Xref: news7 rec.gardens.orchids:41773

Last summer I bought a Brassavola Nodosa in a very small--less than 3"
in diameter--clay pot. The plant now has one flower, and there are more
coming. There is a lot of new growth too. However, the roots have grown
into the clay pot, and when I watered it, the water did not flow
through--it pooled on top and then very slowly drained, which makes me
think that the media has broken down.

I've always heard that orchids should repotted after blooming, but in
this case, that might be some months from now. The plant looks very
healthy in every way, but I'm worried that if I ignore the drainage
problem, I'm courting disaster. Should I repot now?

Thanks for any advice.

Hi, If it were mine, I would simply soak it in a bucket of water ¼ strength
fert for a while & let it drain.
I would not repot now.
Cheers Wendy
wrote in message
t...
| Last summer I bought a Brassavola Nodosa in a very small--less than 3"
| in diameter--clay pot. The plant now has one flower, and there are more
| coming. There is a lot of new growth too. However, the roots have grown
| into the clay pot, and when I watered it, the water did not flow
| through--it pooled on top and then very slowly drained, which makes me
| think that the media has broken down.
|
| I've always heard that orchids should repotted after blooming, but in
| this case, that might be some months from now. The plant looks very
| healthy in every way, but I'm worried that if I ignore the drainage
| problem, I'm courting disaster. Should I repot now?
|
| Thanks for any advice.

I don't claim to know enough about growing B. nodosa to offer advice, but
FYI, I attached a small one to the side a slab of wood about 10 years ago.
The only attention (other than weekly soaking) it has received was drilling
a small hole in the slab to replace the wire hanger that rusted away. It is
not in flower now, but measures about 17 inches in diameter and 24 inches
long. It goes outside in the summer and in the kitchen window during the
cold months.

doug bolt
Visit: http://www.boltassociates.com

Wendy wrote:
Hi, If it were mine, I would simply soak it in a bucket of water ¼
strength fert for a while & let it drain.
I would not repot now.
Cheers Wendy
wrote in message
t...
Last summer I bought a Brassavola Nodosa in a very small--less than
3" in diameter--clay pot. The plant now has one flower, and there
are more coming. There is a lot of new growth too. However, the
roots have grown into the clay pot, and when I watered it, the water
did not flow through--it pooled on top and then very slowly drained,
which makes me think that the media has broken down.

I've always heard that orchids should repotted after blooming, but in
this case, that might be some months from now. The plant looks very
healthy in every way, but I'm worried that if I ignore the drainage
problem, I'm courting disaster. Should I repot now?

Thanks for any advice.

--

wrote:

Last summer I bought a Brassavola Nodosa in a very small--less than 3"
in diameter--clay pot. The plant now has one flower, and there are more
coming. There is a lot of new growth too. However, the roots have grown
into the clay pot, and when I watered it, the water did not flow
through--it pooled on top and then very slowly drained, which makes me
think that the media has broken down.

I've always heard that orchids should repotted after blooming, but in
this case, that might be some months from now. The plant looks very
healthy in every way, but I'm worried that if I ignore the drainage
problem, I'm courting disaster. Should I repot now?

Thanks for any advice.

If the media is that dense you will get root damage very soon if you have
not yet already. I grow mostly paphs, and I have repoted them in all stages
of life, in bud, in flower and with a seed pod. I have not seen any
negative effects. If the roots are damaged you WILL see negative effects on
the plant. I would take a chance on loosing the flowers rather than loosing
the plant.

Happy Growing

On Wed, 26 Feb 2003 10:15:56 -0800, "Adel (Ed) Nazzal"
wrote:


If the media is that dense you will get root damage very soon if you have
not yet already. I grow mostly paphs, and I have repoted them in all stages
of life, in bud, in flower and with a seed pod. I have not seen any
negative effects. If the roots are damaged you WILL see negative effects on
the plant. I would take a chance on loosing the flowers rather than loosing
the plant.

Happy Growing

If you think this one is being damaged by bad media... you said
it was in clay. Crack the bottom off the pot. This will allow the
bad media out, release some of the roots and allow air in.
Soak the pot first to help loosen up the roots. If the entire
pot shatters repot. If this just allows the drainage to happen,
enjoy and repot when the flowers are done.

