Tolumnia in tiny clay pot, time for an upgrade?

[No-Pro-mwa]

Sure is a healthy little plant. In our dry area I would think that the wooden basket with out any media would really dry out. My 2 cents is I would just up the clay pot about maybe 1 inch.

But I know nothing as I don't have any of these, at least yet. But most of my orchids dry out fairly fast and I have 2 humidifiers going all the time.

[mtorchid]

Yes Shannon, I also have two humidifiers running 24/7. At least it's good for us humans too! ;-)

I think I will just get a slightly larger 1-2" clay pot for it since it likes the current one so much.

[No-Pro-mwa]

Originally Posted by mtorchid

Yes Shannon, I also have two humidifiers running 24/7. At least it's good for us humans too! ;-)

I think I will just get a slightly larger 1-2" clay pot for it since it likes the current one so much.

I know, I do like it better so my plants must can be a pain however as I can't use my water. I have to haul it.

[mtorchid]

You're a water-hauler too, huh? We don't take water for granted! In addition to hauling for home use, I also fill up jugs of RO at the grocery store for the orchids

[NYCorchidman]

I just left a comment on a different thread but basically the same thing.

The short answer is yes!
The current pot is too tiny and you had this plant there for two years already.

The roots need a place to grow.

I always take my Tolumnias out of this ridiculously small clay pots and repot them into much larger plastic pot with chunky mix. They take off like crazy then.

[No-Pro-mwa]

Originally Posted by mtorchid

You're a water-hauler too, huh? We don't take water for granted! In addition to hauling for home use, I also fill up jugs of RO at the grocery store for the orchids

I'd have to say I have it much easier than you then. I only have to haul for my humidifiers and to water my orchids with. I'm not even sure I need to haul it for all my orchids but I do sometimes mix in some of my well water to make it go longer.

---------- Post added at 11:17 AM ---------- Previous post was at 11:16 AM ----------

Originally Posted by NYCorchidman

I just left a comment on a different thread but basically the same thing.

The short answer is yes!
The current pot is too tiny and you had this plant there for two years already.

The roots need a place to grow.

I always take my Tolumnias out of this ridiculously small clay pots and repot them into much larger plastic pot with chunky mix. They take off like crazy then.

See, I thought they needed to go into a clay pot. I guess just because that is what I first saw them in.

[lotis146]

I only have one, it arrived in what sounds like the exact same size and type of pot. There was no medium in the pot. Mine's a small plant yet and it's taken a full year for the new growth to mature and grow a spike - now in bud. I added a handful or less of coconut coir b/c I under-water. I've assumed mine hasn't flourished more because I don't water it enough.

That said I was recently at an Orchid show and considered getting another Tolumnia (mine is Buck Hollow x Sib). The grower I found selling some had many that were growing out of even smaller clay pots. I asked her if it would be best - were I to get one - for me to repot after the flowers died. She said NO NO NO. Said she would just let them grow out and all over the pot or even mount it. Said she had a big beautiful Tolu, won an award, divided it to share, and all divisions died. So I don't really know how sensitive they are to repotting but that's just what I've heard. Mine isn't really in need of repotting so I'm going to leave it for another year at least but it's doing fine with barely any medium and that's coming from an under-waterer with poor humidity. Good luck. Keep us posted.

[mtorchid]

Originally Posted by lotis146

I added a handful or less of coconut coir b/c I under-water. I've assumed mine hasn't flourished more because I don't water it enough.

Said she would just let them grow out and all over the pot or even mount it.

Yes, I like the idea of just letting it grow out of the pot since that's what it is starting to do. I kind of like the "wild" look of orchids and roots. anyway. If that becomes problematic, I would probably mount it on cork bark. I love the strange, succulent looking leaves.

I don't see any media in the pot, just roots, which would explain why it's done so well with my watering regime for it: water it daily every morning. The coconut coir would be a good addition if daily watering wasn't an option, though.

[lotis146]

It's a miracle mine has survived my bad watering habits, and it's in bloom right now. Now let's see if I can get it to grow more growths if I water more! I just ordered two more intergenerics (consider it relapse...well from a couple weeks ago my second relapse...) and I plan to just set them up in a clay pot as well or in these bark pots (forgot what kind of bark) I have. They're arriving bareroot, which now makes me think I should do my homework on the actual species they are...

[Tindomul]

I love the size! Good luck with whatever you decide to do with it.