Pinoy Entrep

Orchids which have been growing in baskets for some length of time will have attached their roots firmly to the wooden slats, and it is difficult to remove the plant without some damage. These epiphytes quickly make up for any root loss by producing new ones immediately after potting, providing that it is done at some time during the spring months. The roots therefore can be cut away using a sharp pruning knife and slicing around the inside of the basket. This enables the plant to be gently prised free from the base, and no damage is done to any part of the plant above the surface.

By the time the Encyclia pentotis has been removed from its existing square wooden basket, it will have little of its original root system left, and with the removal of the old compost there will be nothing to hold the plant in the new basket. Using a length of plastic-coated wire and a pair of pliers position the plant in its new elongated basket with the oldest, leafless pseudobulbs to one end, so that the front of the plant is close to the other end, with sufficient room available for at least two years’ growth.

The plant can now be wired firmly into position by taking a length of wire around one bottom slat and the rhizome, in between two pseudobulbs towards the back of the plant, and twisting it tight. The rhizome is hard and the wire will not cut into it. It may be necessary to put two or three wire tics to secure the plant.

The back half of the plant is now fixed by its rhizome which is resting on the bottom of the basket. The basket is now filled with compost, a little at a time starting by filling around the back half of the plant which will just cover the rhizome.

Apple wood is also very acceptable, and although it has a smoother bark some excellent shaped branches can be found. Less suitable arc the shiny, straight branches of cherry, or any resinous pine trees. The branch should be from a live tree and the side branches cut off or trimmed hack until the desired shape is formed.

An identical-shaped plant, this time Epidendrum ciliare, six monihs after having been potted into a long shallow wooden basket. The speedy recovery of the root system can clearly be seen; the new white roots have penetrated the compost, some attaching themselves to the basket and others growing downward underneath the basket, their growing tips searching out the moisture in the air. The plant has two new growths which are developing rapidly on the right.

When the plant has been stripped bare to the roots it can be divided. A leading piece consisting of a double new growth and four-leaved pseudobulbs is removed by severing the rhizome with secateurs. One further leading division of a similar size can be removed from the other sick of the plant, leaving a hack division with leafed pseudobulbs which can also be potted. Any good leafless pseudo- bulbs should be divided and potted singly. Alternatively the rhizome can be severed in the pot six months before repotting when the back division will have started a new growth.

The filling in and pressing down of the compost continues until it is level with the base of the plant and the pot rim. It is important to ensure even pressure all round the plant, bearing in mind that there is much more room at the front than to the rear, where it will be a little more difficult to work compost into the small space available.

The divisions are potted according to the usual method as described on page 56, ensuring that the new growth has sufficient room and is sitting on the surface of the compost. Cattleyas should not be overpotted, as can happen due to their long narrow habit of growing. They can be repotted annually, often just ‘dropped on’ with no disturbance to the root ball. They often need extra support for their cop heavy pseudobulbs until new roots have again anchored the plant in its pot. Don’t forget extra labels for all the divisions: the date of repotting can also help for future reference.

By comparison with other orchids, the root systems of paphiopedilums are not so extensive, although fewer roots will cling very tightly to the inside of the pot. Their unusually hairy roots are brown-coloured, unlike the usual white of other orchids. This can make it more difficult to determine which arc alive and which are dead. Again, it will be the roots supporting the older growths which will have died, whereas the roots on the younger growths will be alive and healthy.

The root trimming on paphiopedilums is all-important, and should be tackled with great care. The dead roots should be felt for, and only removed if they feel flat and empty, with the outer covering peeling away. It will be found that the remaining live roots are less brittle and, therefore, with careful repotting, these can often be left whole, or trimmed only where broken. They should not be trimmed to the same extent as, say, cymbidiums.

Paphiopedilums should be placed into as small a pot as possible, with just sufficient room to hold their roots comfortably. An excess of compost around the roots will quickly lead to overwatering as the roots are confined within a soggy mass containing far more moisture than they can possibly take up. Extra crocking in the base of the pot is an advantage to these plants, in order to ensure the swift drainage so necessary to their welfare. Here, different size pots have been selected for the divisions and ample crocking is being placed in the pots.

The plant selected is a beautifully shaped Coelogyne Burfordense, with three large green pseudobulbs, each topped by a pair of large, broad leaves. This famous old hybrid is an ideal choice with a semi-pendent flower spike of large green, black-lipped flowers.

The whole is then pressed down using the fingers to ensure an even firmness all around the pot and the plant should be secure in the pot. If the plant is at all loose, it should be taken out and started again. A loose plant will find it very difficult to root itself.

Orchids growing in a suspended position rely more heavily on a moist atmosphere and basket culture is best confined to a greenhouse.

For the next few weeks, very careful watering will be required so as to allow any damaged roots to heal. As soon as new root activity is observed around the base of the new growths, normal watering can he resumed.

Baskets are not always rigid and may have a rounded base, in which case before attempting to pot the plant the basket should be stood inside a slightly larger flower pot to hold it firm and steady. Most types of basket have large gaps between the lattice and must be lined. An ideal type of liner is pea netting which will allow the water to flood through, and young roots to penetrate it easily, while holding the compost in place.

A large square is cut which will be sufficient to line the basket with some overlap at the rim, and placed inside the basket. It is taped into position with lengths of sticky tape which can be removed when potting is completed. If this plant were to be repotted using the general guidelines of leaving 2 in (5 cm) of rooni in front of the leading growth, it would be grossly overpotted with far too much compost and moisture around the roots which would lead directly to overwatering.