Maxillaria tenuifolia, need advice please!

[silken]

A friend gave me a Maxillaria tenuifolia. It was last re-potted in Feb. 2008 so I figured I better do it now. The media was almost like soil.
I've never had one of these and its upward growth habit rather puzzles me! The photo shows that one pseudo bulb is much below most of the others. I tried to separate the roots that are above and below it. It doesn't seem like there are many healthy ones, but the plant was alive and had another big extended piece growing at a weird angle which I cut off and put in some Super Thrive/K-L-N water to try and root it.
I'd like to remove the lowest pseudo bulb and I could pot it up too as a back-up. Then pot the remaining with the bulk of the roots at a better level than if the lowest one was left on.
Is this what I should do? According to Orchid Wiz, media such as chopped sphagnum, charcoal and perlite are suitable. I can use those or fine or medium bark and I have some rock wool cubes too. any suggestions are welcome. I should do it today or at latest tomorrow as it is already un-potted. I will soak the roots in the meantime.

[Discus]

I think these plants are fairly unfussy; they'll grow in most things, and seem to quite enjoy being kept on the moist side.

[camille1585]

I have one that I got as part of one of a member project in 2010. No blooms yet, but it is very easy to grow! The upwards stacked growth is how they grow, have a look at Mauro's plant! Maxillaria tenuifolia - specimen plant

One thing I learned with mine is even though the roots may look dead, chances are that they are very much alive! Mine's growing in straight bark. I prefer to water more often then risk it staying too wet. Here's a thread from not long ago where we discussed which potting media they do well in: Maxillaria tenuifolia medium
I would repot it as is, with the medium up to the base of where the big clump of bulbs start. Those buried bulbs will eventually die, but the plant is using the roots. I also find that it's best to judge watering going by the newest bulbs. As soon as those show the slightest crease again, I water. Old bulbs tend to stay creased.

They also like quite a bit of light, hopefully I should get blooms thing year now that it's been moved to a south facing window.

[silken]

Thanks Discus and Camille. I haven't cut that lower bulb off yet, so I can bury it. I was worried about it rotting in the media and causing trouble. If I plant it so that it is above ground, it makes for a very wobbly arrangement! I haven't cut too many roots yet either, so I will maybe just leave them. The big awkward growth that I cut off has one flower and it is very coconut scented. My friend has another much larger plant with blooms and many buds so hers will be very impressive very soon. I hope I can keep this alive. I can provide the bright light and I think cool winter temps it likes.

[Leafmite]

In lava rock/net pot, the bulbs don't die when buried. I give mine a south facing window and have it sit in a bowl with about two cm water after watering (once a week, winter, every day or every other day, summer) which is always gone by the next week. Last year, it did fine without the water in the bowl. It doesn't seem fussy. The only time the bulbs shrivelled was when it was over 33'C for a few days but when the temp dropped a little, the plumpness returned. As someone has said, the roots aren't the prettiest but somehow, they get the job done and even grow. Roots of upper bulbs are enclosed in a proctective covering and travel down to the medium. Good luck, have fun, the flowers are super-cute and smell great!

[silken]

Thanks for the tips. I re-potted the main plant in a mix of bark, charcoal, perlite and a bit of moss. Things dry out pretty quick here and moss does fine for me so I think it's a good mix for my environment. Hopefully it will live!
The other piece is soaking in rooting hormone water, but that might be a while before it gets potted. Hopefully some of the roots from the upper growths will grow long enough to pot it up. Or it might become a S/H experiment

[camille1585]

Good luck with the little one! The big one will be fine, these plants are low maintenance and will be happy with pretty much whatever you pot it in.

[Merlyn]

I take mine to the kitchen sink and use the sprayer on all the upper pbulbs and roots of my Max. I also leave a lot of water in the saucer it sits in and right now it soaks it all up in about 3 days, so that's when I water it again ! When fertilizing I also spray all the upper pbulbs and leaves. I put it outside asap in filtered bright sunlight.

Here's the link to my thread; Maxillaria tenuifolia

[nenella]

I submerge mine in water twice a week and all the pbulbs remain plump; If I don't they get wrinkles. I'm sure I'll stop this method if I get an inlking of a bud forming & start spraying like Chryss.

[silken]

Thanks for the tips. I read your thread Chryss and will maybe put mine out with my Cyms this summer.