I have an orchid (cymbidium) which has not flowered for at least 10
years, but is huge. I hardly ever feed and then it's orchid feed.
It is about to split its pot and needs dividing.
Questions;
1. Is now a good time to do it?
2. What sort of pot is recommended? clear plastic, dark plastic,
or terra cotta?
I've got orchid compost and may need to cut the rootball with a knife
as I think it's too congested to divide otherwise.
TIA

Pam in Bristol

In message , Pam Moore
writes
I have an orchid (cymbidium) which has not flowered for at least 10
years, but is huge. I hardly ever feed and then it's orchid feed.
It is about to split its pot and needs dividing.
Questions;
1. Is now a good time to do it?
2. What sort of pot is recommended? clear plastic, dark plastic,
or terra cotta?
I've got orchid compost and may need to cut the rootball with a knife
as I think it's too congested to divide otherwise.
TIA

Pam in Bristol

Have sent your message to a neighbour who is an award winning expert in
this field. He exhibits and teaches at RHS etc. events. He's on a trip
in Spain but will return on Wednesday. Hope to be able to supply some
useful info then.

--
Gopher .... I know my place!

"Pam Moore" wrote

I have an orchid (cymbidium) which has not flowered for at least 10
years, but is huge. I hardly ever feed and then it's orchid feed.
It is about to split its pot and needs dividing.
Questions;
1. Is now a good time to do it?
2. What sort of pot is recommended? clear plastic, dark plastic,
or terra cotta?
I've got orchid compost and may need to cut the rootball with a knife
as I think it's too congested to divide otherwise.
TIA


Firstly Cymbids need cool nights to initiate flowering, best done by leaving
them in their summer place outside (you do put it outside in the summer?)
until you hear of a possible frost then take them in. They also like a good
feed, more so than other orchids IME, and chicken poo pellets or wormery
liquid works well from what I've seen.

1. Splitting and repotting is best done when the plant is in growth so now
is OK.
2. Plastic, clear is not needed.

You may find you can shake/tease out the roots to separate into portions for
potting up, throw away old leafless pseudobulbs and rotten roots.

--
Regards
Bob Hobden
W.of London. UK

Pam Moore wrote:
I have an orchid (cymbidium) which has not flowered for at least 10
years, but is huge. I hardly ever feed and then it's orchid feed.
It is about to split its pot and needs dividing.
Questions;
1. Is now a good time to do it?
2. What sort of pot is recommended? clear plastic, dark plastic,
or terra cotta?

You may want to ignore me totally, since I have successfuly kille all of my
cymbidiums, but I believe it's one which likes its roots to have light, so a
clear pot is recommended.

On 02/05/2011 21:56, Pam Moore wrote:
I have an orchid (cymbidium) which has not flowered for at least 10
years, but is huge. I hardly ever feed and then it's orchid feed.
It is about to split its pot and needs dividing.

If you divide and repot it then it will not flower for a while
afterwards. They like to be pot bound and need cool summer nights after
all risk of frost has gone to initiate flowering. They like a good feed
too and soft rainwater. Not sure I'd keep one that didn't flower...

Questions;
1. Is now a good time to do it?
2. What sort of pot is recommended? clear plastic, dark plastic,
or terra cotta?

I favour normal plastic pots for these and only repot when the old pot
finally does split or becomes so distorted that it won't stand upright.

Regards,
Martin Brown

I've got orchid compost and may need to cut the rootball with a knife
as I think it's too congested to divide otherwise.
TIA

Pam in Bristol

On May 2, 11:01*pm, "Bob Hobden" wrote:
"Pam Moore" *wrote



I have an orchid (cymbidium) which has not flowered for at least 10
years, but is huge. *I hardly ever feed and then it's orchid feed.
It is about to split its pot and needs dividing.
Questions;
1. *Is now a good time to do it?
2. *What sort of pot is recommended? clear *plastic, dark plastic,
or terra cotta?
I've got orchid compost and may need to cut the rootball with a knife
as I think it's too congested to divide otherwise.
TIA

Firstly Cymbids need cool nights to initiate flowering, best done by leaving
them in their summer place outside (you do put it outside in the summer?)
until you hear of a possible frost then take them in. They also like a good
feed, more so than other orchids IME, and chicken poo pellets or wormery
liquid works well from what I've seen.

1. Splitting and repotting is best done when the plant is in growth so now
is OK.
2. Plastic, clear is not needed.

You may find you can shake/tease out the roots to separate into portions for
potting up, throw away old leafless pseudobulbs and rotten roots.

