Laelia (Now Catt) tenebrosa rooting time

[rbarata]

Hello, my friends

When does tenebrosas grow their roots?
Mine seems to do it twice/year.
I know they have new growths in the fall (mine did) and by that time there was a new root growing but now it just finished growing new roots again (the ones out of the pot).

I think I missed an opportunity to repot it into fresh medium.

[MPLS_paph]

Mine throw roots at random times in their growth cycle, anytime during a new growth's maturation. I also tend to get a couple of growths a year...I have new growths just maturing as well as new eyes waking up right now.

In my experience, if you're careful, you can still repot. Shake the new pot to settle the new medium rather than packing it in (crushing the roots), and expect existing pseudobulbs to shrivel a bit.

[rbarata]

I think repoting now is risking too much.
Although the medium is not perfect, as we are approaching summer, it won't be so much of a major issue (summers here are dry, usually lower than 20%).

[Roberta]

Originally Posted by rbarata

I think repoting now is risking too much.
Although the medium is not perfect, as we are approaching summer, it won't be so much of a major issue (summers here are dry, usually lower than 20%).

I agree. Those new roots will be able to capture plenty of air, even if what is the pot is less happy. Like most of its relatives, it really doesn't like pots very much anyway, always seeking to escape. In fact, if this were my plant, I would just drop the whole thing into a wood basket big enough to accommodate the roots, perhaps add some large bark just to hold the pot in place, and let it go. In time, the part in the plastic pot will have died back, but the plant, with the newer growths will be thriving in that basket.

[rbarata]

Yes, the best opt would be a basket but, as I don't have much possibilities to hang baskets at home, I decided to use this pot. Hopefully, the holes in the side will trick the plant making it think it's in a basket.

[Roberta]

Yes, that should work. But wait until the next rooting cycle, it would be too easy to break those growing root tips at this point, trying to get the roots through the holes.

[rbarata]

These new roots are growing parallel to the medium surface so I wouldn't try to put them through the holes...the plan is to let the new roots from the next growing cycle go there naturally.

[Roberta]

Originally Posted by rbarata

These new roots are growing parallel to the medium surface so I wouldn't try to put them through the holes...the plan is to let the new roots from the next growing cycle go there naturally.

Sounds like a good plan to me