Root bound Cymbidium...need advice on repotting please!

[Darcy]

Hello all,

Here is my Cym....obviously root bound and broke its plastic pot. I want to repot it but not sure on how to go about doing so. I don't want to divide it...just want to get another pot for it. Can someone please advise. It is in spike right now with only two flowers...just about to open soon... Mahalo.

[berniep]

G'Day Darcy

Pic didn't come through, but sounds like next size pot would be fine at this stage, just leave one finger width all the way around, then repot with new mix after flowering.

Cheers
Bernie

[terra_australis]

Yeah, if it's in bloom you won't want to be too rough with the roots. Just go up to a slightly larger pot as Bernie suggested.

My approach to Cym division is this...

1. Remove from pot
2. Cut bottom half of root system off (use a saw, axe, pruners or whatever is handy)
3. Divide plant into parts of at least 3 back-bulbs and one active pseudobulb.
4. Remove old dead roots
5. Repot into new mix in a pot that just fits the trimmed root system

I don't know why but Cymbidiums don't seem to mind having their roots hacked apart. In fact it seems to make the plant grow more vigourously in some circumstances.

[cable]

How badly broken is the pot? It might be better to wait until it's done blooming and then repot it. Orchids generally don't like being repotted while blooming if you can help it.

To repot it, first get it out of the old pot! Then remove the old potting mix from the roots, cutting off any dead roots. You can be rougher with Cymbidium roots than with other orchids. Finally, put it into its new, larger pot with fresh potting mix around the roots.

[Mira-Claude]

Here's what I would do:
1) dunk the pot and roots in water until fully soak
2) if possible cut the pot and mind the roots (not easy but doable, when wet it's easier to unbound them and they are more pliable)
3) trim if roots are bad
4) let the roots dry out a little
5) put in bigger pot and add similar medium

The plant shouldn't lose it's flowers! ^^

[Brooke]

The last time I repotted an overgrown Cym a chain saw was involved

If you don't want to divide it, slip it into a bigger pot and fill in around the sides. I would be surprised if you lost the blooms.

Brooke

[Hummer344]

Here are some pictures of a cym that was repotted. I use a mix of coir, perlite, charcole, and small lava rock.

[dave64]

looks like you have done a good job repoting, just sit back and wait for it to flower

[Darcy]

Hummer
Yours looks exactly like mine does. Did you just soak it forever to get the roots to relax to the dangling position? I am not even sure there is any media in the middle of all these compacted roots of mine!? I tried uploading a pic and it wan't working... Thank you all for your info. Mahalo!