Best time repot zygopetalums?

[deanna83]

if just like to know from those successful with zygos - when do you have the most success with zygo repots?
I’ve tried just after flowering - zygos stall their growth and nature the bulb prematurely.
As a new bulb emerging, just after bulb matures - sulking.
I need your expert opinions!

[aliceinwl]

I repot my established plants that need it when there is active root growth. I also will repot new Zygos if I don’t like the media (regardless of growth stage or flowering). I’ve found the key is to be very gentle with the roots. Even bruising a root can kill it and the roots are very brittle and prone to snapping if you manipulate them. I just spray off all the substrate I can with the hose and pot it up. The plants don’t miss a beat.

On the first one I repotted, I made sure to remove every last bit of old substrate and dead root before repotting. I ended up killing the entire root system, all the leaves, and half the pseudobulbs. Two years later, it’s still recovering. Lesson learned!