I have a phal. It hasn't bloomed for about five or six months. It
also hasn't grown any new leaves. I was starting to despair when I
noticed it was growing several new roots. The top of the pot looks
like a bowl of spaghetti. I was thinking it may need to be repotted
but now I see a flower spike is just starting.

It's in a 6" pot. I'm guessing I should leave it alone. Is that the
right approach?

Thanks

Jane wrote:
I have a phal. It hasn't bloomed for about five or six months. It
also hasn't grown any new leaves. I was starting to despair when I
noticed it was growing several new roots. The top of the pot looks
like a bowl of spaghetti. I was thinking it may need to be repotted
but now I see a flower spike is just starting.

It's in a 6" pot. I'm guessing I should leave it alone. Is that the
right approach?

Thanks



I'd repot it now, when the new roots are starting. If the spike is just
starting you won't hurt it (unless you break it off), and leaving the
plant in its current pot for the next nine months plus while you have
spike and flowers is probably not going to be a good idea.

--
Rob's Rules: http://littlefrogfarm.com
1) There is always room for one more orchid
2) There is always room for two more orchids
2a) See rule 1
3) When one has insufficient credit to obtain more
orchids, obtain more credit

Jane, to expand on Rob's correct answer, the reason you ought to go ahead
and repot is because if you wait until another bloom cycle passes your
medium will surely be broken down.

Diana

"Rob" wrote in message
...
Jane wrote:
I have a phal. It hasn't bloomed for about five or six months. It
also hasn't grown any new leaves. I was starting to despair when I
noticed it was growing several new roots. The top of the pot looks
like a bowl of spaghetti. I was thinking it may need to be repotted
but now I see a flower spike is just starting.

It's in a 6" pot. I'm guessing I should leave it alone. Is that the
right approach?

Thanks



I'd repot it now, when the new roots are starting. If the spike is just
starting you won't hurt it (unless you break it off), and leaving the
plant in its current pot for the next nine months plus while you have
spike and flowers is probably not going to be a good idea.

--
Rob's Rules: http://littlefrogfarm.com
1) There is always room for one more orchid
2) There is always room for two more orchids
2a) See rule 1
3) When one has insufficient credit to obtain more
orchids, obtain more credit

On Mar 26, 4:40 pm, "Diana Kulaga"
wrote:
Jane, to expand on Rob's correct answer, the reason you ought to go ahead
and repot is because if you wait until another bloom cycle passes your
medium will surely be broken down.

Diana

"Rob" wrote in message

...

Jane wrote:
I have a phal. It hasn't bloomed for about five or six months. It
also hasn't grown any new leaves. I was starting to despair when I
noticed it was growing several new roots. The top of the pot looks
like a bowl of spaghetti. I was thinking it may need to be repotted
but now I see a flower spike is just starting.

It's in a 6" pot. I'm guessing I should leave it alone. Is that the
right approach?

Thanks

I'd repot it now, when the new roots are starting. If the spike is just
starting you won't hurt it (unless you break it off), and leaving the
plant in its current pot for the next nine months plus while you have
spike and flowers is probably not going to be a good idea.

--
Rob's Rules: http://littlefrogfarm.com
1) There is always room for one more orchid
2) There is always room for two more orchids
2a) See rule 1
3) When one has insufficient credit to obtain more
orchids, obtain more credit

OK. Can you tell me how to repot? I've repotted many other plants
but never an orchid. I assume I can buy special medium at my garden
store and also assume I should go to an 8" pot. Do I cover the
roots? Do I remove the old medium?

Basically - help!

OK. Can you tell me how to repot? I've repotted many other plants
but never an orchid. I assume I can buy special medium at my garden
store and also assume I should go to an 8" pot. Do I cover the
roots? Do I remove the old medium?

Basically - help!


Yes, you can buy the medium at the garden center. Don't assume you need
a bigger pot until you look at the roots. Remove the plant from its
current pot, remove as much of the medium as you can comfortably remove,
and examine the roots. Remove any roots that are mushy. After that,
pick a pot that fits the roots comfortably. Don't overpot though, that
is really bad. Place the roots in the pot, fill with new medium, squish
it in a bit to remove the voids (don't press too hard), and you are done!


--
Rob's Rules: http://littlefrogfarm.com
1) There is always room for one more orchid
2) There is always room for two more orchids
2a) See rule 1
3) When one has insufficient credit to obtain more
orchids, obtain more credit

go up one pot size if you think you need to, but keep the old pot (or
one of a similar size) handy in case you discover your root ball
really isn't as large as you think it is. you don't want to over pot.

don't break the spike.

yes, clean off as much of the old medium as you can; if a root is
hanging onto a piece of bark with a death grip, it's ok to let it keep
it.

don't break the spike.

pull or trim off any wet mushy roots; anything that feels firm,
regardless of color, is still good and you should keep it.

don't break the spike.

can you tell i've broken short spikes before? :-)

see also:

http://firstrays.com/potting.htm

--j_a

LOL! How about some *positive* motivation here? I.E., Preserve the spike!

There was a story about a bb coach who kept telling one of his pitchers
which pitch *not* to throw to a particular batter. You guessed it - that's
the pitch he threw. Afterward, the pitcher said all that kept going through
his mind was that forbidden pitch. Wish I could remember the source of that.
It's a true story.

