HELP how do you put a mass of small thin roots into SH?

[DirtyCoconuts]

I bought some plants from Ecuagenera for my cloud forest and while my plants arrived swiftly and in good shape i ran into a minor problem in that i guessed WRONG on the size and vigor of one of the plants

The Pleur scurrula it is massive compared to the tank and has a mass of roots about 3" in diameter.....

since the plant is too large for my tank it is a no-brainer indoors in SH grower, but how.

I can put it in the container and get leca around it but i fear that will jeopardize the inner area of the root mass....any help, Ray, WW?


i'll go take a pic of the roots so you can see the challenge

[WaterWitchin]

yup, picture would help.

[DirtyCoconuts]

Roots....but how??? by J Solo, on Flickr





Roots....but how??? by J Solo, on Flickr


Roots....but how??? by J Solo, on Flickr

[WaterWitchin]

Was it in a bark/charcoal mix prior?

[estación seca]

You mentioned before that you separate LECA by particle size. I'd be tempted to use the smallest for this.

I was repotting Paphs and Phrags into S/H last night. You could turn the plant over, spread the roots, and push some small pieces of LECA into them. Then quickly turn the plant over into your container with some LECA already on the bottom, and fill in around it. I had a Paph. Prime Child that had roots completely circling around the inside of the pot, and an open space at the center where the medium just fell out. I did this with it.

Also I repotted the Pleurothallis niveoglobula and ruschioides I got from Ecuagenera by wrapping a collar of sphagnum around them, and squeezing them into pots. My advice isn't necessarily sound because they look awful and awfuller.

[DirtyCoconuts]

Dunno. I got it bare-root bc it was imported.

[Ray]

After soaking the root system, use you fingers to “tease” the roots apart. Then, poke a hole in the middle, up from the bottom and spread the roots out. You’ll end up with a conical void.

If that’s a 3” root ball, you’ll want to use a 6” pot.

Put the prepared LECA in the pot to your desired depth. Invert the plant and fill the void with LECA, then holding it in place with your fingers, Using your thumb to hold the root mass, place the plant in the pot.

With a little practice, you’ll be able to do so with little loss, leaving the roots on a mound in the pot. Fill in the rest and you’re done.

[DirtyCoconuts]

Thanks, Ray.

WW gave a similar suggestion using a flexible cutting board to make a “pocket” under the roots and then flip it.

Thank you both, I think I got it decently set up