Now that my phal has finished blooming (pre-Christmas to Victoria Day
is a lot longer than I was expecting the blooms to last) I figure it
time to consider repotting.

The phal is in a clay pot with a 4 1/2" diameter across the top. It
now has six leaves and three aerial roots (after having none up until
a few weeks ago). The roots are the reason I have started to think
about repotting. They are long enough to rub up against the edges of
the pot. I don't know where they're going to get room to grow any
longer. Is this a problem or should I just leave them be for the time
being?

I'll leave the questions about how to repot until after I get a
consensus on whether it needs a new home.

I guess I'll also have to figure out if I should leave the plant as is
or cut it back a bit. The last time I cut it down a couple inches, so
I know that's a viable option, but I'd love for it to grow bigger,
more numerous branches (what do you call those anyway?). Maybe I'll
let it go for a while and see what happens.
--Vic

Vic, you can cut the "spike" back a little-I usually cut the dried part
off but I'd never cut the leaves back if that's what you meant. As for
repotting this is the perfect time. Use sterilized scissors (run over
an open flame) and use a pot just bigger that the mass of roots. You'll
see hollow looking or black mushy roots, cut these off. Repot using
sphagnum moss (you can find it at Lowes) don't let water stand in the
drip tray and water when it's this side of dry. Burr

On Wed, 25 May 2005 18:34:28 -0500, wrote:

Vic, you can cut the "spike" back a little-I usually cut the dried part
off but I'd never cut the leaves back if that's what you meant. As for
repotting this is the perfect time. Use sterilized scissors (run over
an open flame) and use a pot just bigger that the mass of roots. You'll
see hollow looking or black mushy roots, cut these off. Repot using
sphagnum moss (you can find it at Lowes) don't let water stand in the
drip tray and water when it's this side of dry. Burr

Don't worry, I'd never touch the leaves. g I just meant cutting off
the "branch" that supported the flowers and taking the spike down an
inch or two (which is the procedure I used last time). I'm only
hesitant because I want to encourage growth and I hate the idea of the
plant wasting all its energy replicating its current height/size.

Currently the plant is in a growing medium -- the dark stuff that
looks like soil that I don't know the name of -- with some moss on the
top layer. Usually when I repot plants I use as much of the original
soil as possible and just "top up" with new stuff. Can I use the same
approach with an orchid? Since the phal seems pretty happy as is, I
don't want to disturb it too much.

From what I can see of the roots through the slots in the pot, they
look pretty healthy and green. Is finding black, mushy roots pretty
much a guarantee?

How much is "just bigger" than the root mass? Half-an-inch on either
side? An inch? I'd like to avoid having to repot this again in another
month or two, although if that's what the plant really needs, I guess
that's what I'll do.

How big will the roots get? They seem to be growing like the
proverbial weeds. g I'm sure they'll be banging up against the sides
of a slightly larger pot in the blink of an eye.

The only reason I'm asking all these questions is because I keep
reading about people on this group who get professional growers to
repot their plants, so I figure there must be something complicated
that I just haven't figured out.
--Vic

Hi Vic, Sounds like you are doing everything right. I would check
the potting mix to see if it is ok. Not smelly or mushy?
Here is a url with some step by step instructions.
http://www.midpacificorchids.citymax...age/235341.htm

The stem or spike is called an inflorescens but not sure what
a branch is called?

--

Cheers Wendy

Remove PETERPAN for email reply

da wrote:
Now that my phal has finished blooming (pre-Christmas to Victoria Day
is a lot longer than I was expecting the blooms to last) I figure it
time to consider repotting.

The phal is in a clay pot with a 4 1/2" diameter across the top. It
now has six leaves and three aerial roots (after having none up until
a few weeks ago). The roots are the reason I have started to think
about repotting. They are long enough to rub up against the edges of
the pot. I don't know where they're going to get room to grow any
longer. Is this a problem or should I just leave them be for the time
being?

I'll leave the questions about how to repot until after I get a
consensus on whether it needs a new home.

I guess I'll also have to figure out if I should leave the plant as is
or cut it back a bit. The last time I cut it down a couple inches, so
I know that's a viable option, but I'd love for it to grow bigger,
more numerous branches (what do you call those anyway?). Maybe I'll
let it go for a while and see what happens.
--Vic

On Wed, 25 May 2005 19:08:19 -0700, "wendy7"
wrote:

Hi Vic, Sounds like you are doing everything right. I would check
the potting mix to see if it is ok. Not smelly or mushy?
Here is a url with some step by step instructions.
http://www.midpacificorchids.citymax...age/235341.htm

The stem or spike is called an inflorescens but not sure what
a branch is called?


