Grab a Catt that is spilling out of the pot, and is ready for division. Pull
it out of the pot and look for the natural divide (there will be one).
Either cut or pull it apart, treat the wound with some cinnamon, trim the
roots and pot it up. Also, encourage them to bring plants that they think
need repotting. They will gain more knowledge working on their own plants
than yours.

I've done this with our society a number of times. The members love it. If
you have enough people, consider breaking into work groups with a leader for
each one. Five or six people to a group is ideal; no one can hide, LOL!

HTH

Diana

how about approaching a local nursery and asking them to donate a few
out of bloom plants? one of my local places sells them for ten bucks,
but then i don't know what they do with them if they don't sell. i
somehow doubt they're going back to the orchid growers. maybe a local
place would give you a handful to experiment on in exchange for a plug
for the store during the demo.

(and yes--people *love* to bring in their own plants in the hopes
someone else will repot them.

--j_a

On 29 Mar 2006 10:37:09 -0800, wrote:

how about approaching a local nursery and asking them to donate a few
out of bloom plants? one of my local places sells them for ten bucks,
but then i don't know what they do with them if they don't sell. i
somehow doubt they're going back to the orchid growers. maybe a local
place would give you a handful to experiment on in exchange for a plug
for the store during the demo.

(and yes--people *love* to bring in their own plants in the hopes
someone else will repot them.

--j_a

Suggest if they have plants that are identified and they have visitors
who are label readers that they bury a complete label in the new pot.
Then when the exposed one goes for a walk, they don't have a NOID they
just have to repot.

It is one tip guaranteed to cause discussion. Also talk about ways to
prop plants. If you have plastic pots you can heat a hanger or use a
small sodering iron to make a pair of small holes then run a bamboo
(Bar-B-Q) skewer across the pot to help support the plant.

Good luck. The last time I did the demo - I used a single edge razor
to demo - and promptly cut my thumb the first plant.