Unpotting an orchid can be easy, or it can be a real challenge. The more conscientious you are about keeping up with your potting, the easier it will be. If you have less than a hundred plants, setting aside one day each spring for this task becomes a pleasurable part of your hobby. Having to face a large Cattleya that has covered the outside of its pot can be daunting. When a plant has reached this stage it is usually growing in several different odd directions and is difficult to remove and restore to a normal growth pattern. You often end up discarding a portion of the plant.

The first step is to remove the plant from its old container with as little damage as possible. If there is substantial root growth on the outside of a clay pot, it is usually easier to break the pot to remove the orchid. Once we have the plant out of the old pot, we can inspect it and begin to cut away old dead roots and decide where we will divide it if that is our plan. This is also the time to cut off old flower spikes, remove dried sheaths - in general give the orchid a good cleaning up.