repotting Brassalova Little Stars

[VickiC]

Hi,
I already have a Little Stars on a cork mount and a small one in a basket. I agree, they certainly do like to be mounted. I probably would have used a larger piece of cork if I had realized how much.
I sure hope my repotting job went ok today (a bit skeptical) especially because with this potted one and the other two together in my greenhouse, the aroma in the winter is wonderful when I walk in the door.
I've never used a mount for anything other than cork.....have you had a problem with the hook coming out? I have, 3 times. Twice the mount fell on the floor and the 3rd time I managed to catch the whole thing with my hands.
Anyway, thanks again to you and everyone for your help...
Vicki

Originally Posted by Leafmite

Brassavola are very happy on mounts. I have a Little Stars and a nodosa happily mounted bare root. The other Little Stars parent, cordata (?), a tiny division, is bare root in a net pot, waiting for me to buy a decent piece of cork. It doesn't seem to mind.
I use the net pot in the middle idea, too, for some of my other orhids.

[VickiC]

Hi,
It lives in my greenhouse all year with 60% shadecloth and the leaves still have a slight purple tinge. I tried keeping two orchids on our open backporch, but the raccoons knocked one over - so I got paranoid and put both back in my gh. By the way, would you like several free raccoons? They just love catfood (pesky critters).
Vicki

Originally Posted by BeachDadAtHome

Good wisdom in this post. Thanks David & Sonya.

Vicki, I'm guessing yours lives outside (cause of the ants) - do you let it have full Alabama sun? Does it weather the winter outside also?

[SJF]

Originally Posted by VickiC

Hi,
It lives in my greenhouse all year with 60% shadecloth and the leaves still have a slight purple tinge. I tried keeping two orchids on our open backporch, but the raccoons knocked one over - so I got paranoid and put both back in my gh. By the way, would you like several free raccoons? They just love catfood (pesky critters).
Vicki

I have a couple of huge ones that come up on my deck for cat food too. I feed cats a neighbor threw out. We had them all "fixed". Please take these masked bandits too.

Has anyone ever grown the Brass. Little Stars in SH?

[Leafmite]

I run wire through the cork or stuff the cork in a large net pot. Not very pretty but the hooks never lasted long. Lava rock should work well. I use it with most of my orchids in basket pots or plastic vanda baskets. I never need to worry about it decaying and rotting the roots.

[VickiC]

Thanks for the link, David...
Vicki

Originally Posted by DavidCampen

Using an inverted net pot is now my standard potting technique. I use one of these mesh pots inside my 4" to 8" diameter terra cotta pots:
Amazon.com: 2 Inch Round Orchid/Hydroponics Slotted Mesh Net Pot - 10 Pack: Patio, Lawn & Garden
(This reminds me that I need to order some more of these.)

I cut off the solid portion at the top of the mesh pot leaving a thin solid band to hold the mesh ribs together but I also notch all the way through the solid band at 4 places around the circumference so that water can drain completely through the center hole of the terra cotta pot. The cut down mesh pot is then placed, inverted, in the center of the terra cotta pot over the center hole and some perlite or leca is placed around the inverted mesh pot to keep it centered

---------- Post added at 12:15 PM ---------- Previous post was at 12:03 PM ----------

I have a good sized plastic storage box full of mounts of different sizes put away. I've never had a whole lot of mounting space in my greenhouse, but I mis-estimated back when I bought them and now I'm practically out of mounting space. I wish I could give them to you.
Vicki

Originally Posted by Leafmite

Brassavola are very happy on mounts. I have a Little Stars and a nodosa happily mounted bare root. The other Little Stars parent, cordata (?), a tiny division, is bare root in a net pot, waiting for me to buy a decent piece of cork. It doesn't seem to mind.
I use the net pot in the middle idea, too, for some of my other orhids.

[NYCorchidman]

Originally Posted by james mickelso

You don't have to tear up the roots. Let it dry thoroughly (and I mean thoroughly) and then just take it out of the pot and put it in the next bigger pot. As long as you don't try and force media into the central portion of the root mass, and you get out all the old media that you can without too much damage, there shouldn't be any problems with rot. You don't have to get new media into the central portion of the root mass as it doesn't need it. Then just put media around the outer edges of the pot and voila it's done with little or no damage.

If it was that easy!
The roots are firmly attached to the outside and all over the pot, so it is impossible to take the plant out of the pot without damaging them.

---------- Post added at 05:02 PM ---------- Previous post was at 04:56 PM ----------

Originally Posted by VickiC

Hi,
I already have a Little Stars on a cork mount and a small one in a basket. I agree, they certainly do like to be mounted. I probably would have used a larger piece of cork if I had realized how much.
I sure hope my repotting job went ok today (a bit skeptical) especially because with this potted one and the other two together in my greenhouse, the aroma in the winter is wonderful when I walk in the door.
I've never used a mount for anything other than cork.....have you had a problem with the hook coming out? I have, 3 times. Twice the mount fell on the floor and the 3rd time I managed to catch the whole thing with my hands.
Anyway, thanks again to you and everyone for your help...
Vicki

Wow~ I love those pictures!

My question is then what do you do next at this super saturated state with not much space left for the plant to grow on??
Taking them off the mount will be too damaging to many roots that are already firmly attached themselves on the cork.

[BeachDadAtHome]

NYCorchidman - I've never had to deal with such a repot, but I happened to be reading The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Orchids (Pridgeon) on potting and wondered if this might add to the conversation:

... When vandas, ascocentrums, and ascocendas outgrow their slotted baskets, the procedure is different. Rather than to try to detach the aerial roots from the basket and risk setting the plant back, soak the plant (basket and all) in a bucket of water for a few minutes to make the roots more pliable. Then set the basket within a slightly larger basket, wrap the roots around and set them inside the basket also. Wire the baskets together, add a wire hanger, and attach a new label.

[james mickelso]

For orchids with lots of roots inside the clay pot, just dry it really well, I mean desiccate it, and break the pot with a hammer. The clay just falls away from the roots. If the roots aren't really dry they will then still be adhered to the clay too much. I just used this method on 4 cats with octoroots. Worked great. Give it a try.

[NYCorchidman]

No, you guys are not understanding.

Ok, so my B.Little Star is potted in bark in a clay pot. The roots are ALL OVER, not just inside, which would be easy as a pie to repot.

The roots that are outside the pots are firmly attached to the outer surface of the pots.

If I were to break the pot, those roots on the outside will also be damaged along with the pot. ripped and torn.

Sliding into a larger pot is not a good option because unlike vandas in an empty basket, my plant is in bark mix which needs to be replaced with fresh one somehow.

I hope this is clearer.

[james mickelso]

I still think that if you let the plant dry out for long enough to let the velamin shrink it would be easier to carefully break the pot into small pieces which could then be carefully pulled out. I've done it quite a bit rescueing catts and laelias along with other thicker rooted orchids. I understood what you were implying about how the roots were wrapped both outside and inside the pot. I guess I didn't relate that very well either. Your dilemma is a tough one but at some point you will have to bite the proverbial orchid stem and do something. I'd love to come over to show you and help. But I have to work this weekend and I doubt if I could be there before dinner next week )-;