You can fasten it to a slab. These plants like openness, baskets,
and mounts. I have 2 that I got at the same time. The one in a
basket is now twice the size of the one in the pot. It had more
blooms and they lasted longer.
SuE
http://orchids.legolas.org/gallery/albums.php

I have a specimen size nodosa which was in a 4" basket 10 years ago, you can
not see the basket now. The plant is between 18 and 20" across. I water
and fertilize it regularly. I find that growing orchids is individualized,
I listen to everyone who has something to offer then go somewhere in-between
or experiment around to see what works for me.
wrote in message
t...
Last summer I bought a Brassavola Nodosa in a very small--less than 3"
in diameter--clay pot. The plant now has one flower, and there are more
coming. There is a lot of new growth too. However, the roots have grown
into the clay pot, and when I watered it, the water did not flow
through--it pooled on top and then very slowly drained, which makes me
think that the media has broken down.

I've always heard that orchids should repotted after blooming, but in
this case, that might be some months from now. The plant looks very
healthy in every way, but I'm worried that if I ignore the drainage
problem, I'm courting disaster. Should I repot now?

Thanks for any advice.

Xref: news7 rec.gardens.orchids:41782

Hi, Cadillac Woman,

I would agree with Wendy. This certainly does not need repotting right
now. It sounds like it is growing well and disturbing it may be with
disastrous results.

.. . . Pam
Everything Orchid Management System
http://www.pe.net/~profpam/page3.html -- new version, better than ever;
free upgrade for registered users is now available.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Wendy wrote:

Hi, If it were mine, I would simply soak it in a bucket of water ¼ strength
fert for a while & let it drain.
I would not repot now.
Cheers Wendy
wrote in message
t...
| Last summer I bought a Brassavola Nodosa in a very small--less than 3"
| in diameter--clay pot. The plant now has one flower, and there are more
| coming. There is a lot of new growth too. However, the roots have grown
| into the clay pot, and when I watered it, the water did not flow
| through--it pooled on top and then very slowly drained, which makes me
| think that the media has broken down.
|
| I've always heard that orchids should repotted after blooming, but in
| this case, that might be some months from now. The plant looks very
| healthy in every way, but I'm worried that if I ignore the drainage
| problem, I'm courting disaster. Should I repot now?
|
| Thanks for any advice.

I agree with Sue - I would break off the pot and move the whole thing into a
wooden slat basket without further disturbance to the root system.

--

Ray Barkalow First Rays Orchids
http://www.firstrays.com
Secure Online Ordering & Lots of Free Info!


"Susan Erickson" wrote in message
...
On Wed, 26 Feb 2003 10:15:56 -0800, "Adel (Ed) Nazzal"
wrote:


If the media is that dense you will get root damage very soon if you have
not yet already. I grow mostly paphs, and I have repoted them in all
stages
of life, in bud, in flower and with a seed pod. I have not seen any
negative effects. If the roots are damaged you WILL see negative effects
on
the plant. I would take a chance on loosing the flowers rather than
loosing
the plant.

Happy Growing

If you think this one is being damaged by bad media... you said
it was in clay. Crack the bottom off the pot. This will allow the
bad media out, release some of the roots and allow air in.
Soak the pot first to help loosen up the roots. If the entire
pot shatters repot. If this just allows the drainage to happen,
enjoy and repot when the flowers are done.

You can fasten it to a slab. These plants like openness, baskets,
and mounts. I have 2 that I got at the same time. The one in a
basket is now twice the size of the one in the pot. It had more
blooms and they lasted longer.
SuE
http://orchids.legolas.org/gallery/albums.php

also, Paphs and Phrags LOVE to be repotted and can be repotted in bud or
bloom w/o problems. Most other orchids (please someone correct me if there
are others) like to be repotted when their roots just start to grow. Some
if you repot them when their roots aren't growing, will suffer.

"Adel (Ed) Nazzal" wrote in message
...


wrote:

Last summer I bought a Brassavola Nodosa in a very small--less than 3"
in diameter--clay pot. The plant now has one flower, and there are more
coming. There is a lot of new growth too. However, the roots have grown
into the clay pot, and when I watered it, the water did not flow
through--it pooled on top and then very slowly drained, which makes me
think that the media has broken down.

I've always heard that orchids should repotted after blooming, but in
this case, that might be some months from now. The plant looks very
healthy in every way, but I'm worried that if I ignore the drainage
problem, I'm courting disaster. Should I repot now?

Thanks for any advice.

If the media is that dense you will get root damage very soon if you have
not yet already. I grow mostly paphs, and I have repoted them in all
stages
of life, in bud, in flower and with a seed pod. I have not seen any
negative effects. If the roots are damaged you WILL see negative effects
on
the plant. I would take a chance on loosing the flowers rather than
loosing
the plant.

Happy Growing