Rooted in Renewal

A Cymbidium Repotting Reflection, from Me to You

Dear Reader,

This morning, just as the sun started warming the greenhouse glass, I repotted an older cymbidium. She’s has been with our client for years—quiet, steady, generous with her blooms. But lately, she’s looked tired. A little cramped. Roots pressing against the clay, leaves drooping with a kind of quiet fatigue. You know the feeling.

Repotting an orchid, especially a cymbidium, is one of those small, sacred rituals. It’s not flashy. There’s no fanfare. But it’s meaningful. And like all good things in life, it happens in the quiet space after the show—after the blooms fall, after the applause fades.

Knowing When It’s Time

I’ve learned that cymbidiums don’t always ask loudly. Sometimes it’s in the way their roots spill out like a sigh, or the way the bark holds on to too much memory and too much water. Sometimes it’s just a sense you get—that the plant has outgrown where it’s been.

We humans, we stay in old containers too long sometimes, too.

The Tools Are Simple

I gather what I need without rush:

• A fresh bark mix (it smells like the forest floor after rain)

• A new pot with room to breathe

• Clean shears

• My hands

No gloves. I like to feel the weight of the roots, the smoothness of the bulbs, the texture of the past breaking apart in my fingers.

The Process, Slow and Steady

I tip her out gently. The roots are tangled, searching. Some are brittle. Some are still strong. I trim what no longer serves—no judgment, just kindness.

There’s something tender about dividing a plant. It’s like parting old friends. But it makes room. For both to grow.

I set her into the new pot. I press bark around her like tucking someone in. Not too tight—just enough to hold her.

And then, I wait. No water yet. Just stillness. Time to recover. I think we all need that after a change.

The Lesson, Every Time

Every time I repot a cymbidium, I’m reminded:

Growth needs space.Beauty needs rest.Roots need room to breathe.

It’s a kind of conversation—a quiet back and forth between me and the plant. Between what was and what could be.

If You Need Help, I’m Here

Not everyone has time to do this. Not everyone wants to. I understand.

That’s why I’m offering repotting as a service now—from our greenhouse to your home. If your orchid is ready for a new chapter, we’ll help it begin again.

Handled gently. Thoughtfully. The way it should be.

[Click here to learn more or schedule your service.]

Thank you for walking through this moment with me. Next time you water your plant, look a little closer. Listen. It may be telling you something.

Until next time—

–J.

Bay Area Orchids