Help with re-potting

[LizB88]

I need some guidance with re-potting.

The story is like this. I gave my mother two Cymbidium plants several years back when I had to relocate many of my orchid. Today she ask for help with some of her plants and wanted to re-pot. all along I though she had only one of the plants. To my surprised, she had put both plants in one pot with potting soil, no bark only what the plants had originally come with. it was difficult to take them out because they were stuck, and full of water.

I was able to separate the plants from each other with out braking any roots.

Now, they did flower last year, and have new growth. And lots and lots of dead roots, and the new roots are so tangle with the dead roots that I have to wait for them to dry a little before attempting to remove the soil (pictures bellow).

Question is should I put them back together in the same pot, after cleaning them and giving them the right media with plenty of drainage. Or separate them, and divide.

Keep in mind that I really don't know how many good roots will be left after I clean them. I was able to wash some of the dirt off and the dead roots resembles a weaker basket of how tight and compacted they are.

And now I'm wondering how are the ones I gave to my aunt are doing, she reports they just keep growing but no flower

[WhiteRabbit]

Cym roots take time to deal with. I use a chopstick to poke into the root mass and wiggle it around to help loosen the mass. Using the "jet" setting on a hose sprayer also helps.

Usually, Cymbidium repotting / dividing is done in spring, when there is new growth, so it would probably be best not to divide at this time, tho they are tough buggers and wouldn't likely be too bothered.

If Cyms don't bloom it is likely either from insufficient light, and/or not getting a period of cool night temps in late summer - autumn.

[Bud]

When I repot I put the plant is a cool dark place for a week to have the roots accustomed to being disturbed. I do not water at all while repotting= I water after a week.
I saw a video on YouTube where the lady whacked the pot with a large wooden mallet to dislodge the whole plant out of the pot and used an ax to divide the bulbs. That's how hard it is to divide some of these plants.

[Cym Ladye]

Although it is a bit late to repot, your plant needs to be dealt with now!

1) First - Remove at least 1/2 half of the root ball by cutting it across the bottom and remove all mushy roots. I use a sharp wooden skewer to work out the old mix. Sounds drastic, but from your description, you have a mess of broken roots which will never mend and cause nothing but mush in the pot. Rather, you want to cut them so they will regenerate from the cut ends and you will have fresh mix into which they can grow.

2) Put them in different pots with 4-5 green bulbs per division, if possible.

3) Use a fast draining mix as CHC or bark, with perlite.

If you email me privately, I will be glad to send you the Repotting Guide our Gold Coast Cymbidium Growers club in San Mateo uses for our annual Hands on Potting Workshop.

Cym Ladye

[LizB88]

Originally Posted by WhiteRabbit

Usually, Cymbidium repotting / dividing is done in spring, when there is new growth, so it would probably be best not to divide at this time, tho they are tough buggers and wouldn't likely be too bothered.

If Cyms don't bloom it is likely either from insufficient light, and/or not getting a period of cool night temps in late summer - autumn.

Thanks, WhiteRabbit, there is new growth and one of the plants may have a flower spike coming, not sure.

I don't know about my aunts plants, she leaves in Vallejo CA, so they do get cold temps in the winter. I suspect that it may be not be enough light or not getting the write fertilizer. I will have to make a trip to her place and take a look. And be ready for what ever I find.

And take a orchid first aid kit with me.

Originally Posted by Cym Ladye

Although it is a bit late to repot, your plant needs to be dealt with now!

1) First - Remove at least 1/2 half of the root ball by cutting it across the bottom and remove all mushy roots. I use a sharp wooden skewer to work out the old mix. Sounds drastic, but from your description, you have a mess of broken roots which will never mend and cause nothing but mush in the pot. Rather, you want to cut them so they will regenerate from the cut ends and you will have fresh mix into which they can grow.

2) Put them in different pots with 4-5 green bulbs per division, if possible.

3) Use a fast draining mix as CHC or bark, with perlite.

If you email me privately, I will be glad to send you the Repotting Guide our Gold Coast Cymbidium Growers club in San Mateo uses for our annual Hands on Potting Workshop.

Cym Ladye

Cym Ladye, thank you so much, I will email you. I want to make sure that i do it wright and that both plants get what they need. I got the bark media today. The mushy death roots have the shape of the old container and the new roots had to brake through the weave of old roots! I think that once I get the old crap off, I will have some very stress, but happy plants!

---------- Post added at 07:14 PM ---------- Previous post was at 06:08 PM ----------

It's a flower spike, and also new wroth, should I still cut roots or wait, which means it will be a long wait to repot.

[Cym Ladye]

Keep going Liz and finish it. I often will see spikes and new growths showing on plants I am working with late in the season. I tend to break off the spikes, but let the new growths continue, being careful of the new roots just emerging from them.

I am ready to send you the repotting guide but no PM from you yet so do not know where to send it. It will answer a lot of your questions as many I have sent it to on the OB will concur.

CL