Repotting a Dendrobium

[Chele]

I read everything I can find regarding repotting, long with the different materials available. I think I am probably confused on the materials part. Bare with me if this appears to be one for the too stupid books...

I have several dens which at some point need to be repotted. Each of my dens are 'mounted' inside a slice of a tree trunk which is about 3-4' deep in either a 4' or 6' plastic pot. Either a slice has been cut out of it or its been sliced into two parts and the Den placed inside and closed and slid into the plastic pot and has taken root. There was nothing else used in the pots. It has attached itself to this tree trunk (which is why I said mounted above), so it appears it won't be a cake walk to repot these plants.

1 - what kind of material is this/proper name for it - and where do I find this type of material to repot when the time comes. I've not seen anything such as this around here.

2 - What are the signs in which you know when or that this material is breaking down. My dens look great, several are either blooming now or appear to be puffing up to throw out some new blooms.

From their behavior, and from what I've read in here, I expect I could mount some on the slats etc, if they are small/proportioned appropriately. I'm not sure I am ready to be so bold yet.

TIA for your help.

[sandra]

Chele, did you get these Dends at Home Depot? All the ones I've ever purchased from them (and even some Oncidiums) have always been potted in this "tree trunk" material you've described. I'm almost sure it's a slab of uncut bark, that's all. It's really quite easy to work with however which way you decide to repot. The whole plant (tree trunk too! ) will slip out of the pot and at which time, you can soak it (maybe 5 minutes, the most). Most of the material will fall away and what doesn't, you shouldn't try to pry away; just pot it up along with your new bark mix.......OR, you can repot the entire plant with the old medium (tree trunk ) without disturbing the roots! You'll always have some old medium that the roots are adhered to and that won't fall away. Better to keep these new roots undisturbed, these roots are the newest and most needed to keep the canes growing and to help establish themselves in the new pots.

It's safe to say that bark usually lasts about 2 years before breaking down and depending on their size (the larger ones, a bit tricky), I've found more success in potting the entire plant into a larger sized pot rather than trying to do a thorough cleaning out of the old medium. The smaller Dends. (6" pots and smaller) are easier to repot...for me, anyway. The best time to repot is when they're growing new canes so that when their roots start spreading, they'll become fixed to their new homes!

[Chele]

Yes, from Home Depot. Seems their orchid vendor out of Homestead uses this on all the dens, small and large. They are healthy plants and just keep bloomin their little hineys off. I could tell they were likely used for cuttings before sold to HD. I'm training them back to a more orderly growth. The little ones' canes are going in every which direction. And new canes coming up as well.

I'll prolly do as you suggest and just reuse the old medium and add new to the larger pot, when the time comes. I've slip a couple out of the plastic pot and taken a good looks. IT doesn't seem to be in a lot of pieces. Maybe two or three. But its like all from the same chunk/slice of tree. The fine roots are pretty entangled iinto this tree trunk stuff. I'm wondering if this material could be cuts of a small palm of some kind, or a baby palm? Thats what the texture of it looks like to me on the outside bark and the inside 'fleshy' part. It will be more tricky me to get the dens out of the square wooded planter which doesn't have the plastic pot. Those are attached to both the tree bark and the planter too. *sigh*

Thanks Sandra, its been making me crazy trying to find this material.
How are you fairing with all the storms. How's your mom doing? She getting better?

Good to see you.

[sandra]

Originally Posted by Chele

It will be more tricky me to get the dens out of the square wooded planter which doesn't have the plastic pot. Those are attached to both the tree bark and the planter too. *sigh*

Thanks Sandra, its been making me crazy trying to find this material.
How are you fairing with all the storms. How's your mom doing? She getting better?

Good to see you.

Chele, I removed 2 Dends. that were in the Vanda baskets and in the 'tree trunk' stuff. Just soak it for a few minutes and when your patience is at an all time high, start removing! Have a slo gin in one hand while operating.

On a personal note, thanks for asking! OY! I was boarding the last plane of my trip, coming home and my cell phone rang. LifeLine (the emergency service I have in the home that my mother uses through a device she wears), called me to say that the paramedics were on their way to the house. My mother crashed, face first on to the tiled floor and broke her nose. 2:15 in the morning I arrived home to a bloody mess. At least this happened on my way home and not before? Life as usual Chele!

