Cymbidiums in clay pots?

[Paul Mc]

Is the use of clay pots acceptable for Cymbidiums? I'm asking because I still have yet to find a suitable pot for mine. At the moment, it is in a clay pot which is old and has mineral deposits on it. I will be repotting it in a clean pot in the spring but wanted to know if clay was acceptable or not.

[rodrigo]

Hi Paul

As far as I'm concerned, Clay pots are better than plastic pots for Cymbs, the only drawback is that they are heavier and breakable.

Regards,

Rodrigo

[stonedragonfarms]

Clay pots were probably the first type used, so they are just fine; bear in mind that you may have to destroy the pot to get the plant out when repotting--you might want to pass on anything too decorative. I have cymbidiums in both plastic and clay; the clay will need more frequent watering in the warm months, but the extra weight aids in preventing the plant from becoming top heavy...this is especially good when the plant is in bloom. Good luck!
BTW, what sort of "suitable" pot are you looking for?
Adam

[WhiteRabbit]

I got my first cym, a division from a neighbor, in a clay pot where it lived happily til I repotted it I prefer plastic for better moisture retention in the dry summer climate where I live.
And I do suppose it could be difficult to get a well grown cym out of a clay pot when the time comes.
Tho - if it is indeed well grown with lots of good roots, losing a few shouldn't be a problem

[val_and_graham]

We've had very good results using a clay pot.
Here's what we've been using (empty)


and full!

[Paul Mc]

WOW, that's a beautiful clay pot. I hope you don't have to break it like one post stated!

By "suitable", I just meant what would work. All of my other orchids, other than my two phaius', are in decorative ceramic pots designed for orchids. Everywhere I have looked, I have still yet to find any like these that are designed for Cymbidiums. So my only two choices for repotting next year would be clay or plastic. I must repot next year as the clay pot it is in has mineral deposits all over it, and my research indicates that this is dangerous for the Cymbidium. It was an old pot anyways.

In regards to the clay pot busting, perfect! I keep the shards for use in the bottom of all of my pots when I'm planting, to help keep the dirt from cloggin the drainage holes. That would not be a problem for me, in fact it's a plus as I'm running out of "shards", lol...

[Cym Ladye]

All the posts are correct in the basic use of clay pots but not one person has mentioned the difficulty of sterilizing clay pots for virus contamination. Pots must be heated in an oven to at least 225 F for 1-2 hours, not an easy task for big pots. Soaking in 5% clorox solution is not adequate to sterilize clay.

As a result, I no longer use clay pots for any orchids except as a holding pot for a plastic pot and make sure to always use the same outer pot for the same plant when divided. These I only use around the patio for decoration, not on my benches. My entire collection is in black plastic both for cost and sterility purposes.

CL