LOL! Well my plant certainly isn't as large or overgrown and the one
pictured. g

That is a very, very, very bad site. I started off just looking at the
supplies -- I thought I would try to figure out what that growing
medium is called -- but then I moved to the plant catalogue. I'm still
in the cattleya section, and I've already picked out a long list of
plants I'd love to own. I have to keep telling myself that I haven't
got enough room for another orchid, I haven't had my single orchid
long enough to hone my skills enough to try a catt, and while those
prices look really, really tempting, they're in U.S. dollars and they
won't be quite as tempting after the conversion.
--Vic

Since this is your first orchid tell us what window it's in and how your
taking care of it. A pot an inch bigger than the root mass would be
good for size wise. Roots growing like weeds is a good sign-your orchid
sounds healthy-I don't know what that medium is but you don't want it in
soil (as in normal houseplants) Orchids loose leaves now and then as
they grow new ones-they'll turn yellow this is normal. Now with the
reusing of old soil, don't do this with orchids I think they can go a
year without repotting but in the mean time their medium breaks down
(decomposes) so use fresh sphagnum moss or orchid mix. Usually when I
buy an orchid I repot it immediately and I always find bad roots-you may
or may not....good luck....don't try seeing a doctor for your orchid
fever once your bitten there's no cure only the relentless drive to
quench your thirst with more, more, more!......Burr

OMG! No wonder you were laughing that photo was extremely in need
of help wasn't it? Hey you might also use a fan it helps keep the room
from getting too hot in the summer..Burr

On Thu, 26 May 2005 00:35:38 -0500, wrote:

Since this is your first orchid tell us what window it's in and how your
taking care of it. A pot an inch bigger than the root mass would be
good for size wise. Roots growing like weeds is a good sign-your orchid
sounds healthy-I don't know what that medium is but you don't want it in
soil (as in normal houseplants) Orchids loose leaves now and then as
they grow new ones-they'll turn yellow this is normal. Now with the
reusing of old soil, don't do this with orchids I think they can go a
year without repotting but in the mean time their medium breaks down
(decomposes) so use fresh sphagnum moss or orchid mix. Usually when I
buy an orchid I repot it immediately and I always find bad roots-you may
or may not....good luck....don't try seeing a doctor for your orchid
fever once your bitten there's no cure only the relentless drive to
quench your thirst with more, more, more!......Burr


Basically I'm doing everything wrong. g It's in a north facing
window (only direction my windows face) and the windows don't open, so
there is no temperature variation between night and day. It's also
about a foot or so away from the window pane. I don't have any growing
lights.

It usually gets a bit of fertilizer whenever I water, which is
whenever the moss feels dry (not damp) to the touch. I think I
probably let it dry out a bit too much, but I'd rather err on that
side than on the wet side.

It was repotted directly after I bought it. It came in a double pot --
smaller plastic inside of slightly larger clay. The woman at the
hardware store where I bought it said she grows them and the best
thing to do is to remove them from the plastic pots as soon as they
arrive home, so that's what I did. At the time I didn't change to
growing medium or the moss. I just swapped the pots.

Now despite my abuse g the plant bloomed for me, rebloomed after a
few months, has doubled its leaf count and has recently started
growing those visible roots like crazy. Even my moss has started to
green up. I've had the plant for less than a year, so I'm pretty
happy with it.

I really don't know what it is growing in. It's that dark stuff that
looks like regular old potting soil, but I'm working on the assumption
that it's not. I know there is some kind of orchid growing medium that
looks like plain old garden dirt -- I've seen reference to it either
here or somewhere on the Internet -- but I forget what it is called.
As I said in my first post, the dirt is covered with a layer of moss.
I guess it is some type of sphagnum. Ideally I'd like to keep the
plant in the same type of environment since it seems to be thriving
(or at least surviving).

As far as I can tell the growing medium/soil-type-stuff seems like it
is in pretty good shape. The moss looks a bit thin, but that could be
because the the roots have pushed through or it has broken down a bit.


