Rhynchostylis gigantea - help with culture

[JennS]

Originally Posted by honolulukid

Dear orchidboard members;

I recently bought a medium sized rhynchostylis gigantea which is now done blooming. It has quite a few nice fat roots which stick out about a foot or more from the pot and they've been cracked in several places since coming home. They've been catching on furniture, etc, when I move it for watering. Would it be better to cut the roots back near the pot - seems a shame, but I don't want to make it grumpy and not flower forever either.

thanks!

I would not recommend cutting the roots back. Cracked roots can still drink, but cut roots lose all the root that you cut off. Try to just be more careful when moving it for watering. Perhaps you have a nice place under a tree you can put it for the summer? If not, you might want to find some easier way to water it. Would it be easier to get outside, water it then bring back in? At any rate, you should just leave the roots and keep watering, in my opinion.

[neb]

I use a spray bottle to soak the media and get the roots that are reaching out.