Grammatophyllum speciosum.....The Plant v. Maria

[peeweelovesbooks]

So I got this plant on Monday. It's huge! Ummmm. Really huge. Anyway, as soon as I wrestled it out of the box (with some minor injuries) I noticed that the previous owner had done somewhat of a questionable potting job: the plant was potted in a huge bulb pot using coconut husk fiber and then the rest of the humongous root ball was in a wire basket with coconut husk fiber.

I tried to work it out of the wire basket but no go. So, I took it outside to see just whether the root ball would drain well (in light of the fact that it had basically covered the wire basket. I figured, if it drained well, I would just plop the entire thing into a clay pot with rocks.

UGH....NO GO. After I muscled it to my yard, I soaked and soaked with a hose and basically the root ball was a huge sopping sponge. It was barely releasing the water. Big problem in Miami--since I have killed anything that I have ever grown in CHC. So what to do? I cut off the bulb pot. The thing was rootbound and I could tell even that part was potted in CHC.

So, I put it back inside, and let it sit. I wanted to see how long it took for it to get dry. Today is Thursday and the root ball was still wet. This was NOT good news.

So, I decided that my original plan of just putting the root ball encased in the wire basket inside a clay pot with rocks was not going to work. I went to HD, and bought 1) a bolt cutter 2) a saw and 3) a big clay pot.

I came home, cut the wire basket from the root ball (tore my jeans), and sawed about 1/2 of the root ball (which was still wet). I don't think I can work out the CHC because the roots have basically consumed it, so I'm going to let it go like that. I didn't touch any of the roots that make up the "basket".

I'm going to spray it with cinnamon spray and pot it up on Saturday. I've been reading online, and the people who own a speciosum pot it using rocks. They also throw clumps of manure and/or compost, which I'm also going to do.

This has been harder than I thought

[RosieC]

Wow, sounds massive and a lot of work!

Good luck getting it sorted. Just one note though... I wouldn't use cinnamon extensively on roots, it desiccates them.

[smweaver]

Pictures, please--of the plant and any injuries you may have sustained. :-)

Good luck with this one. I'm regularly tempted to get a plant of this species, but thankfully I really have no place to put one at the moment. Hopefully yours will do wonderfully for you.

[cbuchman]

Yes. Pictures please. That is a great story. Can't wait to hear the "happily ever after" ending

[james mickelso]

Remember that the older pbulbs are, like cats and cyms, being used for storage of starches/sugars and water for the new pbulb growths. So you don't really need the roots. I have seen them taken out of pots and most of their roots cut off. Not what I would do but...... carefully and selectively cut off "some" of the older roots, dab the cut ends with cinnamon (it cauterizes the tissue) and repot in a shallow pot or basket with just rocks or charcoal. The new growth will put out roots of it's own. Those roots are all it will need.

[peeweelovesbooks]

Originally Posted by james mickelso

Remember that the older pbulbs are, like cats and cyms, being used for storage of starches/sugars and water for the new pbulb growths. So you don't really need the roots. I have seen them taken out of pots and most of their roots cut off. Not what I would do but...... carefully and selectively cut off "some" of the older roots, dab the cut ends with cinnamon (it cauterizes the tissue) and repot in a shallow pot or basket with just rocks or charcoal. The new growth will put out roots of it's own. Those roots are all it will need.

Thanks for the advice. This is exactly what I did. I'm watching it like an anxious mama and I hope it's ok.

[james mickelso]

It will be fine. IO have also seen them pulled out of the pots completely every year and repotted like bulbs in the spring and they do very well. Same with catasetums.

[HighSeas]

This is SO exciting! I just ordered one and have been reading...reading...reading... in anticipation of what to do with him when he gets here!

Please DO post some pictures! We'd love to see your new baby elephant!

[peeweelovesbooks]

So I think it's settling because it's putting out 3 new growths!!!!!

[edub9]

Love the story, I have seen huge examples of Grammatophyllum for sale at various places, shows etc. And all of them have been virtually devoid of roots. I have a Peristeria and a few catasetum and you can seperate the entire plant into individual pseudobulbs every year and remove most of if not all the rootball and they do wonderfully.