen.

It seems more like "give me water!!!!"

[RJSquirrel]

How to grow a monster | Orchids In Paradise

if you want to grow a monster you got to pay attention to monster orchid growers

Growing monster orchid specimens often doesn’t require medium and typical pots

[camille1585]

Hmmm, interesting bit about pots/media! I might repot my monster into a net pot, and put that into a larger plastic pot to keep some humidity around the roots (I grow my Psychopsis that way and it loves it)

[Paul]

Don't have any specimen plants myself, nor likely ever will. Simply don't have the room for space hogs like that. (Though I do indeed enjoy seeing a well grown specimen plant.) As it is, I have 100 or so plants in my apt. My tastes are extremely eclectic ... with not only orchids, but members of the bromeliad family, cacti & succulents, carnivorous plants, ant plants, &a smattering of others. As such, I generally divide plants when they are outgrowing a 4" pot.