What to do with the old root system?
 

So these repotting vids have got me kind of confused.

I have a Monnierara that is in dormancy with two nubs. This last year, the plant completely filled the pot with a crazy amount of roots that accounts for two growth cycles. (Last year skipped dormancy so I just left it in the pot).

Before the new nubs start growing, I would like to repot.

Seems like in these vids, people are removing the entire old root system!

Is this something I should do? Will they still use the old roots or would it be better to just leave it? What do all of you do?

From comments from Fred Clarke, I believe that the old roots continue to take up some water, but with much diminished efficiency. I like to leave at least some of them to help anchor the bulb in the new medium. I do strip off the outer layer if the pot is crowded, though. Then they just look like wires but still serve as anchors

I also keep the old roots as anchors.

Fred told our club he leaves old roots alone when he repots. When you cut or twist off old, dead, dried up psudobulbs their old roots come with them.

I have seen people advise cutting off all the roots before storing them dormant for the winter. This doesn't make any sense to me at all. Nobody runs around with a knife or clippers and does this in South America to all the wild ones.

Oh, and you can't believe everything you see on the Internet.

If they’re unruly I trim them. But I’ll never strip a plant of all it’s roots.