Thanks all (Rob, K Barrett, Steve and Sue),

This is greatly appreciated. Both are due for repotting, and I will be
going to an orchid show in Cambridge Ontario, so I can pick up some
medium there.

It looks like they are both presently in very small coconut husk chips.
The phrag is in a 7.5 cm plastic pot and the paph is in a 5 cm pot,
both about 10 cm tall. I do notice that water appears in the saucer
the very moment I start watering, in contrast to even my very happy
catts; but then they're in larger pots so it takes a few seconds for
water to appear out the bottom once I start watering. I could be wrong
but that suggests that there is plenty of pore space within the medium
to allow the roots free access to air. Even coarse sand doesn't let
water move through it that fast.

I want to try semihydro, and there are suppliers of the right supplies
to do it. I just haven't had the time to go and get the needed
supplies. And I am a bit concerned about the potential for mortality
since I understand the old roots would be history and the new ones will
take time to grow. I'll read up on it on Ray's site, again, and see
just how significant the risk is.

Thanks again,

Ted


R.E. (Ted) Byers, Ph.D., Ed.D.
R & D Decision Support Solutions
http://www.randddecisionsupportsolutions.com/
Healthy Living Through Informed Decision Making