How to repot a Colmanara Wild Cat orchid

[SiberianGirl]

Hi again, people!
I bought an orchid - Colmanara Wild Cat was written on package. When I removed package to repot it - found a tag Oncidium Sherry baby. Now I wonder what is that what I bought?...
Roots are all around the pot, packed very tight - I can't remove moss in between roots. How to repot it? Should I try to remove moss? Would roots rot? Can I use bark or have to repot in moss again? I couldn't find anything about this. Thanks for an advise.

[ang709]

Yes, you should remove the moss before re-potting. I learned the hard way that moss is more easily removed when dry. However, if you need to ease the roots apart, they seem more flexible when wet. It will take a while to untangle them and get the moss out, but the plant will be happier when you're done.

[SiberianGirl]

Thank you Angie. I'm trying to ease the roots - it's not seem working wery well. What if some moss will still remain in a middle - is this very bad? How roots would do if I'll transfer the plant from soft moss to hard bark?

[eaglssong]

Oksana, Carrie is sleeping by now, but I can ask her to reply to you tomorrow if you like. She had the same problems trying to remove moss. I do know she let it dry out pretty good, which made it easier to remove. I had the same problem with one of my new chids, but with a little patience, I managed to get it all out (at least I think it's all out). Mine was a compot that contained 10 little seedlings, so that made it even harder to do without damaging the roots, but so far they're doing well. I repotted some in semi-hydro, and some in bark.

I can't identify your orchid for you. Hopefully someone will know by looking at the leaves in the photo. I do know that Sharry Baby smells like chocolate, which is why I'm going to have to get me one, one of these days.

[SiberianGirl]

Thank you Anne. I'm still trying to remove moss - seems that I do more damage to the roots that it's worth... Now I wonder - if orchid was sitting in that moss for a pretty good while (to develot that many healphy roots) - may be it is good for this particular kind? May be I'm just damaging it for nothig?...

[eaglssong]

Let it dry for awhile, and maybe you can carefully get some out with a straight pin, or a toothpick. If the plant is healthy overall, it probably wouldn't hurt if a little teeny bit is left in there. The idea is to get out as much as possible, so that the good roots don't rot from always being wet.

I wish I could remember where Carrie posted about when she had the problem. I may just go on a hunting expedition and try to find it. If not, I'm sure she'll be answering you by tomorrow. If I find the thread though, I'll post a link to it here for you.

[eaglssong]

Found it!!! Hope this thread helps Oksana.

http://www.rv-orchidworks.com/orchid...mini-catt.html

[Cjcorner]

I found a long pair of tweezers...they are usually used to remove stitches...to get in-between those tiny roots to get the spag. out. In fact I just finished repotting my small Dgmra. Winter Wonderland. I used fresh spag. soaked in water with a few drops of physan and a drop or two of superthrive. Usually it sets them growing again rather quickly.
Good Luck

[cindiras]

Try to fit the type/size of roots to the media you plant them in. Even with Leca, there are two sizes or more. I use the small clay pellots (1/4 inch or size of peas) for oncidiums (which is the family your plant is in wether it is a colmanara or a sharry baby), and larger, marble size clay pellots for catts, phals and other thick rooted orchids. You could use small bark pieces mixed with pearlite and small sphag bits. th sphag will hold a bit of water for the roots, while the small bark bits and pearlite allow some air to the roots.

[Brutal_Dreamer]

Soak the root ball for 15 minutes. Then, using a steak knife, cut about a one to two inch deep slice across the bottom of the roots. This will of course damage some roots, but with that huge root ball your orchid will be fine. Make the cut as small as possible. If your orchid is in bloom - do not do this as this disturbance will make the blooms/buds fall off.

Now, after making the cut, grab each side and gently pull apart until you are able to remove the grower's plug (the sphag ball in the center.) This is the part that will rot your orchid's roots. Once that sphag plug is removed, repot in a bark mix made for oncidiums. A little sphag on the outsides of the root ball will not hurt much, just get the bulk of it out. Happy repotting. (And if you want to know if you have a Sharry Baby or a Colmanara Wild Cat, post a photo of the blooms.

Cheers,
BD