Root bound Cym. You think?

[lmartiny]

I've been meaning to get around to this guy for a couple of months. Had to cut the pot off it was so tight. I just put it into the new pot as is. They seem pretty hardy. I really didn't know what else could be done with it and it didn't seem helpful to mess with the root ball. So, in it went.

[syndywindy]

I had one that looked very similar to yours and basically did the same thing. That was maybe three months ago and its doing just fine, even showing new growth.

[evagentry]

I read you aren't supposed to do that, but I have too. Mine is doing fine after a year and a half or so.

[solay]

They do get that way but I always hack away at it and loosen the roots before re-potting them. You can even cut 1/3 of the roots off first but I usually don't cause I break off about that much when I untangle them. I hose down or soak the roots and bang it against a wall. Helps loosen it up some.

Cyms. are so hardy it's almost impossible to kill them but it's still a good idea to try to loosen the roots first. The center usually will have old rotted roots in it and once you get to it it's easier to get the roots apart. Then again I think what you did is probably OK since Cyms. are use to being root bound and will bloom fine.

[Hummer344]

I soooo agree with Solay. You never know what lurks in the middle of that rootball.

[articuno75]

There was a thread on here somewhere about tight rootbound Cyms and what to do. LoL, I think I made it. Well when I did my Cyms and finished, it looked as if Freddy Kruger and Jason created a hack and slash on the plants.

They did great until the squirrels came. (A different horror story told elsewhere on the forum.)

[CharliesAngel51]

WOW! that is one tight mass of roots. How was there any room for any kind of medium in the pot?
I have 2 cyms that need to be re potted. I am waiting until next spring after this years blooms. I intended to do it this year but chickened out.

[hulaorchid]

Good luck and have fun! LOL

[PhalPal]

Repotting cyms is quite an adventure and the more I stall the worse they get. I saw a demonstration at an orchid show and his method was the hack and slash variety, along with a few bashes on the cement floor.

It was horrifying!
However, since then I haven't been so fussy about picking around every little root!

[solay]

A lot of time there is no medium left. It's just a ball of roots. I find they do better once you loosen the roots and add medium in the middle when re-potting.

[Dendian]

Funny someone should start a thread about root-bound Cyms. It just so happens that I bought a plant bare-root that the roots came in the shape of a pot.

I managed to loosen the roots and the middle had about 8 roots which grew straight down and were about 4" long.

It had been planted in moss and there were big balls of moss in there. I soaked it, pulled out some, soaked it again, wiggled it around under water, soaked it again and finally found the piece which unlocked the chineese puzzle. I had is one long root that branched out and wrapped around the pot probably 5 times.

My question is: Do I cut it so it fits in a smaller pot or do I wrap it around the new pot again?

There is some areas of the root which are blackish but not mushy. I could get rid of most of that root by cutting there. Pictures are attached, see what you think.

Thanks,
Dian

[myorchid]

I would only cut the roots that are mushy. Pot it so that the roots fit in the pot. Don't cut the roots to fit the pot....find a pot that fits the roots!

[Dendian]

So you suggest coiling the roots to fit in a bigger pot. I don't think I can find a pot 2' deep and 4" around

[solay]

You can cut it or coil it. It really doesn't matter cause the roots will recover. Once you cut the roots you can let it sit out for a day to dry the cut ends before re-potting.

Personally, I cut off the blackened areas on the roots that looks suspiciously like rot starting. Sometimes it's just stained from dirt or medium so you need to make that call.
looks like you did a great job untangling the mess. I would have gotten out the scissors and sniped that long root into a shorter piece. I don't have much patience for untangling roots. LOL!!!

[Ron]

I would only cut the roots that are mushy. Pot it so that the roots fit in the pot. Don't cut the roots to fit the pot....find a pot that fits the roots

Repotting Cymbidiums.
Most big growers/professional/hobbie, break up a clump that has filled the pot with top growth.
They then cut of all the old growths so as to keep this years growth and two (2) from previous years.
If the plants is well grown, it may have several growths in different directions, they can be made so as to get 3 or 4 new plants out of it they are potted individually.
I keep this years mature growth intact and cut off the old growth leaves from previous years growth. Just above the bulbs.Keeping 2 back bulbs with the new seasons mature growth.
If the root system is good I do not interfere with it.
Just pot the whole plant into an open mix, water in, fertilized it and place it back were it came from.
Not necessary to smash the root system to pieces, if too long just slice off the bottom 1/3. The idea is to repott and the new growth should come out and the roots grow into the new mix, then the plants is off again.

Should take off and flower the next year if plant is mature.
Reason for cutting off the old leaves and only keeping this seasons mature growth is the same as pruning rose bushes, fruit trees. force the plant back into the growth and flower cycle.
The 2 (now) leafless back-bulbs will supply food to the new growths forming if left connected to the plant.
Repotting is best done in mid spring when new growth is starting.
Best of luck
Ron

[lmartiny]

I didn't even know where to start to try to loosen the root mass. And didn't have that kind of time. I tried it with a Catt and it was a major project. But those roots weren't as healthy. That one I just sawed off about a third as you say. I can't see bashing against the wall. That made me laugh though. I have relaxed a bit from all of that and apply standard plant care approach with some of my repots.
Dian; I would just wind that long root around the rest of the roots and repot it.

[lmartiny]

I have a Cym question too. I was at a tropical plant show/sale at USF last weekend. There were a few orchid vendors. One had some Cyms in bud. It was a Ruby Chen, or Chen Ruby, can't remember. But it is a warmer grower. I have one from Jerry. They bloom around late winter/early spring time. So how do they have one in bud in July?

[solay]

Good question. Don't know but some of my Cyms. don't always bloom when they should. I have a warm grower that bloomed in early summer for me in the past. I wonder if the temps. can be altered to force blooming at different times?

[articuno75]

Here's that thread I was talking about. Hehehe. I still shutter watching him hack and slash. LoL

[syndywindy]

Great video, thanks for finding it. Looks like Freddy Krueger meets the orchid monster!

[lmartiny]

Thanks for finding that Jenny. I remember that.

[Hummer344]

AT the SF orchid show I kept hearing a KA-THUMP. A little while later, another one. Came to find out that it was one of the club members dividing the cyms for bare root plants for sale. The KA-THUMP was the sound of his machette slicing through the cym and hitting the board underneath it. Had to laugh. Now I am really not to carefull about damaging a "few" roots when I repot my cyms. Knocking them against a wall to loosen the rootball doesn't surprise me at all

[lmartiny]

Funny Hummer. I'm going to let it be for now and see how it does just plopped in a new pot. If it doesn't seem happy, I'll address root "therapy." (torture) For me and the plant. I'll need to set aside an afternoon I suspect!