pot size and medium

[Roberta]

Originally Posted by kvet

The SVO plant came out easily from its 3" container, woah look at all the roots! The lazy person in me wants to simply place this gently into a larger pot and surround with same media, instead of cleaning out the roots and disturbing them. Hmmmm.

I think that is exactly what you should do. The medium isn't broken down... SVO uses really good bark. Just put in the next size of pot (actually, I'd use a 5 inch pot) , fill in with new bark, and let it do its thing.

[kvet]

Originally Posted by Roberta

I think that is exactly what you should do. The medium isn't broken down... SVO uses really good bark. Just put in the next size of pot (actually, I'd use a 5 inch pot) , fill in with new bark, and let it do its thing.

I have embraced my inner lazy.

Two down, two to go. I'm procrastinating the last two, their root systems are rather extensive in the communal pot.

[SouthPark]

Originally Posted by kvet

The SVO plant came out easily from its 3" container, woah look at all the roots! The lazy person in me wants to simply place this gently into a larger pot and surround with same media, instead of cleaning out the roots and disturbing them. Hmmmm.

You can indeed! Just place into a larger pot as-is and fill in the gaps with other media.

For my orchids - most of them (except for catasetum type in sphagnum) - incoming from the mail, I unpot and remove all or as much media as I can (bark etc), and then I repot into my own medium. I've done this forever ----- at any time of the year --- any time of the growing season. One is - I use a media of my own choice, and the other is to ensure there's nothing undesirable in the incoming media or in the roots. I give the bare roots and stem etc a very good wash-out with water before potting into new media.

[Roberta]

Originally Posted by SouthPark

You can indeed! Just place into a larger pot as-is and fill in the gaps with other media.

For my orchids - most of them (except for catasetum type in sphagnum) - incoming from the mail, I unpot and remove all or as much media as I can (bark etc), and then I repot into my own medium. I've done this forever ----- at any time of the year --- any time of the growing season. One is - I use a media of my own choice, and the other is to ensure there's nothing undesirable in the incoming media or in the roots. I give the bare roots and stem etc a very good wash-out with water before potting into new media.

Circumstances alter cases. In this case, the plant is in excellent bark (other sellers aren't as meticulous), it is growing well, leave well enough alone. Also, it's already an excellent medium for the OP so no need to change it. If bark is broken down (often the case) then changing it out for your medium of choice is a good one. Or if your growing conditions are so drastically different than the grower's then you you need to adapt. Here, there's no reason to do anything on either count.

[kvet]

Originally Posted by SouthPark

For my orchids - most of them (except for catasetum type in sphagnum) - incoming from the mail, I unpot and remove all or as much media as I can (bark etc), and then I repot into my own medium. ((snip)) I give the bare roots and stem etc a very good wash-out with water before potting into new media.

Excellent, thank you, I plan to do that with orchids that appear to be in a sub-par medium from now on. I wish I had known to do this when I picked up two phals at a farmer's market last year. I also have a designated "quarantine area" now in my house where there's bright but gentle light, since it appears I'm picking up more plants that I had originally planned.

[kvet]

Aaahhhhhhh sheeeeeet.

I think I can manage the phal, but the den...

I'm not sure what to do with the den's 4ft of roots. A few were harmed along the way. Perhaps a pot larger than 6" is needed here...

[Roberta]

I'd think in terms a 1 gallon pot. Then, just wind the roots around. If you can't get them through the holes in the bottom of the existing small pot, I'd suggest leaving them, just cut away the upper part of that pot. Of course, if you can get your hands on the tall-form Asian Cymbidium pots, even better (a bonsai store may have them, or off the 'net) But a standard 1 gallon pot, obtainable at Home Depot etc., should work fine.

[kvet]

Interesting, okay. I found those long-skinny pots online (4x7 seems to be the largest, that seems a bit small?). If ordered today, maybe they would arrive next week, and until then I could just keep them in the current pot.

The good news is the bottoms of the original plastic pots were cut when we put them into the communal pot three years ago. so it's easy to get them out, I just cut the pots off

I have these four pots on hand: plastic 1 gallon and three terra cotta. The smallest is an italian "D18" size, which I think is 6". The medium one is 8.5" at top, and 6" tall, while the largest with pineapple sage is 10.5x7.5. I could easily repot the sage, it doesn't seem happy for some reason.

I'm thinking phal into the D18, and if I can fit the den into the medium one, that'd work for now?

[Roberta]

The tall-skinny pots you found online are a bit small... just went and measured mine, 5 inches top diameter x 7 inches tall is about as small as I'd go, 5 3/4 inch (next size) probably better. I think you'd be fine with the 1-gallon for the Dendrobium, or even the D18 would work. A thought with respect to the 1-gallon pot... you can reduce the excess volume by inverting a small plastic pot in the middle (to create an air pocket.) When you can find them, the advantage of those tall. skinny pots is that there is lots of "root room" for plants with long roots without adding a lot of volume.

[kvet]

They were in a communal pot, might as well enjoy their last spa day together

And don't worry, the garbage disposer is in the other sink compartment.