Pots

[Gary S]

Andy

For my own interest you keep referring to 1 gallon pots you use over there. For us metric people what diameter and height are they?

Is that the biggest pot you use or do they go up in gallon increments.

I normally use depending on size of plant (dia) 70mm (3") for seedlings, then up to 150mm (6"), then depending on plant 200mm (8") or 300mm (12") I use Port Pots which are made quite close to where I live and they are very good quality with fantastic drainage (specifically designed for orchids) they have standard pots for cyms and very squat pots which are specifically designed for our epiphytic native orchids, They last forever, have inbuilt holes on the pot rim if you want to hang them - great for the cascading and pendulous cym types and you can buy direct from the factory with good discounts for quantities.

I am interested in what sizes and types other growers on the forum use.

Cheers for now

Gary..

[Nigel]

Gary.
The Americans haven't caught up with the rest of the developed countries and gone metric. Mr. Cym still uses the old British terms like gallons, pints etc. Just between you and me, I think he is holding out for a knighthood. The give them away fairly freely in N.Z. I think I will suggest he be nominated in the Queen's Birthday list in June. He spent enough time there and I suppose he has done enough to be awarded one for services to Horticulture. "Sir Andrew." ....I like it.

Re pots.....I tried the expensive cymbidium pots. You need to put a rock on the bottom or they will blow over in the wind. I am using standard pots for my small collection. ...80/100/120/150 180/200/250 mm....depending on what I find when I go to repot. Yesterday I repotted an Enzan Summer. It was in a 150mm pot. I had to cut it away from the massive root ball. I teased out the roots, cut off the bottom 1/3 and put it into a 200mm pot. It flowers annually, so I didnt want to divide it just yet. It is still alive today.

What I like about this forum is that someone will write in and give me advice now on repotting. And I will welcome that feedback. You can only learn so much from books and google.
From reading your posts, I think you are way ahead of me. But your questions are interesting and thought provoking.

Nigel.

[MrCym]

We do have one gallon, two gallon, three gallon pots and tubs. Forget all that metric crap, gallons mean something to people! Something in the design of the traditional black gallon pots must be right. The width to depth ratio seems ideal for a first-blooming standard Cym. We do use 5" "Scotch" pots and 6" "Scotch" pots for minis etc. I should object to the low blow against my partial Scottish heritage but I am too busy enjoying the savings in potting mix!

I would love to give Nigel a repotting lesson. "Teasing" out the roots?? I don't think so, a good whack with a machete to sever at least 60% of the root-ball is always the first step in dividing. The plants need to be reminded who's boss. They will regrow roots to the bottom of the pot in six weeks in Spring, pot later than June 1 (December 1 in the SH) and you will regret it. Of course I am not talking about "slip-potting", which can be done almost all year, avoiding just the months of December and January in the NH.

[Gary S]

Gents,

I am sitting on the fence on these 2 replies.

Nigel

I agree with you about the American's being behind us with their old imperial measurement system.

Andy

I agree with the machete approach that you suggest or a big bow saw to cut through those solid root balls, to tease out a solid rootball out of a 300mm pot would be a nightmare.

Also Andy what are the measurements of a gallon pot - old imperial inches will do.

Cheers

Gary..

[Nigel]

I would love to give Nigel a repotting lesson. "Teasing" out the roots?? I don't think so, a good whack with a machete to sever at least 60% of the root-ball is always the first step in dividing. The plants need to be reminded who's boss.

Mr. Cym.
I visited a cattleya hobbygrower this morning.He leaves his plants in the garden under a hedge, anywhere around the garden, easterly, westerly, southern aspects. With only limited protection from the elements. They get watered when it rains, fertilised ......never. Plants never get repotted. Full of weeds.
I walk into the house and the living room is full of magnificently flowering plants.....multiple blooms on all. More out in the garden.

Over breakfast he asks......" Can you give me any advice on how to improve my plants? " .....I could have said....check your NPK ratio. Get some shadecloth. Water as needed in summer. Get some quality bark etc etc etc. I felt like sliding under the table.

I came home and looked through Kobsukh's book to become re-enthused, lest I start looking at tried racehorse catalogues again.
Then you tell me I repotted my best flowering cym too late. I should have hit the thing with a sledgehammer instead of treating it with kindness.
I'm off my diet. Where are the chocolate eggs?

Happy Easter everyone.

[Gary S]

Happy Easter to you and your family also Nigel.

Kobsukh's book is always in reach, to anyone who has not purchased it do yourself a favour and get it. I got mine from Asiabooks in Bangkok, via their online store. It was a very easy transaction and good price as well.

Cheers

Gary..

[MrCym]

Good old real measurements of an American black gallon pot. Inside diameter, 6". Depth 7", four hole drainage and 20" circumference.

[SARC]

Gary

Pulling out my trusty convertor (an old Palm PDA), 1 gallon is 3.785 Litres. Looking at a pot manufacturer that has metric pots, they quote 2.8 Litres for a 175mm Standard pot, same for a 180mm slimline pot, then 4.5 litres for a 200mm slimline pot. So I would say something between a 180mm pot and a 200mm pot equates to a 1 gallon pot.

SARC

[Gary S]

Thanks Andy, somehow I would have thought a 1 gallon pot was bigger than a 150mm (6") standard pot we have here. Also surprised they only have 4 holes for drainage. Just looked at the Port Pots we have here and for their 200mm Cym pot, it has 16 holes for drainage (pot is 8" dia and 8" high), the Aussie growers will know the pot I am talking about. Their pots across the entire range have the same drainage pattern.

Sarc.

Thanks for the calcs, are you working on a US gallon or an imperial gallon!!

Even though we had all imperial measurements when I went to school here. I find metric easier to relate to these days.

Cheers

Gary..