repotting a very large over crowded cattleya
 

Hi, I am fairly new to orchids (see my post on the intro section) and have a very large cattleya to repot. It was given to me and I have finally gotten around to repotting it. I have repotted another one like it and have had good success.

My question/problem is about how to care for the divided plants (16 regular size and 5 small divisions) untill I can get them properly potted. I got a bug to finally tear apart the pot so I have done this. I layed them out on the grass and watered them well. I am thinking of putting them on my north side patio (w/roof) and work on them the next few days. Is this ok?

Also, I have been using the small bags of orchid potting mix from Home Depot and it is going to be quite expensive to use that for all of these plants. I have read in my books and online that you can use packing peanuts (not the biodegradable one) to pack in the bottom so I am thinking of getting some of them.

Any help on how to save money and handle so many plants at once would be appreciated. I am going to give some to an orchid growing friend. My other friends kill regular plants so I don't dare give some to them. Thanks:)

Gabriele

A division should be no smaller than four bulbs. Five is better. Any division smaller will set the plant back a year or more before they bloom again. If you have 16 bulbs, you can divide the plant in half and still have eight bulbs in each plant. Whatever you do, don't pull the bulbs apart.

I am not sure what you mean by don't pull the bulbs apart. The pot was so overcrowded that I had to pull it out of the pot and cut some sections and pull some apart. I hope I did not do any damage. I will try to post a picture of the divisions to show how I divided them. It had so many dead roots that I had to cut many roots off.

http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c3...9/PICT1980.jpg

http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c3...9/PICT1981.jpg

http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c3...9/PICT1983.jpg

http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c3...9/PICT1982.jpg

Well, if nothing else, this will be a learning experiment for ya.

Me, personally, would have left it whole. Maybe take a small division out for a friend or a trade, but basically left it whole.

the goal (at least mine) is to have large plants that put out many flowers in a single bloom. Repotting is only to be done to replenish decaying growing medium, or to move into a larger pot.


As for the Home Depot growing medium, meh... I would rather grow in coconut husk and broken clay pot bits before I use that stuff. I use a mix made by Broward Orchid Supply that consists og Leca balls, charcoal, coconut husk chunks, pearlite (sp?), and some pine bark (minimal on that last). Pretty much more of the former to last in ratios.

Good luck and don't fret too much if you lose a few. I'm still killing some. I've only been doing it for about 18 months myself.

This is from about 6 months ago...
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a168/gotants/09.jpg

http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a168/gotants/09-1.jpg
And I think I've added about 30 more since then...lol

Thanks for the replys.

got ants,

I really needed to divide this pot. I wish I had taken a picture of it before. There were roots and whole plants growing outside of the pot. I know the person who my mom got it from did not know how to care for orchids and there was actual soil in the bottom of the pot with many dead roots.

You have beautiful orchids and a great spot for them. I am in the process of figuring out where to keep them. I have limited shade under trees for now and lots of hot sun (waiting for our young trees to grow). I love the trellis you have for shade.

Since I am new to orchids I do not know where to get other potting medium. I have heard so many different things about what to plant orchids in. I am probably going to join a club and can get more information there about where to get other medium. I don't have enough pot shards to use and I am running out of pots. I do have several baskets I bought to use but am not sure what medium to use that will not fall thru the slats. Also, can I plant cats in baskets?

Thanks agian everyone for your help.

Spring, you may want to check out local growers like Florida Native Orchids in Tampa for supplies.

I have not joined a club yet as I have many to choose from. I plan on attending some meeting at a few and deciding which one I'll join.

BTW, are you sure that was soil in the bottom of the pot or decayed potting medium?

Gabriele,

Be sure to keep them more shaded than usual until you get them potted up.

Great set up 'ants. Love the thermometer!

Maureen

Nice set up. I to love the thermometer. Stay warm.

Orchid potting mix can be a wide variety of things, perlite, limestone, leca, lavarock, sphagnum, epiweb, bark, coco husks, clay, etc etc you should be able to find something to plant it in.

You could try multiple mixes and varieties to see what one works best for you

Your bulbs appear to be in clumps, which is good. The smallest clump appears to be three, which is good. Leave these clumps together, and pot them in the smallest pots you can find that will just accommodate the roots, and no bigger. Too big a pot will have too much medium in it that can stay wet and rot the roots.

Orchids love packing peanuts. Years back there was a couple who grew fantastic orchids solely in packing peanuts. Make sure they're not the kind that disolve.

Well you have a lot of potential new plants there. They all look pretty healthy to me. Just take care when you re-pot to use a good medium & get a lot of potting medium around the roots to support the leaf structure, keep an eye on them. I would guess the surviving plants will be kind of stressed for a while, but they are all quite resiliant, I've found that my errors are visable for months or years, but the plants recover nicely. Good luck.

Tim Abbott

Thanks everyone. I just potted up 9 today. Only about 9 more to go! Whew... I bought the orchid mix from Lowes and used some packing peanuts for the bottom third. I set them out of the sun in my patio and I think they will do ok. I will feel better when they get anchored in their pots. Now I will have to get some more medium for the rest of them. At least the peanuts helped keep the cost of medium down some.