HI all,
I'm a newbie. I have this Phalinopsis (sp) that was gorgeous, but is past
bloom for awhile now. It was planted in this moss stuff which has gotten
green on top. I want it to re-bloom, obviously, next year. I've been
watering it and keeping it in partial sun. Should I repot it? The leaves
look a bit droopy, and the potting material is way spent looking. Thanks for
your expert help.
Chris

Yes. Sphagnum moss is a common and popular potting medium for phals, but it
tends to break down quickly [esp. the cheaper grades of it]. It is also
very easy to keep too wet, and very hard to re-wet if it ever does dry out
all the way through [esp. if packed too tightly, which is an easy mistake
for a beginner to make].

We recommend either (1) using coconut husk chips as an alternative potting
medium [be sure to soak first] or (2) mixing medium-size bark or charcoal
with sphagnum; this seems to help prevent over-compaction and will keep the
mix "fresh" a little longer.

When you take the plant out of the old moss, remove as much of it as you can
and take a good look at the roots. If they are still pale in color [white,
tan, beige] but shriveled, then you have not been watering enough. If they
are mostly dark brown or black and mushy, then you have been watering way
too much and they have rotted. Cut off the worst of the mush before you put
the plant into its fresh pot and mix. A rooting stimulant such as
Superthrive or Dynagro K-L-N would probably also be helpful if the plant's
roots are in poor condition.

I don't think this last thing is your problem, but "droopiness" can also be
caused by excess fertilizer. If the leaves are fat and succulent, aside
from being a bit limp, and the roots are thick, firm, and mostly white or a
pale tan, then your watering has been fine, but plant has been over-fed
[possibly by time-release fertilizer in the mix that you weren't aware of].

In any event, we prefer to take it easy on fertilizer immediately after
repotting, until the plant has re-established.



Good growing,

--
Kenni Judd
Juno Beach Orchids

http://www.jborchids.com
"scullycat" wrote in message
...
HI all,
I'm a newbie. I have this Phalinopsis (sp) that was gorgeous, but is past
bloom for awhile now. It was planted in this moss stuff which has gotten
green on top. I want it to re-bloom, obviously, next year. I've been
watering it and keeping it in partial sun. Should I repot it? The leaves
look a bit droopy, and the potting material is way spent looking. Thanks
for
your expert help.
Chris

Hi, Chris,

Yes, repot ASAP. Your Phalaenopsis is planted in spaghnum moss that has
broken down, and you risk root rot if you let it go longer. Spaghnum moss,
depending on the quality, needs to be replaced at least annually. If the
quality is poor to begin with you might have to repot more frequently. When
you pot it up, trim off any rotten roots and, if you have a good root
structure, trim it a bit to encourage branching.

Look for long strands of spagh with few 'sticks' when you purchase. The
best is from New Zealand, but that appears to be getting harder to find.
Next, IMO, is Chilean. Your best bet is to go to an orchid grower for it,
as they are most likely to have the decent stuff. Soak spaghnum in warm
water (mixed with a fat drop of fertilizer) until uniformly damp. Start
with less water rather than more. You can always add, and you want to avoid
having the stuff soppy. If it does get too wet, wring it out well and then
fluff up before you use it.

watering, remember that the medium may feel dry on top before it begins
to dry out around the roots. Your goal should be moist but not wet or
soppy; you don't want to let spaghnum dry out completely, as it will turn
into a rock! And about light: avoid direct sunlight for Phals.

Good luck!

Diana

Yes. Sphagnum moss is a common and popular potting medium for phals, but it
tends to break down quickly [esp. the cheaper grades of it]. It is also
very easy to keep too wet, and very hard to re-wet if it ever does dry out
all the way through [esp. if packed too tightly, which is an easy mistake
for a beginner to make].

We recommend either (1) using coconut husk chips as an alternative potting
medium [be sure to soak first] or (2) mixing medium-size bark or charcoal
with sphagnum; this seems to help prevent over-compaction and will keep the
mix "fresh" a little longer.

When you take the plant out of the old moss, remove as much of it as you can
and take a good look at the roots. If they are still pale in color [white,
tan, beige] but shriveled, then you have not been watering enough. If they
are mostly dark brown or black and mushy, then you have been watering way
too much and they have rotted. Cut off the worst of the mush before you put
the plant into its fresh pot and mix. A rooting stimulant such as
Superthrive or Dynagro K-L-N would probably also be helpful if the plant's
roots are in poor condition.

I don't think this last thing is your problem, but "droopiness" can also be
caused by excess fertilizer. If the leaves are fat and succulent, aside
from being a bit limp, and the roots are thick, firm, and mostly white or a
pale tan, then your watering has been fine, but plant has been over-fed
[possibly by time-release fertilizer in the mix that you weren't aware of].

In any event, we prefer to take it easy on fertilizer immediately after
repotting, until the plant has re-established.



Good growing,

--
Kenni Judd
Juno Beach Orchids

http://www.jborchids.com
"scullycat" wrote in message
...
HI all,
I'm a newbie. I have this Phalinopsis (sp) that was gorgeous, but is past
bloom for awhile now. It was planted in this moss stuff which has gotten
green on top. I want it to re-bloom, obviously, next year. I've been
watering it and keeping it in partial sun. Should I repot it? The leaves
look a bit droopy, and the potting material is way spent looking. Thanks
for
your expert help.
Chris

Hi, Chris,

Yes, repot ASAP. Your Phalaenopsis is planted in spaghnum moss that has
broken down, and you risk root rot if you let it go longer. Spaghnum moss,
depending on the quality, needs to be replaced at least annually. If the
quality is poor to begin with you might have to repot more frequently. When
you pot it up, trim off any rotten roots and, if you have a good root
structure, trim it a bit to encourage branching.

Look for long strands of spagh with few 'sticks' when you purchase. The
best is from New Zealand, but that appears to be getting harder to find.
Next, IMO, is Chilean. Your best bet is to go to an orchid grower for it,
as they are most likely to have the decent stuff. Soak spaghnum in warm
water (mixed with a fat drop of fertilizer) until uniformly damp. Start
with less water rather than more. You can always add, and you want to avoid
having the stuff soppy. If it does get too wet, wring it out well and then
fluff up before you use it.

watering, remember that the medium may feel dry on top before it begins
to dry out around the roots. Your goal should be moist but not wet or
soppy; you don't want to let spaghnum dry out completely, as it will turn
into a rock! And about light: avoid direct sunlight for Phals.

Good luck!

Diana

Kenni,

Guess we're pretty much on the same page on this one. But, I switched about
half of my Phals to CHC mixed with small Aliflor, charcoal, sponge rock and
Perlite (I know - sponge rock AND Perlite is a little bit of overkill) and
found myself misjudging the amount of moisture I was giving them. I'm rarely
guilty of overwatering, but I did make that mistake at first with the new
mix. I prefer the CHC, because it lasts so much longer, but I need to get
used to it.

Diana