Do I just repot this or divide it as well?
 

Hi - I'm very new on here but I'm learning so much about my little collection of orchids.

Anyway, I purchased a hanging dendrobium orchid from an Orchid show several years ago and it was gorgeous purple/pink flowers all over it. Since then, there has been a fair bit of growth to it and I took the hanging wires off it to just grow in the pot and it hasn't flowered since then (about 4 years ago!)

Anyway, I've just learnt (on the beginners discussion) that its should be repotted but as its so crowded in the little pot, should I divide it too and into how many plants?

How big should the new pots be?

Should the medium be course like bark?

Ooh, sorry so many questions.

I have posted some pictures and the one I'm talking about is the small one that has grown in a little ball shape.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!

It depends on what you want. Do you want a large "show" plant or something more manageable. Do you have some friends that might enjoy a piece of your plant... For me I'd divide both the smaller plant and the one to the back right in the 1st picture. The cattleya could make at least 4 plants in 5" pots with bark. The other plant maybe 2 or 3 depending how many pseudobulbs it has. You want to include at least 3 PB in each pot... more is just fine. Don't forget to use clean tools to cut the rhizomes. And clean after each cut with bleach.

Thanks so much for your feedback it is great.

Bit of an embarrassing question here - what are rhizomes? Sorry, I'm very new to this....:blushing:

They are the pieces of the plant that connect the pseudobulbs

Thank you! Also, can I repot them anytime now - Its Spring here going into Summer?

Spring going into summer if your plant is going into active growth this will be a good time to repot

I can see I'm going to have a bit of trouble dividing this little dendrobium orchid as its so crowded in there - do I cut it to divide it. Also, all of the roots swirl around the pot in a circle - should I soak the pot a bit first to moisten the roots?

I'm just not sure how to separate this plant without disturbing the roots too much.....

I'm so sorry for all the questions.....:blushing:

Hi Nelly,
when I repot a plant I let the plant soak up water first. Then after repotting it I don't give it any water for a week or week and a half.
By the way, that plant looks gorgeous the size it is now. I'd keep it that size and not divide it. Just imagine how nice it would look when it'll bloom, it should get loads of spikes & flowers when blooming! :)
But it's your plant so you decide ;)
Good luck!
Oh, and really, no need to apologize for any questions you ask! :)

Well today I either did something good or I have killed off my little dendrobium!!

The pot came off ok but the roots were tangled round and round in the pot and it took me a whole hour to try and remove the old medium from the roots. I think I tore some of the roots off at the bottom and then when I went to repot it, it wouldn't sit right in the pot as it was so overgrown. Th epot it was in was only about 10cm and I was going to repot it in a 17.5cm pot.

It was so hot here today so I was hot & bothered, and nearly in tears and then I just decided to take a pair of pruning scissors and cut it. I ended up with 3 small plants and I have repotted them and given them a good water and I'll wait to see what happens now.

Its either going to work or not.....hmm will just have to wait and see.

I'm too scared to repot the very large dendrobium to the right in my first picture. Its massive and although its leaning over to one side, I think there's a little room left for more psuedobulbs to grow. But I'm open to suggestions!

Hi Janelle,
Well, if you feel that the large dendrobium doesn't have any room left to grow, you should repot it. Find a pot/basket that's a bit bigger for it to grow again and repot it in there :) .
And when you repot a plant, no matter how careful you are you tear some of the roots, I think. I always try to be as careful as possible but sometimes the roots are so entangled in the old medium that it tears when you try to get the medium off them :( .
Renée