I bought two Cymbidiums from Burnham Orchids as part of their 5 for £20 offer: ‘Parnasse’ and ‘Bartolme Ferrello’. Checking my plants today I could feel that the 9cm pots they were in were being distorted by roots so I decided to repot them. I only managed the ‘Parnasse’ because I’ve run out of small bark.
But this was the sight that met my eyes when I eased the plant from its pot. The roots were all healthy when I got the old medium off, even right under the crown. I can only hope the other will be as healthy when I repot it.
This is a problem with cheap lightweight pots. The plant could have gone another year. In any case, if this was in Orchiata, I would merely have slip-potted it so as not to disturb the roots.
I hope when you did remove all the bark, you then cut the roots back to 3" from the bottom of the bulbs and did NOT stuff them all back into the new pot? Sure root die back of the broken roots if you did.