Roots,,, Roots and more roots

[Brittany]

Peoples

I purchased 2 plants today at the Safeway store, one is a cattleya the other I am working on. When I took the green cello wrap off the pots there was roots outside of the pots galore.

So do I just leave them alone or what.

I will try again to post pictures, but I am of the analog generation so I am having trouble.

Thanks

Charlie

[fred]

when you want to post some pics scroll down to the bottom of the text box and you will see attatch files click that and another box will open and click browse that will take you to your pictures on your PC select your pic and then click upload once uploaded you can ad more pics as well a total of five.

I hope this helps if not feel free to PM me and I will help you further

[Brittany]

Fred

I will try again this evening and if I cannot figure it out I will get a hold of you.

On the question of all the roots out side of the pot, since they are in bloom should I just mist the roots until after they are done blooming that repot.

Thanks

Charlie

[kmarch]

Charlie, you could do that, yes. Depending on what kind of orchid it is you may want to consider leavign the roots outside the pot. I've heard some folks here suggest the possibility that these roots will quickly rot if potted, that they should remain outside a pot. I'd be interested in hearing what others thingof this once we know what kind of orchid you have.

Welcome to the forum!

[jerrymeola]

roots outside the pot can easily rot when placed into a pot, but these roots are not actually growing outside the pot.

Think of the green plastic as the pot in which it was actually growing. Rot develops when the roots have adapted to being in air and then placed in the medium which is much wetter.

These roots have always been wet and not exposed to the air. You can cut off the old pot and re-pot into one about one inch bigger.

You probably have a Dendrobium. They grow like this a lot. They had to be in the green cello for a fairly long time and most other orchids would have rooted, but Dens seem to take it OK.

Dens grow in a tall 'cane' with leaves growing in pairs out each side of the cane. The flowers are on a flower stem growing from near the top of the cane.

Here is an example. The flower is not a common type but the insert shows the whole plant.