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Thread: Oncidium Orchid Repotting question

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  1. #1
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    Ronn
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    Default Oncidium Orchid Repotting question

    Have a look at this pic and tell me, what would you do? This guy is in bloom, he has two spikes with buds and flowers. There is almost no potting media in the container. I'm thinking to cut the old pot away and disturb the roots as little as possible. Would you wait for the blooms to drop or do it now?

    This is a Hwra Puanani Lava Burst .


  2. #2
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    Hi, Ronn. Eventually it will climb out of the pot anyway...why don't you put the whole thing, old pot and all, into a new pot, fill it with media and call it a day? Anything else will really disturb the roots, and, why bother them, it won't make a whit's worth of difference to the plant to throw the whole shebang into a larger pot. Just my 2 cents...
    Remo

  3. #3
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    Bruce Brown
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    Hi Ronn, I think Remo has an idea there. Just make sure that an old media is removed if possible. I think you could probably cut away that little pot without too much root damage. Good luck. Be sure to take photos of your process to share.

    Cheers,
    BD

  4. #4
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    Jordan Healey
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    that looks like a bioddegradable pot to me, we have them for sale here all the time! I agree with remo, just chuck the whole thing into a larger pot with some media, and be done with it, atleast for another few years anyway. If it is that pot, it will break down within 3 years anyway, and the roots will even prise it apart (the power of roots are just AMAZING!)

  5. #5
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    I suppose it could be a biodegradable pot I have never seen anything like it before almost like a fibrous (short) plastic. I decided to go ahead and repot it. Remember I said there was almost no potting media in the container/ Well it turns out there was exactly one piece of bark. A piece about 3/4" x 1/2". There was also a clump of green moss growing around a brown mushy bit of roots right in the center of the root ball. Pics of the process follow...

    First I soaked the roots for about 30 minutes


    Then off to surgery


    The pot turned out to be quite brittle which was really a blessing and made this procedure pretty easy.


    Ok the delicate part begins


    The one piece of bark and the little moss ball removed. I also clipped out the brown mushy roots. There were only a few.


    All done. Hope he will be happy in the new 4" pot.


    Thanks for all the suggestions...

  6. #6
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    I suppose it could be a biodegradable pot I have never seen anything like it before almost like a fibrous (short) plastic. I decided to go ahead and repot it. Remember I said there was almost no potting media in the container/ Well it turns out there was exactly one piece of bark. A piece about 3/4" x 1/2". There was also a clump of green moss growing around a brown mushy bit of roots right in the center of the root ball. Pics of the process follow...

    First I soaked the roots for about 30 minutes


    Then off to surgery


    The pot turned out to be quite brittle which was really a blessing and made this procedure pretty easy.


    Ok the delicate part begins


    The one piece of bark and the little moss ball removed. I also clipped out the brown mushy roots. There were only a few.


    All done. Hope he will be happy in the new 4" pot.


    Thanks for all the suggestions...

  7. #7
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    Cheryl
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    What a great little plant...good job in the repotting. The bio pots take forever to disintegrate...go figure.

  8. #8
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    Thank you. He seems to be doing well though it is early still.

    Sorry for the double post. I guess I can't edit or delete it...

  9. #9
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    Its brittleness suggests it was i bio pot, but even if they do take ages(i found one 5 years old in my garden after being told it takes a few months) any weakness would have been sought by the roots and lo abd behold, prised it appart. oh well, throw it in the compost!

    great job too, looks like you knew what to do!

  10. #10
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    Eric Mosunallee
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    I know it's too late, but in principle I always wait for the plant to finish blooming before re-potting; this is just to make sure that the spikes or buds are not damaged in the process, and at the same time that the plant concentrates its energy in blooming rather than on setting new roots and establishing itself. Anyway it seems that you did a good job, and I hope the plant does not suffer any set-back. Nice Oncidium BTW, I think i will add it to my wish list.

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