How to repot Bellopetalum

[Paul Mc]

I've got a Bellopetalum, and it grows differently than ony of my other orchids. It seems like all new growth starts about 1 inch above the older growth, and all the roots are aerial as a result.

So, do I just shove the roots into the potting medium or what?

How exactly do I pot them? I was under the impression that I could put the oldest pbulb down just a bit into the medium, and it was flush with last years new growth. But this year's new growth is even higher still.

Any thoughts or assistance on proper potting of this orchid would be greatly appreciated.

And BTW, I just noticed a 3 inch flower spike in progress today! Where the heck did it come from?! I just watered it like 2 days ago and it wasn't there! OMG, I'm sooooooo excited - I was doing the happy dance around the house, lol...

[FairyInTheFlowers]

Any pictures of plant and spike?

[Paul Mc]

Yes, though it's already dark here and all my lights are "old fashioned" and cast a yellow hue. I will have to wait until tomorrow after work.

On another note, I was doing some internet searching and noticed that no other pictures of my particular plant, spelling correction here, Bollopetalum Midnight Blue, has the same issue! I don't apparently seem to be doing anything wrong since I've had it for 2 years and it decided to bloom. But then again...

I'm confounded after seeing other people's pictures of this.

[Zoi2]

I have a Bollopetalum Midnight Blue 'Cardinals Roost' that I grow in S/H. It does have a tendency to stack pbulbs. I repotted earlier this year to a larger pot and the two new growths are growing lower. I don't know if this is just the way it does it or if it actually needed more room. I love this plant, it is so easy to take care of, it blooms three times a year and seems to be happy in the east window of a bathroom.
Joann

[Daethen]

Mine does this as well. I was thinking of mounting it since it wants to climb.

[Paul Mc]

I was contemplating mounting as well, but the more I read the more I realized that this particular hybrid seems to be more content being consistently moist and not drying out. That would be a problem for me.

Of course, I was wondering if the stacking thing it was doing wasn't because it was seeking something I wasn't providing since none of the pictures I've seen online seem to grow in the same pattern. I was wondering if it needed more light, less water, etc...

[Paul Mc]

As promised, here is a pic of the growth habit it appears to have.

[Paul Mc]

I hope no one minds, but I'm bumping my own thread in hopes of getting some answers on how to pot this particular orchid given it's growth habit.