Repot or Not?

[JudyC]

Need a Yeah or Na, before I venture ... here's a close up of the 1 side of my MTTSSA. Charles M. Fitch - Izumi.

The area you are viewing is now over the edge of the pot by approx. 1 1/2" not just roots. Blooms are almost done - 1 falling daily (2 more left).

Once the flowers are done & the spike is cut do you agree it should be repotted?

I have no onc. type of mix yet, but will get some this coming weekend. I only have the largish type mix and have read that I should be getting them into a small fir mix when time to repot comes around.

I have tons of roots outside the pot & no where to go, or is this ok? Thanks.

**the area is question is over top the arrow**

[jsehorn]

I grow tons of Ondiciums and Catts, so I consider myself fairly knowledgeable in those areas. I think most definitely it is time to repot once the blooms are finished. Those new roots need fresh potting medium to sink themselves into.

Don't worry much about the roots currently outside the pot. Go ahead and plant them in the new medium. Maybe they will die because they are used to constant exposure to air, but either way, new roots will quickly take the place of the ones that die.

Point is, go ahead and repot once it's done blooming (you can repot a plant in bloom, but I don't see that your situation is that urgent, so I'd just wait) and you'll be all aces.

[jsehorn]

Oh, and yeah I knew you and I discussed Oncidium potting mixes. Don't plant it in that super coarse "all purpose" orchid potting mix you can get at the home depot. Fine roots like what you see on an Oncidium alliance plant prefer a finer potting mix.

[JudyC]

Originally Posted by jsehorn

Oh, and yeah I knew you and I discussed Oncidium potting mixes. Don't plant it in that super coarse "all purpose" orchid potting mix you can get at the home depot. Fine roots like what you see on an Oncidium alliance plant prefer a finer potting mix.

Well that's exactly where I got my information from. The garden center I go to "should" have the fine mix by now.

That's the last on my "needs list" for supplies.

Thanks Jeff for the advice/help you've given

[jsehorn]

I am only one man, and like any other single man, I am often wrong, but I think in this case, I have given you sound advice.

[-k-]

Repotting depends on several factors all of which are known best to the grower, how old is the potting mix it's currently in, or when was the last time you potted it? What pot size is it currently in?
Roots can and will grow outside the pot no matter the pot size it just tends to happen. Of course we prefer them to be below the substrate but again not always the case and this isn't a bad thing either. If you think the current media is in need of replacement by all means repot. With this particular plant you want to center it such that new leads will grow within the boundaries of the pot so the roots find there way better to the substrate.
I am also going to disagree with Jeff regarding the mix, your plant does not have "fine" roots, and does not neccessarily need a fine mix.

[jpyerry]

I grow a few Bratonias (the new name of Miltassias) and while I don't have a Charles M. Fitch 'Izumi' (even though it has been on my list for a really long time), my Shelob 'Tolkien' has a very similar root and growth habit. One of its new pseudobulbs was overhanging the pot and the other new growth wasn't overhanging the pot but was above the media. I don't know that repotting the plant was absolutely necessary, but I noticed that the pseudobulb grow much more quickly after repotting, and the roots grew much more rapidly as well, just like yours they would grow a little and then the ends would dessicate. I would also agree that this plant could probably be grown in a fairly course mix if need be, but I grow mine in a fine mix, which seems to work well for me. To summarize, repot it if you think the plant would would benefit from it, especially if your mix is on the old side.

Justin