Root control

[Steve83]

All of my Catts. are grown on cork slabs or 3" oak rounds, in a grow tent. While they are doing great and I'm able to get some of the hybrids to bloom 2-4 times a year, I am running into one issue... and that is an abundance of unattached roots which cascade straight down like stalactites, for 2-3 feet lol.

When I visit greenhouses or see outdoor nurseries, this 'problem' doesn't seem as pronounced. I'm not sure if that's due to a greater temperature variations etc.

I was wondering if moving to wood baskets with media might help curb this, as it makes maintenance of plants beneath them a bit of a hassle.

I would rather not go to shelving and clay pots, as it cuts down on airflow. and available space.

Any advice is greatly appreciated.

[Roberta]

I have largely gone to wood baskets for all my big Catts (those too large to mount). Roots do grow into and around the slats of the basket (think of it as a 3-dimensional mount.) Some of the roots do escape anyway. I like your "stalactite" analogy. If you get the roots nice and soft with a good soaking, you can likely wrap them around inside the basket, controlling them for at least a little while. Don't worry too much about media - some large bark maybe. They tend to grow to the outside of the basket, somewhat ignoring the media.