I don't mind keeping it in the same pot for now. I was just concerned
that the aerial roots would be damaged if they didn't have room to
spread out, but if doesn't hurt them to touch the edges of the pot,
then I'm perfectly happy leaving it alone for a while.
--Vic

On Thu, 26 May 2005 20:17:25 GMT in da wrote:


Basically I'm doing everything wrong. g It's in a north facing
window (only direction my windows face) and the windows don't open, so
there is no temperature variation between night and day. It's also
about a foot or so away from the window pane. I don't have any growing
lights.

Sorry, one of your later paragraphs contradicts this one.
If the plant is putting out new leaves and has managed to rebloom,
you're doing something right.

Now despite my abuse g the plant bloomed for me, rebloomed after a
few months, has doubled its leaf count and has recently started
growing those visible roots like crazy. Even my moss has started to
green up. I've had the plant for less than a year, so I'm pretty
happy with it.

I really don't know what it is growing in. It's that dark stuff that
looks like regular old potting soil, but I'm working on the assumption
that it's not. I know there is some kind of orchid growing medium that
looks like plain old garden dirt -- I've seen reference to it either
here or somewhere on the Internet -- but I forget what it is called.
As I said in my first post, the dirt is covered with a layer of moss.
I guess it is some type of sphagnum. Ideally I'd like to keep the
plant in the same type of environment since it seems to be thriving
(or at least surviving).

I had a realization while on my afternoon walk.
Does it look like the plant is in peat moss mixed with perlite
or vermiculite?
sort of a tan when brown, darker brown when wet, and little bits of
what look like miniature ping pong balls in it?
Otherwise, does it look like small (.5-.7cm) chunks of perhaps
wood or bark?


--
Chris Dukes
Suspicion breeds confidence -- Brazil

On Thu, 26 May 2005 22:37:33 GMT,
wrote:

On Thu, 26 May 2005 20:17:25 GMT in da wrote:


Basically I'm doing everything wrong. g It's in a north facing
window (only direction my windows face) and the windows don't open, so
there is no temperature variation between night and day. It's also
about a foot or so away from the window pane. I don't have any growing
lights.

Sorry, one of your later paragraphs contradicts this one.
If the plant is putting out new leaves and has managed to rebloom,
you're doing something right.

Now despite my abuse g the plant bloomed for me, rebloomed after a
few months, has doubled its leaf count and has recently started
growing those visible roots like crazy. Even my moss has started to
green up. I've had the plant for less than a year, so I'm pretty
happy with it.

I really don't know what it is growing in. It's that dark stuff that
looks like regular old potting soil, but I'm working on the assumption
that it's not. I know there is some kind of orchid growing medium that
looks like plain old garden dirt -- I've seen reference to it either
here or somewhere on the Internet -- but I forget what it is called.
As I said in my first post, the dirt is covered with a layer of moss.
I guess it is some type of sphagnum. Ideally I'd like to keep the
plant in the same type of environment since it seems to be thriving
(or at least surviving).

I had a realization while on my afternoon walk.
Does it look like the plant is in peat moss mixed with perlite
or vermiculite?
sort of a tan when brown, darker brown when wet, and little bits of
what look like miniature ping pong balls in it?
Otherwise, does it look like small (.5-.7cm) chunks of perhaps
wood or bark?


--
Chris Dukes
Suspicion breeds confidence -- Brazil

Should I apologize for intruding on your peaceful walk with my petty
plant problem?

It could be peat moss, although from what I can see the the drainage
slats in the pot, I thought it looked a little thick and dark for
that. Mind you, the little bit I managed to pick out from the botton
hole looked much more like peat than just plain dirt.

There are definitely little bits of perlite or vermiculite --
whitish/greyish bits not quite ping pong ball round -- sprinkled
through the mixture.

Sorry about the vague answers. Even though I enjoy growing plants, I'm
far from an expert gardener. My basic approach to the hobby is pick up
whatever bag of potting soil is on sale at the time I need it and to
water things when they look dry or start to droop a bit. I don't know
nitrogen from potassium, or what level pH my water or soil should be.
Those triple digit numbers on fertilizer packages get my head reeling
in confusion. I've spent more time worrying about how I'm growing this
silly phal than I have on caring for all the other plants I've ever
grown in my life. Mind you I've really enjoyed having continuous
blooms for the past five months (give or take a bit) and because of
that I'm willing to give the plant a bit more attention.
--Vic

Could be a mixture based upon chunky peat, which mostly comes from Canada
anyway...

