When to move paphs to s/h?

[Ray]

Originally Posted by isurus79

Do you cut the roots off as with other types?

No! I avoid ever cutting roots, if I can help it.

[isurus79]

Ok, good to know!

[DelawareJim]

I never heard of anyone cutting the roots off. Where did you hear that?

Cheers.
Jim

[Ray]

Early-on in my S/H experiments, if the root mass was too big for the pot I was working with, I would trim the, and it often lead to branching.

Now that I understand "overpotting" is not an issue with LECA (moisture is spread pretty evenly throughout the pot, leaving no soppy pockets), I just use a bigger pot to accommodate what the plant has.

As a matter of fact, I now use root mass as the deciding factor on pot size.

[isurus79]

Originally Posted by DelawareJim

I never heard of anyone cutting the roots off. Where did you hear that?

Cheers.
Jim

I always cut the old roots off my plants before I put it in s/h. That way they wont rot when going from bark media to the new, more moist stuff. Obviously I time it so that new roots are coming in. I thought this was what we were supposed to do!!

[Rivka]

Good info on the paph I have one I have bee staring at wondering the same, it's not a type I have much history with.

Steve, there really is little that is written in stone(even when Ray says it), if it is working well for you, then you are doing something right. When I repot to SH i personally cut out all dead roots but tend to leave all the good ones even knowing they will die in most cases. I personally have liked to repot sometime later that year again and use that time to check out progress and cut out all that died back. I know that with great flushing things should wash away, but I like fussing and find less breaking down matter is always a good thing.

[Bud]

Whew...cutting the old roots...at first I thought just the roots in general...I would rather buy a new bigger pot than cut the healthy roots of a plant no matter how crazy it has overgrown...I live to see magnificent roots and leaves on any of my orchids...altho I have seen it on YOUTUBE a reputable grower in England cutting the roots in half of a cymbidium while repotting it; and hacking the bulbs with an ax...I just cringed

[Tim P.]

Originally Posted by Bud

Whew...cutting the old roots...at first I thought just the roots in general...I would rather buy a new bigger pot than cut the healthy roots of a plant no matter how crazy it has overgrown...I live to see magnificent roots and leaves on any of my orchids...altho I have seen it on YOUTUBE a reputable grower in England cutting the roots in half of a cymbidium while repotting it; and hacking the bulbs with an ax...I just cringed

I saw that too and I just thought...

[NOID collector]

Originally Posted by Bud

Whew...cutting the old roots...at first I thought just the roots in general...I would rather buy a new bigger pot than cut the healthy roots of a plant no matter how crazy it has overgrown...I live to see magnificent roots and leaves on any of my orchids...altho I have seen it on YOUTUBE a reputable grower in England cutting the roots in half of a cymbidium while repotting it; and hacking the bulbs with an ax...I just cringed

I used a pruning saw, much cleaner cut

[POLKA]

Yes, I suppose you could feel that way about dividing cymbidiums.

But -- until you grow them, and then try to divide a happy, but overgrown cymbidium, you don't know much of what you speak. They can be / are buggers. And they grow roots at the drop of a hat. They did not abuse their cymbidiums, but were doing them a favor.

From experience
take care

Rex
aka Polka