You may want to ask yourself if it's worth the risk. What if the worst case scenario happens? How would you feel then?

If its happy and blooming is it really important to divide it? Disturbance is stressful. You have a complicated situation....

Clara

Broughtonia is actually quite resentful of root disturbance. the best time to repot is when the new roots are just popping out of the new lead. At that point, I would also highly recommend moving it to a basket with some form of inert media, such as cork chunks (wine corks that are solid, not aggregate, work) or lava rock so that you don't have to disturb the plant in future pottings, but just move up. You could also grow in clay pots with lava rock or a charcoal/perlite mix, even cork, and just move the pot into the next size up pot and fill in the gap with media.

Also, beware scale and mealie infestations. Stay on the ball and use only mild insecticides and fungicides. The plants hate chemical treaments. If you get a bad infestation, anything that will kill the beasties will kill the plant. inspect it regularly and use mild soaps or perhaps some cinnamon/alcohol tea.

Avoid wet condcitions. They are scrub plants in nature, on little tropical islands that for much of the year get only light rain and mist. They resent wet feet and will rot quickly.

I know they may sound tough, but if you respec thei need to dry off well and disturb them as little as possible, you should do very well with them. The real trick is to keep the pests away. Mealies are the bane of Broughtonia!

-Cj

I was afraid someone would say that about root disturbance. It just bugs me to death having two plants in the same pot. May have to live with it unless someone says something different.

I should have mentioned it is growing on a mound of lava rock in a clay pot. I think it's been this way for 3 years now and seems very happy. In any case, it does need a bigger pot since it is completely filling the one it's in.

Cj - So far this one has remained pest free, so I haven't had to use anything on it, but I will keep an eye on the little dear. The other CJ warned me about using malathion on these some time ago, so when I have sprayed other plants I've always been careful about not getting this one.

Seems like the right time to do something since the roots are just starting from the new leads. What to do, what to do......

K

If you are going to disturb them, now is the time, but you are going to mangle those roots, trying to get the lava rock off. YOu might just let it go and learn to deal with them being in one pot.

-Cj

New root growth aside, I wonder if it is really prudent to repot a species that resents root disturbance now as we are approaching winter solstice? Personally, I grow the majority of my phalanopses 2 different species per pot - which is probably a poor analogy because phalaenopses are monopodial, whereas broughtonias are sympodial. alvin

Here, I did some looking over at Hamlyn Orchids' website: http://www.hamlynorchids.com/bro1.htm

That page suggest complete remoal of all roots. Now, I know claud and he has been a fantastic grower of Broughtonias for years and years. Maybe if you cut all the old roots off in the process of repoting and they break new roots, immediately....

-Cj

I took a look at the Hamlyn Orchids - that is a very nice looking orchid. There is one list BS $10 to $150. why would there is such a big difference in the price? would the ones closer to $150. be specimen size plants? I have never seen anything like that is the sites here in Canada.
thanks (hope that was not a stupid question)
sue

Either speciemen size or very well bred. He (Claude Hamilton) has been line breeding various types of B. sanguinea for years and years, so from some of those lines you will come across some really fantastic plants. From the perspective of someone who breds and shows orchids, a large plant that is very likely to garner an award is a valuable commodity.

I'd really love to get a compot from him and bloom it out, especially from an alba or aurea variety.

-Cj

Alvin - I know it seems weird to be thinking about dividing a plant now, but this is one that starts new growth now and continues growing through winter. Once spring and summer arrive, the plant is done with growth and starts blooming. At least that's how my plant has behaved since I've had it. Speaking of blooming, these plants really have a long bloom season. Mine started in June and continued into October.

Cj - Thanks for that link. My Gosh!! Some of those plants are just fantastic! If you ever do buy a flask or compot and end up with too many plants, let me know. If you take a look at some of the other hybrids on their website that $150 price looks cheap. I saw at least one for $1500.

K

$1500 may seem steep, but for a beeder, an awarded or definitely awardable Hamlyn plant is worth it's weight in gold. I spent $125 on a beautiful aurea variety that was right in line with his other AM-awarded aureas. At the time, I quibbled, but once I saw the flowers I knew it was worth every penny as a breeding/show plant.

-Cj

Love Hamlyn- can't wait till the Redlands show. Kevin, (unknowingly) I divided a mounted plant(split right in the center)to seperate the old pbs a few years ago, both halves are fine. Did not miss a beat.

Gah, Redland! I need to figure out a budget for my trip. I still dunno if I'm driving or flying. I guess I'd prefer to drive, but if gas prices keep going the way they are...

What to do, what to do? If I do fly, I'll still have to rent a car. And a room...

-Cj

I could never justify the expense of attending Redlands and I've never had the urge to have someone look for plants for me, but if Hamlyn is there I just may have to bribe someone who goes to check on a few things. They have some very reasonable plants on their website. Things you definitely don't see offered through other US vendors.

K

Redland is worth it if you also plan other activities. Consider it a vacay to Miami, but with a couple of days at a good plants sale, too.

-Cj

Kevin, if I go(which has a 99% probability) I offer to be your 'buyer'. We will touch base a couple of days before the show. Unless you buy truck loads I have no problem mailing it to you.

sambac - Thanks so much for the offer. I really appreciate that. We can take care of details a couple of weeks before the show.

OK, here's the update. I did take the plant out of its pot today. With a little, gentle rocking it came out with only a couple of stuck roots. I guess when I originally potted this one I only used a few large pieces of lava rock, so that didn't cause any problems either.

The bad news: I simply could not tell where one plant began and the other one ended. I think they may be growing on top of each other or something. It would have been impossible to get them apart unless I wanted a lot of little pieces. I didn't. They shall live out their lives forever entwined.

I think it was a good thing I did take this one out of the pot. Although I didn't find any bad roots, they sure were packed in there tight. Had I let this go another season, I might have had problems. It's now in a basket with a couple of lava rock pieces. Hopefully it can stay there for quite some time.

The other good news is that I didn't find a single bush snail. Usually my plants in lava rock really seem to attract them. Maybe the snail bait I started using last spring is working.

K