When to repot a C. amethystoglossa?

[Jeff214]

I recently received a nice 4n Cattleya amethystoglossa by mistake, and the seller was generous to let me keep the plant in addition to sending the correct plant. I've been avoiding bifoliate species since they can get quite large and since I heard that they were persnickety, especially about repot. ...but here I am!

Does anyone know when a C. amethystoglossa grows roots. Is it with new growth, after growth, or both?

Thanks!

[isurus79]

They start growing new roots as the new growth is maturing. Hopefully you don't have to repot it at a time when new root growth isn't coming out.

[Jeff214]

I've been watering and fertilizing it alongside my other actively growing Catts. I guess it was resting for the last few months and it... did not appreciate that. It's doing okay but some of the roots died during that time.

It's finally started a new growth last week and I was wondering how long I'd needed to wait to repot. Thanks - it shouldn't be too long then...

[SouthPark]

Originally Posted by Jeff214

I've been avoiding bifoliate species since they can get quite large and since I heard that they were persnickety, especially about repot. ... but here I am!

Not sure Jeff. It probably all depends on growing conditions, growing area - various things.

I can definitely say that I'm not afraid to repot any fairly regular orchids (ie. not fragile specialty/novelty types that require special treatment).

After the repot, just got to factor in temperature (eg. is it really cold?) and water around roots. If the temperature is satisfactory, and lighting levels and lighting duration are satisfactory, and the surrounding media can stay lightly damp - then I'm thinking that an orchid like a C. amethystoglossa should just continue growing on its way. That is - at least keep resuming growing new roots and then new shoots etc.

I haven't got an amethystoglossa, but I would repot it anytime I like if I had one.

Every single catt that arrives at my place in the mail - gets repotted - right away. That's how I'm confident in my region that nothing bad happens to my repots, at any time of the year. This is full-on repot ----- total removal of bark/perlite etc from the roots, and then into my new media.

If any catt happens to have a bit of a rest - such as during cold/winter times - then that's ok. They'll definitely pick-up again ----- and during this time, just control the amount of moisture in the media as usual.

[estación seca]

You can send it to me or to isurus79.

In general most Cattleya species, especially bifoliates, only make new roots once a year. If you repot before they are ready to make roots, you will damage all the existing roots, no matter how careful you are. Then the plant will need to survive on a damaged set of roots until it is time to grow some more.

C. amethystoglossa (bifoliate) and C. warscewiczii (unifoliate) mature their new growths before making any more roots. C. w. matures the growth, then flowers, before making roots. If you repot those as the new growth is forming, there is an excellent chance you will lose that growth, and perhaps kill the plant.

I never repot any Cattleyas until they are making new roots, no matter how bad the medium looks. If I wind up with a plant in poor medium, I water it very carefully until it's time to grow roots. Only then do I repot.

If it's a plant from SVO - I would not even think of repotting until they crawl out of the pot. The Kiwi Bark lasts many years. I think the advice to repot every orchid as soon as you get it is harmful for most beginners.

[SouthPark]

I agree with ES about repotting of new orchids for people just starting out with growing orchids.

The comments I made earlier about repotting regular kinds of orchids at any time relates to caring for the orchid appropriately after the repot (actually before and after the repot - for any orchid).

Next time I see an amethystoglossa, I'll get one - and demonstrate what I mean. I'll demonstrate repotting it at various times of the year.

[Jeff214]

Originally Posted by estación seca

You can send it to me or to isurus79.

I am running out of space, and this 4n C. amethystoglossa is probably going to become a monster... it may come your way sooner or later!

Originally Posted by estación seca

In general most Cattleya species, especially bifoliates, only make new roots once a year. If you repot before they are ready to make roots, you will damage all the existing roots, no matter how careful you are. Then the plant will need to survive on a damaged set of roots until it is time to grow some more.

C. amethystoglossa (bifoliate) and C. warscewiczii (unifoliate) mature their new growths before making any more roots. C. w. matures the growth, then flowers, before making roots. If you repot those as the new growth is forming, there is an excellent chance you will lose that growth, and perhaps kill the plant.

Right, I was reading that bifoliates only grow roots once a year and I wanted to make sure I caught that timing to repot. I know the timing can differ between species so I wanted to double check.

My C. warscewiczii finished its new growth the week before last and I see that it's started roots on the newest growths. It is also starting a new growth (on a separate lead), though.

Originally Posted by estación seca

If it's a plant from SVO - I would not even think of repotting until they crawl out of the pot. The Kiwi Bark lasts many years. I think the advice to repot every orchid as soon as you get it is harmful for most beginners.

I got them from SVO and it is potted in Kiwi bark. I actually haven't heard the advice to repot immediately upon purchase... Honestly, I avoid repotting if at all possible... I've had it since April ("recently" in orchid time) and since the roots seem to be in decline, I thought it might be worth removing dead roots and repotting. I was just asking as a preventative measure.

[Roberta]

Originally Posted by estación seca

If it's a plant from SVO - I would not even think of repotting until they crawl out of the pot. The Kiwi Bark lasts many years. I think the advice to repot every orchid as soon as you get it is harmful for most beginners.

If I get an SVO plant that is climbing out of its pot such that it looks like it could use a repot, but isn't making roots, I just put the whole thing (pot and all) into a larger pot, or wood basket even better (with large bark) and let it continue to do its thing... the Kiwi bark will stay good, and work fine for the roots that are in it, and the new part of the plant will make itself at home, when the time is right, in the new medium of the "extension". Sometimes I'll cut the original pot to make it easier for any roots to "escape" but even that risks harming good roots if they're crammed in there, so I just accommodate the new growth and let the older part of the plant stay where it is.

I usually advise quick repotting of things like mass-produced Phalanopsis because it is rare that the medium is anything other than root-killing-bad. But a plant from a grower like SVO that uses top-quality bark, no.

[SouthPark]

Originally Posted by Jeff214

I've been avoiding bifoliate species since they can get quite large and since I heard that they were persnickety, especially about repot. ...but here I am!

Jeff ----- I just came across this link 10 mins ago -- Click Here.

That's the link you probably saw.

Interestingly, their recommendation of using lava rock -- or laying the roots on the lava rock, or something like that, is along the same lines as the way I grow my catts in my tropical region. I grow all my catts in lava rock, and my conditions are tropical.

So when I mentioned that I can repot at any time of the year - it somewhat is tied to the same sort of principles or idea as theirs. This just means that as long as the orchid is properly looked after and satisfactory conditions are provided to it ------ it is certainly possible to repot pretty much any regular sort of catt at any time of the year.

Although - if any grower isn't comfortable with repotting an orchid at particular times, then that's definitely ok! Repot at a time they're comfortable with. But remember one rule of thumb ----- if one thinks a repot is absolutely needed - critical - then a repot should be done.

[isurus79]

Originally Posted by Roberta

If I get an SVO plant that is climbing out of its pot such that it looks like it could use a repot, but isn't making roots, I just put the whole thing (pot and all) into a larger pot, or wood basket even better (with large bark) and let it continue to do its thing... the Kiwi bark will stay good, and work fine for the roots that are in it, and the new part of the plant will make itself at home, when the time is right, in the new medium of the "extension". Sometimes I'll cut the original pot to make it easier for any roots to "escape" but even that risks harming good roots if they're crammed in there, so I just accommodate the new growth and let the older part of the plant stay where it is.

Roberta beat me to it. Just pot up the plant. No need to cut roots. These guys are too sensitive to that, even if you repot at the correct time.