Repotting/Dividing Rlc Chia Lin Shin Shy

[D_novice]

I got this overgrown (10 bulb) plant from Norman's Orchids, in sheath, in August. It bloomed quite nicely around Christmas Time,


Rlc Chia Lin 'Shin Shy'

and I moved it to a larger pot, though I realized as I was doing it that my biggest pot was only just big enough for the plant. It had grown out of its old pot, and although it bloomed well it had mostly dead roots (how do all the commercial growers do that!?!?)


currently

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Here's the problem: the newest roots, which want to grow out of the pot, are dead at the tips; and the newest growth is also dead and brown at the tip. (Pictured below). This has been the case since well before I moved it to the new pot. The plant was in compromised condition when I bought (seems to be the specialty of this grower, in my experience).

I know this isn't the correct time to repot. I repotted right after blooming; maybe I should even have tried while it was in bloom. However, I don't think that new growth is going to take off, and am afraid if I leave it I'll be lucky to see a bloom in 2018.

One option is to cut off about four of the bulbs at the back end, repot, and hope for the best. I still may not see anything until 2018, but I think this gives me a better shot.

Whaddya think?




yellowish leaves of back back bulbs


older small growth that is back by 1 or 2 bulbs


Dried roots/new growth


Dried roots/new growth

---------- Post added at 07:28 PM ---------- Previous post was at 07:21 PM ----------

p.s. In case it's not clear - this new growth shouldn't be tiny like this any more. It should be 2-4" in height.

So my question is, will giving the plant a little more room help this or any other eye bud start growing?

[estación seca]

The new growth probably isn't dead. It's waiting for warm spring weather to grow, and grow it most likely will. The new root tips likely died from low humidity in your growing area, or insufficient water.

I would keep the plant as warm, bright and humid as you can. It will begin growing. Then you can repot. I would consider cutting it into two pieces; the back bulbs would almost certainly start growing.

[D_novice]

Well, I unpotted it and cut it, and was reminded that the plant had no live roots. Usually my plants bounce back after repotting and cutting out the dead roots. But since this had literally zero live roots, it might take a little longer.

Just about every plant I've bought from that grower is a similar story. It's been an expensive lesson.

[estación seca]

It's close to spring, so it should grow soon. I personally wouldn't repot any hybrid, nor most species, Cattleya, without first seeing new root growth.

[Bohata]

It might not hurt to try a bit of root stimulant. Otherwise, I agree with the above posts about spring. I notice that only the outermost sheath on that new growth is dead. The inner ones are still green. So it does have a chance.

[D_novice]

The new root growth happened, it just died back as illustrated. Anything this plant does, the energy is going to have to come from those back bulbs without roots - since there are no viable roots and haven't been since before I got the plant.

In the past when I've had similar problems, the plants thrived when mounted, roots just took off. But this is a big plant, doubt I'll do that here.

[bil]

Originally Posted by D_novice

The new root growth happened, it just died back as illustrated. Anything this plant does, the energy is going to have to come from those back bulbs without roots - since there are no viable roots and haven't been since before I got the plant.

In the past when I've had similar problems, the plants thrived when mounted, roots just took off. But this is a big plant, doubt I'll do that here.

Meh, I would mount it in a heartbeat.

[D_novice]

Originally Posted by bil

Meh, I would mount it in a heartbeat.

Do you have a place for me to hang it up?

I'm sort of out of space; I grow indoors during winter and have a tiny flowerhouse for spring-summer-fall. I may still do it, though.

[No-Pro-mwa]

I'll keep my fingers crossed for you. I think you can do it. It looks like a beauty. If I have a root that try's growing out of the pot I am always trying to make it go back into the pot as it is a gone Johnson in my dry climate.

[D_novice]

Looks like I deleted all those ugly images of dead roots. Whoops! Haha, I forgot I'd linked to them here.

Anyway, I looked at this plant again, and just about nothing was happening in its new pot except for the dead roots getting deader.

So, my fallback emergency measure - mount it! We'll see what happens....

I found this video helpful. Old roots don't seem to matter much, and leaving a Catt unpotted and unmounted seems to suit it quite well. Guess they'd do OK in basket culture under the right conditions