How does an orchid "know" that it is pot bound?

[bil]

Originally Posted by Leafmite

It depends on what you are growing, I think. Some orchids are much more resistant while others...not so much.

OOh yes, there are different degrees of resistance to everything.

What I'm saying is that when resistance is low, heat, cold or stress may cause tissue breakdown, and that's when the fungus strikes.

[NYCorchidman]

Some nice stuff going on here.
I'm with Katrina.
I use pots that will allow lots of space as I hate repotting. Plants do fare much better when undisturbed. Who wouldn't? lol

Regarding disease resistance capacity, it's true that different plants show different level of disease resistancy (more so when hybrids are made to come up with desired qualities mostly appearance pleasing to our eyes), mostly it's more like plant's tolerance under less than ideal growing conditions.
Some are tougher than others under not so great conditions.
So when plants are grown at conditions to their liking, then they grow strong and naturally and consequently they are more resistant to invaders.

Last note, unfortunately, no matter what you do, sometimes sh$#! just happens.
Forget and go shopping!

[Leafmite]

Originally Posted by bil

OOh yes, there are different degrees of resistance to everything.

What I'm saying is that when resistance is low, heat, cold or stress may cause tissue breakdown, and that's when the fungus strikes.

All I have to say is...Angraecums. :|

[Optimist]

I totally agree with these last posts. A well draining media that is not going to break down like lava can be put in a pile in as big an area as you want and it would be the same as mounting it on a tree branch. To top it off, you would not need to remove any medium from the root.

I have been thinking of an elongated wire basket like a bread basket, with more room in the direction of growth. If someone needed more moisture retention, they could use a coco husk liner or moss topping.

I think never repotting is the ideal. Repolling is an interferance in the generation and growth of the plant. Shocking it, retarding the growth. I stopped cutting off dead roots because of this.

Dead roots do not rot. Long before people existed, orchids have coped with the dead root problem. It obviously serves a perpose. To keep in moisture, maybe?

Much difference of definition between rot and natural organic decomposition. it is sinescence. We think all growth should be new, because we don't understand how plants really work.

[astrid]

Originally Posted by katrina

I think the key w/"tight shoes" is more about making sure the plant isn't over-watered. A "too big" pot and medium that hold moisture = death to most roots. Use a media the drains and dries fast and secure the plant properly and a "too big" pot isn't going to hurt the plant in the slightest. At least not in my experience.

Yeah, a guy in my local OS who grows miniature species REALLY well said that it's the wet-dry cycle that matters to orchids the most.

As long as you get the cycle of wetness and dryness that the plant prefers, I guess the pot shouldn't matter (as long as humidity, light, temps, etc are also met!!)