If you soak the plant and the roots will not come away from the pot, then breaking the pot becomes the only option. If most if the roots come loose and only some are attached, and there are a good number of roots, then a few roots can be sacrificed.

Once the pot is broken it is possible to remove most of the pot pieces without too much damage to roots.

I use plastic pots for just this reason, although a few of my top heavy Dens have the plastic pot sitting inside a clay pot.

Had I been able to make that decision I would have decided for plastic pots, too. Alas, it already came that way. Apparently it has spend it's entire life in that clay pot and since I've only had it since last year...

Thank you for your advice. :) I hope to use it well when the times comes. Do you think spring might do it?

The amount of abuse one can give roots of plants at repotting time is really alarming. When they are well grown. In North America where it is very difficult to really grow orchids well, no matter how experienced you are or how hard you try, a culture of allowance has sprung up. Don't do this to orchids, don't do that, don't do the other. That orchid is very badly underlit and it wouldn't survive a standard repotting which would of neccessity take away a certain amount of root mass but had it been at the peak of health it would actually be desirable to rough the roots up some to encourage branching and stimulate regrowth in the new pot.

H

even if you have to break the pot which you probably will have to. If chunks of the pot stick to the roots it won't hurt a thing. In fact it would probably be better to repot with the chunks attached than to try and remove them.

Agree with Howard, the orchid shows signs of growing in insufficient light and appears to be struggling a bit.

It is 50% Dendrobium kingianum which is almost a Lithophyte (Rock Lover) so the clay pot is a good choice of container.

Optimum time for repotting is spring after flowering. But whenever you decide to repot keep the plant under-potted and if you go the plastic pot way add some pebbles to the mix..

To avoid any trauma to the fine roots of dendrobiums, I pot on, rather than repot. Just set the pot in another clay pot 2 or three sizes larger, and fill space with aliflor, charcoal or lava rock. Plant grows over sides of pot and roots in the new media. No set back from repotting.

Orchids are very difficult to grow in North America? I guess that would depend on the person. I've been growing well for over 20 yrs and I've been to many shows and have met many people who would have to disagree. Sure a few a very difficult to grow anywhere but the blanket statement that they are difficult is a erroneous statement.

No matter where you are some orchids are difficult or impossible. In this case the grower lives in Germany so that i really do not have much of an idea of growing conditions.

The orchid in question would be rated a beginners orchid here, but in some climates i'd imagine it could be difficult.

I think I am being taken out of context. Of course I have been to orchid shows and I have been other places in the U.S. and seen fine orchids. However it must be said that it is not nearly so easy to grow them under North American conditions as in, say, Jamaica where I was raised. And I don't mean only tropicals. The higher elevations of Jamaica where my grandfather grew coffee don't ever see a daytime high above 90°F and nights run around 60°F. You can grow Oncids in those conditions, no greenhouse neccessary! Don't water late in the day so moisture can evaporate, don't 'overwater', don't repot in winter (what winter?). These are the 'allowances' that have to be made in a place where you do not have the support of a friendly environment to help your efforts succceed.

H

What is the hurry to repot? This is the time of year that dendrobiums rest a bit and start dropping leaves. It is the time of year that water and fertilizer are tapered off. It would be much better to wait for spring.

I'm in no hurry to repot and actually like albertans idea best. :D I think that's how I'll do it. :) I was just askind because I'd noticed that the plant wasn't exactly shrinking. And since I thought of it now...
I will freely admit that the plant is currently growing on a north-facing balcony, which certainly makes for lack of light. But it lost some leaves last winter and none since. Instead it put on two new growths. I'm moving soon and the growth conditions for all of my plants will get better, especially for those which spent summer outside.

That hybrid can be abused. Australian dendrobiums grow like gangbusters for me in the Bayarea without any protection, although the leaves have much to be desired. I repot whenever I have the time throughout the year without issue, although some of my plants are in wine barrels at this point. They will abort flowers if potted while in spike....