If people hear that this or that plant likes to be rootbound, they're bound to repeat it and stand by their advice until the last gong clangs, even if they can't explain why they offered the advice. Root congestion is limiting - there is no way around that. Growing a plant tight can yield some results the GROWER favors, but no plant likes or prefers to be rootbound. If it did, Mother Nature would have arranged for roots to grow in tight little cubes and balls directly under the plant's stem, but that is not how plants grow. If some thought is given to why the advice is so often repeated, it becomes clear that the giver of the advice has decided you WILL be growing in a water retentive soil, and the only way to prevent the roots from suffering from soil saturation is to grow it so tight that the roots quickly use all water supplied, allowing air to replace the excess water so the root can function. IOW, the grower is willing to trade the limitations of root congestion for the limitations imposed by soil saturation. The lesser of 2 evils is still an evil. Instead of forcing your plant to suffer from root congestion, put it in a large pot (after root pruning) and in a soil that holds little to no excess water. You avoid both the stress of root congestion and the limitations imposed by a soil too water-retentive. Instead of having to choose one of the horns of a dilemma, you'll be able to avoid the bull entirely. You asked, "I think from what you are saying I can turn my baby loose and it will be fine do you agree??" There isn't a solid 'yes' or 'no' answer to your question. Certainly you're not going to harm any plant by giving its roots room to run if the soil and other cultural considerations are well within the limits of what the plant is genetically programmed to deal with. Things like growth rate and vitality are limited whenever the plant isn't happy with cultural conditions. As a grower, your only job is figuring out what is limiting your plant, and to the greatest extent possible, eliminating the limitations. Al

Generally the advice is to cut the spikes off at the base on complex hybrids. But seeing this orchid is half violacea the best thing to do is to let the plant do its thing. You will know when to cut the spike down to the base when the spikes become unsightly with many flower scars and are no longer things of beauty. Just wondering how this orchid will turn out because the parents of Cassandra are equestris and stuartiana. I cut the spikes down to the base on equestris and do not cut the stalled spikes on violacea because the plant will flower again from stalled spikes in my conditions when summer arrives. Do not know anything about stuartiana. No doubt someone will come up will the usual if its brown cut it down stuff which probably applies in this case but doesn't apply to many hybrids.

i wonder if anyone has ever recommended doing root surgery when the tree is leafless or dormant ... hmmmmm ... how many other roots were there.. how big is the tree ... i am no fan of the tap root being requisite .... if it could be cut to the first bend ... it wouldnt bother me.. if there were many others left ... especially of the plant was 4 feet or so ... it is.. IMHO.. just another root.. there is nothing magical about it ... pic below ... if i can do this to a 6 to 8 foot tree.. i dont see why you cant do the same .. obviously.. i slaughtered the tap root ken

I live in Southern California. Doesn't get too cold during the winters but does get frost every now and then. Seems from your post that I don't need to worry too much about brining my plants inside. Any temp range you would recommend me being concerned about? Below 50 degrees? Thanks for your response....I appreciate it!