The Orchid Garden

Phal Repottin Help Needed

Question:

   I would like to know a soil recipe and any helpful hints for repotting.

Here’s a "recipe" for phals that I got from a Miami Herald interview with Ethyle Knapp, who is a commercial Phal grower. She developed this recipe a number of years ago. I use it on my phals and they seem to like it. 1 cup chopped sphagnum 1 cup fine charcoal 1 cup coarse perlite 1 1/4 cups 7:1 blend of tree fern:redwood chips Combine all and soak for 20 minutes before repotting. This mix provides retains moisture phals like with enough drainage so that they don’t stay wet. Are clay pots okay?  Any type of pots better. You can use clay, but they allow the medium to dry out sooner so you may need to water more frequently. I use plastic. I water once a week and mist lightly each morning.  This orchid is kept indoors and has some roots that have grown out of the pot that need to be cut off.

If the roots are healthy, don’t chop them. Typically orchids prefer to be a little pot bound and phals will spread their roots out of the pot a bit. If the roots are really unwieldy use a slightly larger pot than it was in previously. I try not to disturb the roots any more than necessary when I repot any of my orchids. Good luck, Melinda Jupiter Tequesta Orchid Society

Response:

    I am a novice when it comes to orchids.  I got a phalaenopis for my mother on mother’s day 3 years ago and it is growing great (currently in bloom 6 or 7 flowers).  I think that after this round of blooms, the plant should be repotted, the roots are growing out of the pot and it has not been repotted yet.     I would like to know a soil recipe and any helpful hints for repotting.  Are clay pots okay?  Any type of pots better.  This orchid is kept indoors and has some roots that have grown out of the pot that need to be cut off.  Any special rules?  Is there a special fertilizer?     I would appreciate any advice.  Thanks,         Monique

Response:

Suggest you get Rebecca North book on Growing Orchids.

I think you will find her name is Rebecca Northen. Also, someone in this newsgroup, about two months ago wrote in saying the book was already out of print and hard to find. Someone else wrote back and said it was still available, and I never did find out the truth. Since I already have mine I didn’t look into it.

Response:

Hi Ken, The first time I ever repotted my Phals I trimmed all the roots so they’d fit back into the same 4 inch pots. I never saw plants wilt so fast in all my born days! The wilted leaves never recovered, and I had to wait for new growth to occur to get a good looking plant again. Set me back a year. I now know there is a technique to this, such as trimming and then letting the roots dry a little, or dusting with cinnamon or other powder, but once burned twice careful! Now I don’t trim healthy roots. I pull off the dead ones and wrap the good ones into whatever pot will just hold them, and fill with my potting medium (in my case I like bark) K Barrett – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text –      do NOT cut the roots off Although I generally agree, I have seen books that recommend trimming all the roots.  I’d be interested if anyone has comments on this. Does it stimulate new root growth if the roots are trimmed back in repotting?

Response:

do NOT cut the roots off

Although I generally agree, I have seen books that recommend trimming all the roots.  I’d be interested if anyone has comments on this.  Does it stimulate new root growth if the roots are trimmed back in repotting?

Response:

Hi Monique, Here is some suggestions.  First, determine what type of potting mix you currently have for this phal.  Is it organic vs inorganic?   If it is organic (such as bark, tree-fern, or peak moss), you probably should repot now.  If it is inorganic (lava rock, perlite, charcoal), then you may not need to repot because the potting mix does not break down.  Whatever the potting mix is used for this plant, you should continue using it because it has worked for you.  If you feel like trying a new mix, well, there are many choices.  You’ll have to decide on things such as how often you want to water, how dry is your growing area, etc. Clay pot is great.  Most of us use plastic because it’s easier to repot, light weight to ship, inexpensive, etc.  But clay pot is good because your plant does not stay too wet.  You don’t need to cut the air root.  Prior to repotting, you should soak your plant in pot so that the root may be slightly bend to fit in the new pot.  And when choosing new pot, pick one that is slightly bigger (1 inch larger, for example) than your current pot size. Good luck, — Peter Lin Web: http://www.phalaenopsis.net – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text –    I am a novice when it comes to orchids.  I got a phalaenopis for my mother on mother’s day 3 years ago and it is growing great (currently in bloom 6 or 7 flowers).  I think that after this round of blooms, the plant should be repotted, the roots are growing out of the pot and it has not been repotted yet.    I would like to know a soil recipe and any helpful hints for repotting.  Are clay pots okay?  Any type of pots better.  This orchid is kept indoors and has some roots that have grown out of the pot that need to be cut off.  Any special rules?  Is there a special fertilizer?    I would appreciate any advice.  Thanks,        Monique

Response:

–     I am a novice when it comes to orchids.  I got a phalaenopis for my – mother on mother’s day 3 years ago and it is growing great (currently in – bloom 6 or 7 flowers).  I think that after this round of blooms, the – plant should be repotted, the roots are growing out of the pot and it – has not been repotted yet. –     I would like to know a soil recipe and any helpful hints for – repotting.  Are clay pots okay?  Any type of pots better.  This orchid – is kept indoors and has some roots that have grown out of the pot that – need to be cut off.  Any special rules?  Is there a special fertilizer? –     I would appreciate any advice.  Thanks, –         Monique – First of all orchids do not grow in soil. Second do NOT cut the roots off unless they are rotten and certainly not because they are outside the pot. Any pot will do except that clay pots will dry out faster than plastic. Use the same pot again and put in new media such as bark, or moss or whatever. Suggest you get Rebecca North book on Growing Orchids. It will give you the information you need so that your mother’s phal will continue to bloom for her. —- Gideon Singer "It’s A Magical World, Hobbes, Ol’ Buddy… …Let’s Go Exploring !" Calvin’s Last Words 12/31/95 Visit my home page: http://home.bc.rogers.wave.ca/gsinger/ Remove the Z’s to email.

Response:

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