How to divide/repot this thing?

[Lizgeo]

I have this orchid in the same pot for several years. It has outgrown, so I want to repot it.
Problems: It bloomed this winter already, but it is blooming again. Should I wait until blooms are gone? Also, I planned to put it in a big pot (6" now), but one of the new growth is pointing down, and I can't stick it in a pot? Should I divide the thing up? Here are some pictures of the plant. The bloom one was taken this winter.

[wetfeet101b]

Thats a beautiful large plant. It would be a shame to divide it but it looks like it has really outgrown its pot.

Is that a clay pot? If you dont want to divide it and simply repot into a bigger pot, you can break up the clay pot to free as much of the roots as you can.
If some of the roots are clinging to the clay too tight, its no problem - just bring that clay into the new pot. It will act as part of your new potting mix.

Now, if you do want to divide it I suggest the following:
Study the plant carefully and determine where you can cut the rhizomes.
On a large plant such as this, ideally you will want to have division clumps of 10 or more pseudobulbs per division so that the new divisions are still relatively large plants. This ensures that the new divisions will not miss a beat and bloom again the next season.

Cutting the plant up into so many smaller divisions might result in too much trauma for the plant and it could sulk for a few years.

So, divide them into bigger chunks initially. And if you want to divide again, you can do it the following year. It is better to end up with bigger divisions that you can further divide later. If you cut them into smaller divisions on the first try - you will not be able to put them back together

[Ron-NY]

neat flower! What is the name of this one? If you just wanted to pot into a larger pot. I would just remove that downward growing growth. The plant is so large, it would not miss it. It is not going to be easy getting that one out of it's current pot. I would soak the pot in a bucket of water for about 20 min, to soften the roots and then take a hammer to it's current pot. I might just leave some of the pot shards that are attached to the roots on the plant and include them into the new mix. You will most likely need running water to remove the old mix from the root system.

If you have room for a specimen-sized plant then just pot up and don't divide.

If you see new roots developing, then I would repot now or wait until you start to see roots developing on the new growths.

[Lizgeo]

Thanks for the advice.
Yes, it is in a clay pot now. I just came back from hardware store with 8" clay pot and a bag of orchid mix. I think I will try to pot it in 8" pot, might have to trim some to fit it in.

I am not sure what it is, as I got this plant years ago. There was a tag then with BLC something, but I have lost the tag, and I don't think it's BLC either. Reading from the book I have, it's Brassavola. The bloom is fragrant, but just a little.

[wetfeet101b]

The leaves and flowers do indicate that there is significant brassavola genes in there.
It could still be blc, bc or bl with a strong "B" hehe.

I agree with Ron, for something that big it would really be nice to keep it as one plant as much as possible, trimming off chunks with 3-4 pseudobulbs that appear out of place and make those into new divisions. So you still have a large plant in its new bigger pot, and some extra divisions.

[Elitebettas]

I personally like specimen sized plants and think it's gorgeous. I'd hang it and leave it to grow undivided. Pretty soon it would obscure the pot-a real eye opener.

[Ron-NY]

I would get a 10" pot for it. You want to leave room for at least 2 years growth when repotting. I agree, You probably could just hang the pot and let the plant grow on the outside of the pot. It looks like it would be happy there.

I would say there is Rhyncholaelia (Brassavola) glauca in the parentage.

[Phyrex]

That looks like a mighty healthy plant. Look at all those active roots. I'd tie it up and hang it too (if I had the space). I can't imagine how it'll look in bloom. I colourful fragrant (?) ball of flowers.

[Lizgeo]

I can't hang it because it's heavy and I don't have a place/hook for it. It is currently sitting on a shelf outside. I just check it today. The new bloom is about to open. As big plant as it is, it didn't bloom like a ball. Maybe I am not taking good care of it, the bloom comes 1-2 at a time, the most I have is 6 flowers at a time. I hope repotting will bring more bloom for me.
I couldn't find 10" pot, only 8". Maybe I will try out the other hardware store today. The weather is beautiful outside today in Houston, sunny, high 70s, a perfect day to repot!

[jfrizz743]

I can't hang it because it's heavy and I don't have a place/hook for it. It is currently sitting on a shelf outside. I just check it today. The new bloom is about to open. As big plant as it is, it didn't bloom like a ball. Maybe I am not taking good care of it, the bloom comes 1-2 at a time, the most I have is 6 flowers at a time. I hope repotting will bring more bloom for me.
I couldn't find 10" pot, only 8". Maybe I will try out the other hardware store today. The weather is beautiful outside today in Houston, sunny, high 70s, a perfect day to repot!

If you are looking for clay pots, I have an online vendor that has really great clay pots, if you want you can pm me and I will give you their address...