Miltoniopsis repot

[Orchidsrock]

Okay guys, I need wiser heads than mine on this problem, probably wise enough people to tell me to leave it alone.

Anyways, my problem is my Miltoniopsis NOID, from Trader Joe's right around Mothers Day and I just had to get it due to the fantastic flowering that it was about to embark on. Gorgeous, gorgeous

Anyways, it's at the point now where it is growing new p-bulbs, 10 new bulbs to be precise. Online info says to repot September-ish, when the new growths are 1/2 size. Online also says to let them be tight in their pots. Well, I'm looking at mine and panicking a little, I think the pot is going to explode if I don't pot it up soon!

I look at it and I can't see where the new growth is going to fit it there, the p-bulbs are pointing all different directions and 2 of the new p-bulbs are on the inside of the mass.

So, I need someone to hold my hand and tell me it's okay that it's so crowded. Or confirm my thought that I should be repotting and/or dividing?? I like the thought of a big plant, it produces a few flowers from each p-bulb so the show will get better the bigger it is, right?

Also, does anyone have experience with s/h and miltoniopsis? I think I want to try as I'm always paranoid about keeping it moist enough.

[koshki]

The miltoniopsis in my sig line is a NOID I bought at Trader Joe's near Thanksgiving 2009. After it bloomed, I transplanted it into s/h. The sig line photo is from last fall, and it was a much weaker bloom than the original. After that bloom, it started to decline rapidly, and sadly, it is now in orchid heaven.

I still have one gigantic milt in s/h, the last plant I have in it. It is doing well, but it has only been in it for not quite a year. It recently bloomed with 6 spikes and looked fantastic.

I think my problem with s/h is that I use city water, and over time, stuff builds up in it that the plants can't cope with, despite flushing as well as I can. I might experiment with getting a rain barrel, but I won't be able to use it during the winter.

But for a while, I think the milts loved the s/h. So if you can resolve the water issue I have, and if you really follow the s/h procedures to the letter, you might get it to work for you.

[Orchidsrock]

Sorry to hear yours gave up, I've heard the miltoniopsis can be tricky to keep going.

How were your plants on crowding with the pseudobulbs? I am worried about a non-issue with that, do you think?

[koshki]

Well, the gigantor that I still have in s/h was literally busting out of a 4 inch pot, with p'bulbs hanging out all over the sides. I kept it that way for several months before I repotted it. I know it looks crowded in yours, but I think you could get away with another year in that pot. However, I have always had problems with making sure plants in a) green or black pots, and b) in bark or other unknown media were hydrated properly. It might be worth it to take a peek at what the roots looks like, if you can ease it out of the pot. The problem is, if you do take it out of the pot, it might spring out on you like a magician's flower and won't go back into the pot for you.

So, I really don't know what to tell you about this one. I haven't found a magic medium for miltoniopsis that works *for me*, and I haven't had long term success with s/h. I do love this genus, and wish I could grow them successfully.

Oh, one last thing. The milt that is still in s/h...I don't have it in a pot with a reservoir. It sits in LECA in a regular plastic pot, which I've set in a plastic pan, and I keep water in the pan. I run water through it when I water, then add water in the pan, usually with fertilizer. I have not had a problem with algae growth in the bottom of the pot, and I don't have that fear that the plant wastes are building up and have to be flushed out this way. Time will tell if this works for me. If it doesn't, I really don't know what I'd transplant this into.

[Orchidsrock]

Originally Posted by koshki

The problem is, if you do take it out of the pot, it might spring out on you like a magician's flower and won't go back into the pot for you.

Ha, thats exactly what I'm worried about with peeking! I've ended up doing a couple semi-frantic repots when my peek gets me a lot of uncompressed roots. Now I've figured out it's not the end of (the orchid's) world if I leave it out for a few days while sourcing a new pot, which makes me a bit braver in that respect. I'm going to pop over to the store and buy the next size up, just to be sure.

[Puddy1]

Good luck...that's a real beauty and looks REALLY happy!

[sunshine]

What a gorgeous milt

Anything I buy at big box store as soon as it has finished blooming I repot ASAP.WHY Because I don't know how long it has been in that medium and what condition the roots are in I have 5 milts. 3 in s/h and 2 in bark. Since they are water hogs they do do great in s/h. Milts donot like old broken down medium. If your gonna do bark use a nice chunky mix and use a clay orchid pot, the ones with the slits in the side and then find a nice cache pot to fit. Make that cache pot your humidity tray and with the clay pot it will keep your milt moist and the humidity up. Misting regularly helps keep the accordion pleats forming in the leaves. Have one in s/h sitting in the window with phals,paphs and ocidiums. Then 4 more in the east window in the kitchen with phals, paphs and masdies. All are doing great. With the s/h you will need to flush. I flush when the reservoirs get algae build up and need to be cleaned. I fertilize weakly/weekly with Shultz 10-15-10. I have pictures will have to look for them. When repotting go up 1-2 sizes to allow for a couple years new growth. For yours I would go up to a 6 inch pot.

[Orchidsrock]

I've been really inconsistent with misting as most of the rest seem to do better without misting daily. It's funny cause, as you can see in the pics, there's a cluster of 3 new growths that are really pleating but then the rest are pretty good. Wonder what's going on in that lil plant-y brain.

Thanks for the input, super helpful info. I was thinking s/h for the combo of inorganic medium plus lots of moisture. Seems to be a win win for the milts.

[koshki]

Leaf pleats mean not enough water. Misting will not help that.

[Orchidsrock]

Yeah, but how is it that one part of the same plant is water deficient and all the rest is okay?? I have been careful to really wet it every time I water to try an minimize this but it's not working. I'm going to repot and hopefully that will even out things.

I got a 6" normal pot, will do the repot into hydroton tomorrow, I'm all nervous, think I need a little scottish courage tonight