B. nodosa bare-root division

[j_orchids]

Hello,

I got this B. nodosa bare root division about a week ago. It has some roots that look pretty old, but still firm. I'd like to see it showing signs of growth before I mount it, so I have been keeping it in this open mason jar (to preserve moisture around the roots) and spritzing the roots every morning. Is it likely to start growing this way, or should I just go ahead and mount it asap?

- Jon

[Dollythehun]

I got one in exactly that condition last spring. I put it in a basket pot in chopped up spag and bark. The spag was around the roots. I set it in the sun all summer...It was happy because it got freckles. When I brought it in to my east/south exposure, I put a light directly over it. It has grown lots of new roots but, no freckles. It is still to small to bloom, so it will go out in the sun again this summer.

I strongly suggest you look into supplementary lighting. It doesn't have to be unattractive and you can expand your plant collection.

[j_orchids]

Originally Posted by Dollythehun

I strongly suggest you look into supplementary lighting. It doesn't have to be unattractive and you can expand your plant collection.

I know it could use supplemental light, but It has normally been sitting on my windowsill next to my actively growing B. Little Stars. I'd like to know if it's likely to begin showing signs of growth this way before I place it in/on any media.

- Jon

[jkofferdahl]

Why are you waiting? Bare root plants should be rooted/mounted when they arrive, with no need to wait for growth signs.

[Dollythehun]

Good question, sorry I missed that. I would mount it.

[j_orchids]

Originally Posted by jkofferdahl

Bare root plants should be rooted/mounted when they arrive, with no need to wait for growth signs.

Originally Posted by Dollythehun

Good question, sorry I missed that. I would mount it.

Great! Thank you!

[jkofferdahl]

By the way, I absolutely adore B. nodosa! In my experience they are easy to grow to the point of being prolific (almost insanely so), the flowers are quite elegant, and their fragrance is what most orchids only dream of.

I may have to buy another one!

[estación seca]

I would mount right away, too. As it warms up it should begin growing. You can water this plant when mounted every day it doesn't rain.

[jkofferdahl]

Originally Posted by estación seca

I would mount right away, too. As it warms up it should begin growing. You can water this plant when mounted every day it doesn't rain.

Absolutely, and an important point. B nodosa root tips can turn brown as they grow away from the mount if they aren't getting enough water. I have a mounted B grandiflora, a similar species, and right now as it grows I'm watering it each morning and thoroughly misting the roots each evening to keep them happy.

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[j_orchids]

I will try to mount this thing tomorrow. I'm a little worried about it though; the roots look pretty beat-up and I removed a lot of dead material. I hope there's enough life in these five leaves to push out a healthy new root and get going from there.

I need to pick up sphagnum for this project, and will try to do that tomorrow. Today was spent repotting my B. Little Stars (actually a NoID, but I'm pretty sure). I posted about this in another thread brown-aerial-root-tips-brassavola. I decided I didn't like how it was growing over the edge of the pot and trying to escape, though it looked very healthy. I unpotted it and began removing dead roots and old media to discover a thick, twisted mat of dead roots and rotting media right in the center. The healthy new growth was growing all in and around the rotting stuff, and it was an epic struggle to clean it up. I ended up breaking this modest-sized plant into seven sections (I couldn't help it) and I lost five leaves (including the biggest leaf) in the process. The largest hunk (about half the plant) was repotted in the old pot (after cleaning and sterilization) with new fine bark mix. The other six fragments were potted in fine bark mix in 2.5 in. pots (the sorriest fragment was nothing more than a small knot of new roots - the other fragments contained new roots with 2 to 5 leaves each). I hope some of these unintentional divisions establish themselves and grow. I was sad to lose half my plant (and it's biggest leaf)

I was surprised, however, that the big leaf I lost actually had some reddish blush on it. Maybe this plant has been happier with the light available to it than I thought (it gets an hour or so of direct sun each day when it's not raining).

~ Jon