--
Regards
Bob Hobden
W.of London. UK

DONT throw away the Back bulbs, or pseudobulbs,
Growing cymbidiums from backbulbs (the old leafless pseudobulbs
removed during repotting) is really easy and offers an inexpensive way
to increase your collection. During Cymbidium repotting season many
growers offer backbulbs of selected plants at very attractive prices.
First, remove all the old, dry leaf bases and inspect the backbulb for
signs of insect infestation. Once clean, place the bulbs standing
upright in either pots or flats in a mixture of fine bark and peat
moss or fine bark and sand. The bulbs should be positioned so that
their bases are ½-1" below the mix surface similar to potting
divisions. Keep the flats or pots evenly moist and a little warmer
with nights in the high 50's to 60F (they will sprout even with cool
nights but you wait a bit longer). Within a month or two one of the
dormant eyes at the base of the pseudobulb should sprout. Once the
growth has reached a length of three inches or so roots will form. A
strong backbulb should produce a flowering growth the second or third
year after potting.
Have a look at this site, it may answer one or two of your questions
http://www.aos.org/AM/Template.cfm?S...entDisplay.cfm

On Mon, 2 May 2011 22:41:34 +0100, Gopher wrote:

In message , Pam Moore
writes
I have an orchid (cymbidium) which has not flowered for at least 10
years, but is huge. I hardly ever feed and then it's orchid feed.
It is about to split its pot and needs dividing.
Questions;
1. Is now a good time to do it?
2. What sort of pot is recommended? clear plastic, dark plastic,
or terra cotta?
I've got orchid compost and may need to cut the rootball with a knife
as I think it's too congested to divide otherwise.
TIA

Pam in Bristol

Have sent your message to a neighbour who is an award winning expert in
this field. He exhibits and teaches at RHS etc. events. He's on a trip
in Spain but will return on Wednesday. Hope to be able to supply some
useful info then.

Thanks to all who answered. I'll wait for Gopher's neighbour's reply
before I do anything and will report before I repot!

Pam in Bristol

"Dave Hill" wrote ...

"Bob Hobden" wrote:
"Pam Moore" wrote



I have an orchid (cymbidium) which has not flowered for at least 10
years, but is huge. I hardly ever feed and then it's orchid feed.
It is about to split its pot and needs dividing.
Questions;
1. Is now a good time to do it?
2. What sort of pot is recommended? clear plastic, dark plastic,
or terra cotta?
I've got orchid compost and may need to cut the rootball with a knife
as I think it's too congested to divide otherwise.
TIA

Firstly Cymbids need cool nights to initiate flowering, best done by
leaving
them in their summer place outside (you do put it outside in the
summer?)
until you hear of a possible frost then take them in. They also like a
good
feed, more so than other orchids IME, and chicken poo pellets or wormery
liquid works well from what I've seen.

1. Splitting and repotting is best done when the plant is in growth so
now
is OK.
2. Plastic, clear is not needed.

You may find you can shake/tease out the roots to separate into portions
for
potting up, throw away old leafless pseudobulbs and rotten roots.


DONT throw away the Back bulbs, or pseudobulbs,
Growing cymbidiums from backbulbs (the old leafless pseudobulbs
removed during repotting) is really easy and offers an inexpensive way
to increase your collection. During Cymbidium repotting season many
growers offer backbulbs of selected plants at very attractive prices.
First, remove all the old, dry leaf bases and inspect the backbulb for
signs of insect infestation. Once clean, place the bulbs standing
upright in either pots or flats in a mixture of fine bark and peat
moss or fine bark and sand. The bulbs should be positioned so that
their bases are ½-1" below the mix surface similar to potting
divisions. Keep the flats or pots evenly moist and a little warmer
with nights in the high 50's to 60F (they will sprout even with cool
nights but you wait a bit longer). Within a month or two one of the
dormant eyes at the base of the pseudobulb should sprout. Once the
growth has reached a length of three inches or so roots will form. A
strong backbulb should produce a flowering growth the second or third
year after potting.
Have a look at this site, it may answer one or two of your questions
http://www.aos.org/AM/Template.cfm?S...entDisplay.cfm

If you want to propagate your Cymbidium over and above splitting them by all
means propagate from back bulbs but how many cymbids of the same variety
does one want?
In my case I split, keep the best young bits and throw away all the rest
because I don't want more than one of each variety as they soon turn into
large plants.
BTW when repotting place the older bit against the side of the pot so the
young growth has space to grow for a couple of years, seeing a potting guide
in the OSGB Journal made me remember to mention this, something I do
automatically.

--
Regards
Bob Hobden
W.of London. UK

"Bob Hobden" wrote
If you want to propagate your Cymbidium over and above splitting them by all
means propagate from back bulbs but how many cymbids of the same variety
does one want?
In my case I split, keep the best young bits and throw away all the rest
because I don't want more than one of each variety as they soon turn into
large plants.
BTW when repotting place the older bit against the side of the pot so the
young growth has space to grow for a couple of years, seeing a potting guide
in the OSGB Journal made me remember to mention this, something I do
automatically.

And this link should help. These growers have 3 acres under glass, fully
automated for growing orchids.
http://www.mcbeansorchids.co.uk/acat...ivation_1.html

--
Regards
Bob Hobden
W.of London. UK

On May 4, 5:20*pm, "Bob Hobden" wrote:
"Bob Hobden" *wrote
If you want to propagate your Cymbidium over and above splitting them by all
means propagate from back bulbs but how many cymbids of the same variety
does one want?
In my case I split, keep the best young bits and throw away all the rest
because I don't want more than one of each variety as they soon turn into
large plants.
BTW when repotting place the older bit against the side of the pot so the
young growth has space to grow for a couple of years, seeing a potting guide
in the OSGB Journal made me remember to mention this, something I do
automatically.

