Catasetum Roots

[skirincich]

Hello,

I have included a picture of my Fdk. Desert Tenor. I think the plant can be watered know, but as I move it carefully into a bigger pot, I thought I would soak it and remove some of the dead roots and the compacted sphagnum. The previous years' roots look quite alive and the sphagnum is very hard to tease apart. Any issue with dropping it into a larger pot and carefully filling the gaps with wet moss?

Thanks,
Steve

[Roberta]

Put it back in its pot, or drop into a bigger pot and gently fill in with some sphagnum. This is not the time to be disturbing these plants. If it is outgrowing its pot that is OK. The time for repotting (and messing with old roots) is during dormancy. So don't do anything to it except putting it back, until next winter.

[estación seca]

The only safe time to repot these is while fully dormant, with no root growth at all. I hope you haven't damaged your plant too badly. They are very different from most other orchids.

[skirincich]

Thanks for the advice and warnings! I think I have a pretty good understanding of the the watering routine, but I have waited to see where new growth(s) emerge before repotting and creating space for the growth's new roots. Time to break that habit.

[isurus79]

In addition to the above comments, I’d hold off watering for at least another 2-3 weeks. Those new roots are still pretty short.

[estación seca]

Originally Posted by skirincich

Thanks for the advice and warnings! I think I have a pretty good understanding of the the watering routine, but I have waited to see where new growth(s) emerge before repotting and creating space for the growth's new roots. Time to break that habit.

You could easily get away with that with most other orchids, though it isn't necessary. But not Catasetinae. New shoots almost always emerge on the side of the newest pseudobulb in the direction facing the light. If the light is overhead they usually emerge on the side of the newest pseudobulb away from the older pseudobulbs. But even if they don't, the roots grow so long they will find the medium, and it's fine if a new growth is up in the air away from the medium.

[Clawhammer]

For catasetinae, forget about the previous year's roots, they are irrelevant to this year's success.

[isurus79]

Originally Posted by Clawhammer

For catasetinae, forget about the previous year's roots, they are irrelevant to this year's success.

That's not quite true. I see a lot of branching on last year's roots and the previous root systems can be important in water uptake during dormancy or even into the first part of the growing season.

[Clawhammer]

Originally Posted by isurus79

That's not quite true. I see a lot of branching on last year's roots and the previous root systems can be important in water uptake during dormancy or even into the first part of the growing season.

To clarify I mean I have sawed off all the old roots in repotting with no ill effect at all. I routinely use a serrated knife and saw off the half of the root clump that is preventing me from placing the plant where I want in the new pot. No other alliance can you completely destroy the previous year's roots and the plant won't skip a beat to this degree.

[isurus79]

Originally Posted by Clawhammer

To clarify I mean I have sawed off all the old roots in repotting with no ill effect at all. I routinely use a serrated knife and saw off the half of the root clump that is preventing me from placing the plant where I want in the new pot. No other alliance can you completely destroy the previous year's roots and the plant won't skip a beat to this degree.

Ah, indeed! I also find using a saw is much more efficient than using snips!