Why Cymbidium faberi Has Too Many Roots and Doesn't Sprout, and How to Fix It

When we repot and divide plants, we can thin out excessive roots, otherwise they seriously affect sprouting. Take these two groups of plants as an example: one group has 19 roots, the other has 11 roots. If you don't trim some roots, the single-growth-point group very likely won't sprout and will slowly age and die, and the mother-and-child growth group will also have new shoots' path blocked because of too many roots. I don't know if you've noticed, but sometimes the roots of orchid starter divisions we bring home are ordinary yet as long as they are healthy, they later grow very well and sprout nicely too; but after growing them for two or three years, once the roots are good and the growths are strong, dividing them instead gives unsatisfactory growth. This is mostly due to too many roots. It's just like people: once they have savings and eat well, they get lazy and stop striving. Mainly trim off thin, weak roots, roots in poor positions that block new shoots' path, roots pressed close around the pseudobulb base, and excessive roots. Cut from the base, dab the wounds with a little fungicidal powder, then let them air-dry naturally. Overly long roots can absolutely be cut shorter; it won't affect growth. On the contrary, if you don't cut them, stuffing them into the pot occupies limited space and hinders new root growth, which is commonly called "root balling." Cut away too many roots clustered around the pseudobulb base and roots at obvious bud-point positions; only after cutting them can the bud points grow and root normally!