David,

We're talking about new root growth that will be evident above the
potting medium, not those roots already in it.

Root cells grow in a manner that is tailored to the environment they are
in, and once grown, do not change.

When switching from one medium to another - or new from old - that
environment will be different, so it is important that new roots be
growing so they will be "designed" for that new environment. If the
difference between old and new is great enough, we expect the old roots
to die, so there had better be new ones to take over support of the
plant.

As a stop-gap measure, yes you can unpot and repot in the same medium
(opening it up to make it more airy will be a help all by itself), but
you really should keep supplies on hand so you can make these
"emergency" moves promptly.

Ray Barkalow - First Rays LLC - www.firstrays.com
Orchid Plants, Supplies, Equipment, Books
Artwork, Free Services & Lots of Info!
Hi K,

You've given me a lot to digest. Just a quick question or two, how do I
tell
when it's sprouting new roots without taking it out of the pot? I'm
still a
little confused about my earlier question. Can I take the plant out of
the
pot to inspect it, and if it's in good condition, replace it with the
same
bark and soil? In other words, can I reuse the old mixture until I get a

chance to buy some new mix?

Thanks for your reply.
--
David Farber
L.A., CA