The weather has been fairly good tho lately. Let's keep our fingers crossed.

P.S. Every plant on the patio is secured with bungee cords! Thank God for bungee cords, is all I have to say!

P.S.S. STAY SAFE!!!

[Brooke]

Isn't the fiber around the plant a chunk of coir? I've seen this in some of the big box store orchids and helped a friend repot a Den. from the coconut hunk to bark. I soaked the hunk for an hour or so and then kept taking small pieces of the wet material away from the roots but didn't try to get it all off.

Whatever this was, kept the plant very wet for a long time.

Brooke

[sandra]

Originally Posted by Brooke

Isn't the fiber around the plant a chunk of coir? I've seen this in some of the big box store orchids and helped a friend repot a Den. from the coconut hunk to bark. I soaked the hunk for an hour or so and then kept taking small pieces of the wet material away from the roots but didn't try to get it all off.

Whatever this was, kept the plant very wet for a long time.

Brooke

You know Brooke, it very well may be. I'm recalling now that when I tried removing it, it peeled away and was very 'thready." I think you're right on about that! Thanks!

[Brooke]

I think many mass market type vendors use this chunky hunky stuff to grow out their plugs. What I found when repotting the Den. was a bark mixture over this hunk of stuff - the bark appeared very dry but the center was sopping wet. Not a good combination for long term health.

Brooke

[kmarch]

I had a little biggibum hybrid that grew in this stuff. I think it's a coir plug isnt' it?

[Chele]

I am not clear Ken, but I will tell you that I took one of the dens out of the plastic yesterday afternoon, and I thought it looked like a slice of a palm. narrow trunk type like maybe a hefty slice of a pineapple palm? fibrous on the inside and palmish look to the outer bark. It absorbs and drains water pretty nicely. I called it figrous, but I think Sandra used thready. Long thready vertical fibers is good for me.

Sandra, thanks for the tip. The one to my newbie eye that will/does need to be repotted 1st of course is the one is the (vanda) basket. Its tiny roots are so fragile, and now acting like my phal, going aerial instead of attaching immediately. I got mad at myself yesterday afternoon, messing with them, trying to softly direct them downward and I broke one off. So I put it away and kicked myself. Besides blooming are getting ready to, most all seem to be on a growing spirt.

[ Sandra the only change to your instructions is that I will exchange the slo gin for a hearty Canadian Club and water! [Slo Gin brings back some fun but awful memories of back in my very early days.] I may have my CC and water or a nice martini long before I ever get to repotting.. Ike is not playing nice out in the Atlantic and I'm starting to get a little edgy about this bad boy. I am delighted however to hear you got a vacation in - it is very important when you are the one providing care for a parent. But truly sorry it came to the crashing end as it did. I hope she fared well and is back or on her way back to good health now. Keep your chin up. ]

Brookn Coir is gonna be my next question. I wish when I google I could also find clear pictures to stuff I am totally lost about. My paph is in a material that at a very quick glance of a newbie would think dirt, except its a deep dark dark golden brown. Coir if I haven't confused my investigation it is coco type material?

[sandra]

Chele, coconut coir seems to be what you're describing, either that or peat moss. I love coir. I use it in my bark mix for my Phals and my 2 Paphs and a higher percentage for all my Bulbos. It's great at keeping plants moist but not soggy. The thing to remember when using it is that it can get packed down over time so to keep it fluffy, I always add additional perlite.

What I did with the Dends that were in the Vanda baskets was soak the mystery bark for a few minutes. Most of it came away except for the top portion because I didn't want to disturb the roots. That went into the new mix and they've all done great. I waited till blooming was done and when new growth began.

[Chele]

Thanks Sandra again! It am certain it is not peat, this has much more of a grainy like dirt consistency. I don't see any perlite in there at all. It really does appear like dirt, just doesn't have to color for it. It does drain well tho.

My paph was purchased planted in this stuff. Being it is so fine (like dirt) it would be hard for me to tell if it is breaking down. Of course, we never know when or if the grower repotted.