new Catt - new method

[Chele]

My now 'former' and very bad habit when planting new catts which are, what I refer to as, bare rooted (starters w/very little mix in a 1in little pot) was to just transfer it without examination into fresh wet spag in an azalea pot/6in pot, sometimes the wooden planter. (Actually I would bring 3 home and put them all in the same pot) Later I began adding bark (but not much) to any new and the already existing planted catts, once I read somewhere a spag/bark mix was excellent for them.

Yesterday, I went and purchased 2 new plants the Onc Issake Nabata Mambo which (I think) requires nothing on my part at this point but enjoy it. Its just beautiful. The other was another catt, only one this time (Penang 'Black Caesar' cluster purple) which was my intention to try the method most utilized here -- bark only, and the smallest clay I could find that would work was 4in. (the other option was a 2in clay and I didn't think I could make it all fit) I have many plastic pots, and I put one in it. put some river rock in the bottom. My mix of soaked bark and charcoal is ready. I unwrap my new baby to find several dead roots or rotting ones and snipped them right off. It still had enough roots so I didn't panic but I was angry at myself that I never thought to examine them before. So, the new baby is planted w/fresh bark-charcoal mix (no spag at all) and this morning it looks fine.

I did this to see the difference in its/Catts behavior. But now I am seriously worried about my other catts and the very likely possibility of the rotted/dead roots that are embedded in my other catts due to my ignorance, altho they show no signs of any problems. Repot or leave things alone -- You're thoughts on this?

Chele