Diana

wrote in message
oups.com...
go up one pot size if you think you need to, but keep the old pot (or
one of a similar size) handy in case you discover your root ball
really isn't as large as you think it is. you don't want to over pot.

don't break the spike.

yes, clean off as much of the old medium as you can; if a root is
hanging onto a piece of bark with a death grip, it's ok to let it keep
it.

don't break the spike.

pull or trim off any wet mushy roots; anything that feels firm,
regardless of color, is still good and you should keep it.

don't break the spike.

can you tell i've broken short spikes before? :-)

see also:

http://firstrays.com/potting.htm

--j_a

Everyone is in consesus, repot. When you get your mix, commercially
available as "orchid potting mix". Remeber to soak the bark mix for
several hours to overnight before using it. That gives you one more
chance to rinse it, helps prevent salt accumulation when you water,
and ensures that it has been thoroughly moistened. If you grow in the
house, you can also add a little sphagnum (pre-moistened) to keep
humidity around the roots. Don't fill the air gaps, it won't take
much.

Best wishes,

Nancy G.
OK. Can you tell me how to repot? I've repotted many other plants
but never an orchid. I assume I can buy special medium at my garden
store and also assume I should go to an 8" pot. Do I cover the
roots? Do I remove the old medium?

Basically - help!- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

On Mar 26, 5:14 pm, wrote:
go up one pot size if you think you need to, but keep the old pot (or
one of a similar size) handy in case you discover your root ball
really isn't as large as you think it is. you don't want to over pot.

don't break the spike.

yes, clean off as much of the old medium as you can; if a root is
hanging onto a piece of bark with a death grip, it's ok to let it keep
it.

don't break the spike.

pull or trim off any wet mushy roots; anything that feels firm,
regardless of color, is still good and you should keep it.

don't break the spike.

can you tell i've broken short spikes before? :-)

see also:

http://firstrays.com/potting.htm

--j_a

Hmmm - looks like I shouldn't break the spike?

I think I'm in luck with this. The spike is just starting to peep out
so it's only about an inch or so in length. I'll be VERY careful.

On Mar 26, 1:09 pm, "Jane" wrote:
I have a phal. It hasn't bloomed for about five or six months. It
also hasn't grown any new leaves. I was starting to despair when I
noticed it was growing several new roots. The top of the pot looks
like a bowl of spaghetti. I was thinking it may need to be repotted
but now I see a flower spike is just starting.

It's in a 6" pot. I'm guessing I should leave it alone. Is that the
right approach?

Thanks

OK, now that I know I have to repot - or at least remove the plant and
look at the roots, I have another question:

I've noticed that all the orchids I've bought, regardless from where,
are in plastic pots.

Does that mean I should stick with the plastic? I have to say they
all seem to be doing quite well so I'd guess I should continue with
what's working, but just wanted to check.

Jane wrote:

OK, now that I know I have to repot - or at least remove the plant and
look at the roots, I have another question:

I've noticed that all the orchids I've bought, regardless from where,
are in plastic pots.

Does that mean I should stick with the plastic? I have to say they
all seem to be doing quite well so I'd guess I should continue with
what's working, but just wanted to check.


They are in plastic pots because clay pots are heavy (expensive to ship)
and clay pots are more expensive to start with. When your profit margin
is measured in pennies per plant (big box store supplier), clay pots
would kill you.

But, you can use clay pots... They dry out a little quicker than
plants in plastic pots, which is good. Plus they add valuable weight to
the base of the plant, phals can get tippy so anything to offset that
helps. Or you can use plastic pots, whatever you want to do.

Rob


--
Rob's Rules: http://littlefrogfarm.com
1) There is always room for one more orchid
2) There is always room for two more orchids
2a) See rule 1
3) When one has insufficient credit to obtain more
orchids, obtain more credit

"Rob" wrote in message
...
Jane wrote:

OK, now that I know I have to repot - or at least remove the plant and
look at the roots, I have another question:

I've noticed that all the orchids I've bought, regardless from where,
are in plastic pots.

Does that mean I should stick with the plastic? I have to say they
all seem to be doing quite well so I'd guess I should continue with
what's working, but just wanted to check.


They are in plastic pots because clay pots are heavy (expensive to ship)
and clay pots are more expensive to start with. When your profit margin
is measured in pennies per plant (big box store supplier), clay pots would
kill you.

But, you can use clay pots... They dry out a little quicker than plants
in plastic pots, which is good. Plus they add valuable weight to the base
of the plant, phals can get tippy so anything to offset that helps. Or
you can use plastic pots, whatever you want to do.

Rob


--
Rob's Rules: http://littlefrogfarm.com
1) There is always room for one more orchid
2) There is always room for two more orchids
2a) See rule 1
3) When one has insufficient credit to obtain more
orchids, obtain more credit


Well, here in my part of California where we don't have the ambient humidity
that Rob does clay pots dry out way faster than plastic. IMHO you've
learned how to water and get your plant to grow and spike in a plastic pot.
My advice would be to stay with what you know. Don't add in another
variable.

K Barrett

On Mar 26, 1:09 pm, "Jane" wrote:
I have a phal. It hasn't bloomed for about five or six months. It
also hasn't grown any new leaves. I was starting to despair when I
noticed it was growing several new roots. The top of the pot looks
like a bowl of spaghetti. I was thinking it may need to be repotted
but now I see a flower spike is just starting.

It's in a 6" pot. I'm guessing I should leave it alone. Is that the
right approach?

Thanks

Well - I just did it. It was all roots so I put it in an 8" pot. I
hope it does OK since I think I'm becoming an orchid junkie.

I hope it does OK since I think I'm becoming an orchid junkie.

Um, that's why we're all here. To get our fixes........Welcome to OA!

Diana

Jane,

Welcome to the addiction.

One other thing to do before repotting, I know--too late for this one, is to
wet the roots, esp. those not in the mix, first.

Let them set for 10 or 15 minutes. They become more flexible and less likely
to break.

Bob

"Diana Kulaga" wrote in message
.. .
I hope it does OK since I think I'm becoming an orchid junkie.

Um, that's why we're all here. To get our fixes........Welcome to OA!

Diana