Psychopsis Mariposa

[WaterWitchin]

Originally Posted by DirtyCoconuts

Nope, i was just basing that on all the other highly floriferous plants i have dealt with, not about breaking the spike, but if the plant self terminated the buds.....my experience has been that they CAN (not always) respike from the same spike when the plant is still in that "hormonal" phase

i was not trying to spread gospel, more just being encouraging about the move given the alternative sounded unappealing to you. Please never, and this goes for everyone, take my advice as anything more than worthless internet chatter and anecdotal at best.

Ha! You know just enough to be dangerous. That’s why I was calling ya out on Psycopsis.

[Jeff214]

Yeah... I immediately repotted my psychopsis when I first got it, as it was spiking... it aborted the spike, sulked, sulked some more, and it's been five or six years now...? It's finally picking up some steam now. One day...

[DirtyCoconuts]

Originally Posted by Jeff214

Yeah... I immediately repotted my psychopsis when I first got it, as it was spiking... it aborted the spike, sulked, sulked some more, and it's been five or six years now...? It's finally picking up some steam now. One day...

Lol. Do not! I repeat, do not, switch it to SH at this point!

Lol. Do what feels right but know that you apparently have a very very sensitive orchid on your hands and it will end up all in into its owns feels over something or another

[WaterWitchin]

Originally Posted by Jeff214

Yeah... I immediately repotted my psychopsis when I first got it, as it was spiking... it aborted the spike, sulked, sulked some more, and it's been five or six years now...? It's finally picking up some steam now. One day...

Ugh. I have a Mendenhall Hildos. I moved it to SH when I bought it, and it had just the bare start of a new pbulb coming up. It survived the transfer just fine, but the oldest pbulb went pffffftt! Of course.

I've had it for a couple of years now, and the oldest two leaves got attacked by grasshoppers both years. Four pbulbs and no spike yet. Here's hoping it will try a spike this year. Five or six years is kinda not what I want to hear. Fortunately this one is in spagh, so I anticipate it will tolerate the move to SH a bit better. The Hildos was in bark, and other than the one pbulb, it handled the transition okay. Still deciding....

[farley101]

Instead of starting a new thread on the same plant, I figure I will add on to this one with a question about my recent purchase.

Won an eBay auction for one of these from Waldor. Huge flower spike, bigger than I expected, 23"!! It is in a tiny little 3" pot that is half sphag and half packing peanuts. Seems like such a small setup for the size of the plant!

Seeing the above replies makes me a little nervous to mess with it. The pot is so light I have to have it in a glass otherwise the flower spike pulls it over. I could probably just drop it into a bigger pot and not even touch the old medium, I'm not planning on doing S/H with it.

Any thoughts welcomed! Pic attached. Thanks!

[Chris17]

The spike will regrow if broken—I’ve broken several!

[Dollythehun]

However, I wouldn't want to break it! I think your repotting plan is good. Drop it in, fill it, and don't look back. Lol Mine has been in the same pot since I repotted it when I got it. It now has 4 spikes.

Also if you still want cactus pm me.

[Roberta]

I have found Psychopsis to be very unforgiving of having roots disturbed. Doing so can make them sulk for years, or just decide to die. If you really must repot, shake off what comes easily but disturb as little as possible. Or ideally not at all.

[farley101]

Definitely what I don't want to happen Roberta!

When I was unpacking the plant the pot fell off, that is how I know it is planted in about 2 inches of sphag and the rest packing peanuts.

I would feel a lot better if it was in a much sturdier pot that can handle the size of the plant. I may keep the idea of the peanuts and add some river rock to the bottom to give some heft and keep the amount of moss limited.

Not going to mess with the existing medium, I'll probably just wrap it with more moss so it fits in a larger pot and call it a day. I'm clumsy enough around my plants, I don't need the pot add to that!

[DirtyCoconuts]

ahhh so glad this thread was resurrected...where WW internet de-pantsed me for being too supportive