Coelogyne conundrum....

[katrina]

What to do....what to do?

I have a Coelogyne prolifera...3 spikes from last year + 3 new growths developing spikes + it's starting 2 little new growths.

In the past year the biggest and best advice given by all and according to everything I have read/heard...Coelogyne hate to have their roots disturbed. Repotting is best done at the start of new roots. Wellllll...I have a bunch of new root starts...they're about 1/4" long now.

When I repot I want to remove the 2 oldest backbulbs. They are spaced really far apart and the newer growth is spaced nicer. Aesthetic and placement in the new basket reasons.

So my conundrum. According to all the learned coelogyne growers I've read...I should repot now. But...I'm afraid repotting now + removing those backbulbs will have a negative impact on the bloom. On the other hand, if I repot after bloom then I risk more set back due to the new roots.

Anyone have any advice? What would you do?

[fred]

having Coelogyne's that is true they don't like to be disturbed they can sulk for a long time.
unless the backbulbs are going off color I would not remove them
you could however repot but like I have mentioned the chid may sulk for some time

[kmarch]

When was the plant last repotted? I wouldn't repot unless there is a compelling reason like the plant has seriously overgrown its container or it has been several years since the plant has been repotted.

I believe you are right to be concerned about your spikes. In my experience (I have a prolifera with 13 pseudobulbs that currently has one spike on it) prolifera is a little more touchy than my other Coelogyne. Their sikes are supposed to be persistent flowering year after eyar off the same spike. I've had it spike and only give a few flowers then have the whole spike die off. I've had it spike then blast before flowering. Out of about 6 spikes it's never given me a full, complete, perfect flowering. The current new spike is the fattest, most robust looking to date so I'm hoping for the best this time. I recommend no changes at all for the plant at this time. It's happy enough with its conditions that it's spiked for you, don't do anything that will make it change its mind now.

My prolifera is currently putting out new roots too. It is not uncommon for this plant to root and flower at the same time. This is an exception to the repotting rule. I would not repot now, but if you absolutely must repot (see comments above about not repotting) repot after flowering instead of when new roots appear. In fact I personally recommend this as a general rule, to repot after flowering when the plant (if it is one that rests) is going into its rest. In my opinion mew roots are too easily damages in the repotting process.

Finally I wouldn't cut off the back bulbs unless they are dried out, dead, and withered. These back-bulbs contain energy stores for the rest of the plant.

So in summary I guess my advice in this matter is: It's not broke, so don't fix it.

[katrina]

I bought the plant last year and did not repot when I got it because after speaking w/the grower it was in the correct medium and would be fine. With that said...I'm guess at least 2 years in this pot due to the looks of the medium...it's definitely breaking down.

The other reason I must repot...there's nearly as much plant in the pot as there is hanging/growing over the side of the pot. Definitely needs to be up-potted. Right now it's in a bulb pan w/a medium bark mix and I'm moving it into a basket w/coco husk, cork and marble chips...I think that mix will give me the ability to keep moist during growing and yet allow it to drain and dry fast during the autumn/winter months. I also chose these components because I'm hoping for a very slow breakdown and if all goes well I won't have to repot again for a good number of years.

Ahhhh...the backbulbs. These 2 backbulbs are spaced really, really strange. Here's a pic...you can see why I want to remove these 2 backbulbs. After seeing the pic...would you still leave them alone? What you can't see in the pic is the "back" of the plant facing the window...there's one or two new growths growing toward the window. This baby is running to get out of that basket. LOL!

Thanks so much Kevin and Fred for your help w/this!

[fred]

I have a few of my Coelogyne's that have just as much growing out of the pot than in the pot .. they are very happy .. I would take some pics to show you but its dark out side at the moment.

myself I would not remove that back bulbs as they are still nice and green if the back bulbs have an eye or two you may still get some forward growths from the back bulbs

what would I do about the repot I would not repot as they do well over lapping the pot as well

what you could do is cut the pot away gently keeping as much of the media in place without disturbing the roots
place the chid in the basket and place new medium around the original medium
but this may cause the plant to sulk

thanks for showing us the pic
the chid looks nice and healthy

[kmarch]

Thanks for posting the pic. Its helpful. I see the plant is really going out of the pot. This is nothing to be too concerned about because a lot of Coel are very rambly and grow all over. My prolifera is about 3 growths out of the pot. Though I can understand the desire to pot up. Are you thinking of using the basket it is in in the pic? If so it will be too small. It will be overgrowing the basket in another year or so. I'd pot it up, into a basket or pot that is at least the size (or two) bigger than the basket in the pic, not removing the mix form the roots, after its finished flowering, not now.

I think your choice of medium is good. I have a few Coel potted in similar mixes. Keep an eye on them closely at first as these coir/rock mixes dry out faster then bark mixes. I would not remove the back bulbs. As I said before, unless they are dead, dried up and withered, they are serving a purpose and storing energy reserves fo rthe plant.

[katrina]

Yep...this baby needs a repot for sure.

I have 2 other baskets...both quite a bit larger...one is wire and one is wood. I'm sort of leaning toward the wire because when the time comes to up-pot again (hopefully several years), I think it'll be less damaging to the roots. I find w/the wood baskets the roots really dig in and it's harder to remove. Either way...both are about double the size of that one in the pic and yet still very shallow.

I just realized a mistake I made ....I said coco husk...I meant coco husk chunks....it'll be a mix of medium and small pieces. So, it's not the straight coir medium.

Ok...so I'm going to wait on the up-pot. I still really, really want to take off those 2 backbulbs....I can't stand it when a plant is that off balance. Ay Yi Yi!! Ok...well I have some time to mull over whether or not I want to risk the obvious set backs that will cause.

Geez! it would be so much easier if these guys were more like my Bl Yellow Bird...I could cut him up into pieces and he would still bloom in couple of months.

Thanks again for all your help Kevin and Fred!

[Brooke]

I can see your conundrum

If this were my plant, I would go with the wire basket. You can see the roots forming on the new pbulbs - these new pbulbs will grow into the media as it crawls out of the basket and attach themselves on the outside. This will cut down on the water needs as the new bulbs wander and attach themselves. If left hanging in the air, you will have a plant in a moisture retaining media but also part of the plant will be "mounted" and need additional moisture.

The distance between the pbulbs is quite long and since most rhizomes don't grow roots (I know nothing about a prolifera, don't have one) when you repot, can you wrap the plant around itself? I just replanted a cristata and it is nothing but a bunch of pbulbs in an almost straight line. I wrapped the growth in a circle, made wire hair pins to keep the old pbulbs stable and potted it up. This way you can keep the old pbulbs but get the plant into a more pleasing shape? I hope that makes sense

I have been potting many of my Bulbos to eventually consume the basket and appear to be mounted but will not need the attention of a mount.

Now, how's your conundrum

Brooke

[katrina]

Conundrum continues.

I know what you mean by the cristata...that one is very pliable. Can't be sure until I get it out of the pot but the prolifera looks to have a more rigid rhizome. ??

You've given me something else to consider...I appreciate it!

Oh, and wire basket it is. I ended up using the wood one for something else tonight anyway.


Thanks guys! Your input/advice/experience is greatly appreciated!!

[kmarch]

The rhizome on my prolifera is very stiff and woody feeling, in contrast to others like fimbriata or cristata that can be trained around a pot. I've not tried ot train the prolifera, I've just let it grow out of the pot.

[katrina]

Well....that solves that. There will be no curling it in on itself. Thanks for letting me know Kevin.