And this link should help. These growers have 3 acres under glass, fully
automated for growing orchids.http://www.mcbeansorchids.co.uk/acat...ivation_1.html

--
Regards
Bob Hobden
W.of London. UK

If you grow on the back bulbe you could always swap them with someone
else for different varieties, or even sell them on Ebay

In message , Pam Moore
writes
I have an orchid (cymbidium) which has not flowered for at least 10
years, but is huge. I hardly ever feed and then it's orchid feed.
It is about to split its pot and needs dividing.
Questions;
1. Is now a good time to do it?
2. What sort of pot is recommended? clear plastic, dark plastic,
or terra cotta?
I've got orchid compost and may need to cut the rootball with a knife
as I think it's too congested to divide otherwise.
TIA

Pam in Bristol


Apologies for delayed reply to original poster. My friend has returned
from Spain and replies a follows:

QUOTE

Yes, this is a good time to re-pot.
Any pot is OK, matter of personal preference. The only advantage of a
clear pot is that you can see what's going on with the roots but they
look horrible.
No problem with cutting it up with a knife, bread knife or small saw is
fine. Take off all but one of the leafless back bulbs. Give it a general
tidy up and either pot the divisions up individually (if you want to
give some away) or fit them back together in one pot.
Cymbidiums need a temperature drop to induce flowering so leave it
outside in the autumn until just before the frost starts. Plenty of
water while in growth, feed with orchid feed every fourth watering.
If it still doesn't flower give it away, this will guarantee flower the
next year!

UNQUOTE

Hope this helps a bit.

--
Gopher .... I know my place!

On Sat, 7 May 2011 18:46:49 +0100, Gopher wrote:

In message , Pam Moore
writes
I have an orchid (cymbidium) which has not flowered for at least 10
years, but is huge. I hardly ever feed and then it's orchid feed.
It is about to split its pot and needs dividing.
Questions;
1. Is now a good time to do it?
2. What sort of pot is recommended? clear plastic, dark plastic,
or terra cotta?
I've got orchid compost and may need to cut the rootball with a knife
as I think it's too congested to divide otherwise.
TIA

Pam in Bristol


Apologies for delayed reply to original poster. My friend has returned
from Spain and replies a follows:

QUOTE

Yes, this is a good time to re-pot.
Any pot is OK, matter of personal preference. The only advantage of a
clear pot is that you can see what's going on with the roots but they
look horrible.
No problem with cutting it up with a knife, bread knife or small saw is
fine. Take off all but one of the leafless back bulbs. Give it a general
tidy up and either pot the divisions up individually (if you want to
give some away) or fit them back together in one pot.
Cymbidiums need a temperature drop to induce flowering so leave it
outside in the autumn until just before the frost starts. Plenty of
water while in growth, feed with orchid feed every fourth watering.
If it still doesn't flower give it away, this will guarantee flower the
next year!

UNQUOTE

Hope this helps a bit.

Thanks a lot Gopher. Please thank your friend.
I'll do the job the next time it's NOT raining!

Pam in Bristol

On 07/05/2011 18:46, Gopher wrote:
In message , Pam Moore
writes
I have an orchid (cymbidium) which has not flowered for at least 10
years, but is huge. I hardly ever feed and then it's orchid feed.
It is about to split its pot and needs dividing.
Questions;
1. Is now a good time to do it?
2. What sort of pot is recommended? clear plastic, dark plastic,
or terra cotta?
I've got orchid compost and may need to cut the rootball with a knife
as I think it's too congested to divide otherwise.
TIA

If it still doesn't flower give it away, this will guarantee flower the
next year!

I love this bit. Never a truer word spoken!

It is worthwhile picking up healthy orchids post flowering in gardening
centres when they are significantly reduced if you have space to grow
them on. The least I ever paid for one they were about to throw out was
50p. Most will easily flower the following year with a bit of TLC.

Regards,
Martin Brown

"Martin Brown" wrote

Gopher wrote:
If it still doesn't flower give it away, this will guarantee flower the
next year!

I love this bit. Never a truer word spoken!

It is worthwhile picking up healthy orchids post flowering in gardening
centres when they are significantly reduced if you have space to grow them
on. The least I ever paid for one they were about to throw out was 50p.
Most will easily flower the following year with a bit of TLC.

All to do with stress, a stressed plant will often flower because it has to
reproduce before it dies. It's this that is probably the reason they are
best left outside until the nights get quite cold (but never frosty) to
initiate flower spike formation.

--
Regards
Bob Hobden
W.of London. UK

Martin Brown wrote:
It is worthwhile picking up healthy orchids post flowering in gardening
centres when they are significantly reduced if you have space to grow
them on. The least I ever paid for one they were about to throw out was
50p. Most will easily flower the following year with a bit of TLC.

Most of mine came from that. Never got them down to 50p thought. Mostly
around 3 pound, but I think I got one or two at a pound.