Repotting Dens

[E-Jag]

At some point I'm going to have to repot my dens. My questions: Can this be done anytime, like now with lots of new growth coming up? What is the best (read, easiest) way to sterilize the pot? I'm doing this mostly to check the roots and replace the bark. They're in clay pots, by the way. As always, your help is appreciated.

_______________
E-Jag

[Cynthia, Prescott, AZ]

No, not anytime, only when the plant is putting out new growth and starting or about to start a flush of new roots from the new growth, just exactly like right now. Clay pots can be put in the oven for 2 hrs at 400F. Soaking in 10% bleach if a bit iffy because the bleach may not penitrate well enough. Anyway, that is the recommendation of Critter Creek labs, a virus test business.

[pikevi]

I never 'baked' my clay pots. Could it cause some problems with viruses later?

BTW , Now I regret using clay pots, not because they are more expensive but because plastic pots allow one to see the roots ( the extent of growth )more clearly and from outside.

[Maddy]

My lone den is potted up in what looks like four pieces of wood (I think it's probably cork or something similar) wedged into the pot. I'm reluctant to try to repot in regular mix because it looks the roots have adhered pretty firmly to the cork(?) and pot. I don't think it's overpotted - should I try to repot or just leave it be? It seems happy.

(BTW, it flowers from a stalk growing from the top of the cane and is apparently a warm grower - that's unfortunately all I know. It's another no-name rescue from the local Home Depot. Poor thing - the care tag actually advised "Throw me out when I stop blooming. It's okay, they'll grow more!" Needless to say, I didn't follow the instructions on the tag...)

[jerrymeola]

E-jag I am like most commercial growers and re-pot all year long. It is just not economical to wait until their is new growth. Re-potting with new growth is a safer method, but will often cause you to miss a blooming season.

Many of the common dens you are buying are year round continual blooming Dens (in a 12 month growing area like Hawaii 9 months in Florida)so there is really no off season.

Maddy - the tag should have a sufficient warning not to buy the plant. That is really wood in the pot. It is large pieces of coconut. I do not know how they get them to grow sufficient to bloom but re-potting will require you to rip off almost all the roots.

you might be able to keep it alive in the coconut but it will be very hard to re-bloom.

Take it out, rip off the wood and hope for the best. Whatever you paid was too much.

[Maddy]

I think it was just large chunk coir - whatever it was, it wasn't as solid as it looked. Most of it fell away from the roots as I took it out of the pot. The roots looked good, so I potted it up in my usual mix. It looks to have new roots coming out on all three canes, so it may be okay.

[E-Jag]

I've been offline for several days but I suppose it's never too late to say thanks. I wouldn't worry about sterilizing a new pot but I'm going to put them back in the old ones. Thanks Cynthia and the rest of you who responded. At this rate I may run out of idiotic rookie questions soon.

____________
E-Jag