--

Ray Barkalow - First Rays Orchids - www.firstrays.com
Plants, Supplies, Artwork, Books and Lots of Free Info!


wrote in message
...
On Thu, 26 May 2005 22:37:33 GMT,
wrote:

On Thu, 26 May 2005 20:17:25 GMT in
wrote:


Basically I'm doing everything wrong. g It's in a north facing
window (only direction my windows face) and the windows don't open, so
there is no temperature variation between night and day. It's also
about a foot or so away from the window pane. I don't have any growing
lights.

Sorry, one of your later paragraphs contradicts this one.
If the plant is putting out new leaves and has managed to rebloom,
you're doing something right.

Now despite my abuse g the plant bloomed for me, rebloomed after a
few months, has doubled its leaf count and has recently started
growing those visible roots like crazy. Even my moss has started to
green up. I've had the plant for less than a year, so I'm pretty
happy with it.

I really don't know what it is growing in. It's that dark stuff that
looks like regular old potting soil, but I'm working on the assumption
that it's not. I know there is some kind of orchid growing medium that
looks like plain old garden dirt -- I've seen reference to it either
here or somewhere on the Internet -- but I forget what it is called.
As I said in my first post, the dirt is covered with a layer of moss.
I guess it is some type of sphagnum. Ideally I'd like to keep the
plant in the same type of environment since it seems to be thriving
(or at least surviving).

I had a realization while on my afternoon walk.
Does it look like the plant is in peat moss mixed with perlite
or vermiculite?
sort of a tan when brown, darker brown when wet, and little bits of
what look like miniature ping pong balls in it?
Otherwise, does it look like small (.5-.7cm) chunks of perhaps
wood or bark?


--
Chris Dukes
Suspicion breeds confidence -- Brazil

Should I apologize for intruding on your peaceful walk with my petty
plant problem?

It could be peat moss, although from what I can see the the drainage
slats in the pot, I thought it looked a little thick and dark for
that. Mind you, the little bit I managed to pick out from the botton
hole looked much more like peat than just plain dirt.

There are definitely little bits of perlite or vermiculite --
whitish/greyish bits not quite ping pong ball round -- sprinkled
through the mixture.

Sorry about the vague answers. Even though I enjoy growing plants, I'm
far from an expert gardener. My basic approach to the hobby is pick up
whatever bag of potting soil is on sale at the time I need it and to
water things when they look dry or start to droop a bit. I don't know
nitrogen from potassium, or what level pH my water or soil should be.
Those triple digit numbers on fertilizer packages get my head reeling
in confusion. I've spent more time worrying about how I'm growing this
silly phal than I have on caring for all the other plants I've ever
grown in my life. Mind you I've really enjoyed having continuous
blooms for the past five months (give or take a bit) and because of
that I'm willing to give the plant a bit more attention.
--Vic

On Thu, 26 May 2005 20:26:31 -0400, "Ray"
wrote:

Could be a mixture based upon chunky peat, which mostly comes from Canada
anyway...

--

Ray Barkalow - First Rays Orchids - www.firstrays.com
Plants, Supplies, Artwork, Books and Lots of Free Info!



After looking at the list of growing media at
http://www.vex.net/~jyd/TAVS/Docs/orchids.htm and viewing the photos
at http://www.kkorchid.com/1medium_potting.asp I'd have to guess that
you're right and it is some type of peat mix.

So where is the best place to buy some more or can I just use regular
old peat moss? Will any old nursery or do I have to find some orchid
specialist? If so, can anybody recommend one in the Toronto or
Kitchener-Waterloo area? I know there are a some very reputable,
online vendors in the group here, but I still prefer to shop in
person.

Ray, I took a look at the supplies on your site, and I've got a
question for you. The pots that you show look like the regular plant
pots that I'm used to. The clay pot that came with the phal is
different. In addition to the bottom drainage hole, it has four long,
skinny, vertical slats/drainage holes that run half the height of the
pot itself. I guess this lets more air into the roots, and helps in
the drainage -- or am I just deluding myself? It wouldn't be the first
time. g
--Vic

Vic,

The vast majority of orchids we cultivate are epiphytic, so maintaining good
air flow around the root system is an important aspect of keeping them
healthy. Those so-called "slotted orchid pots" are designed to provide
extra air flow through the medium, not really for "extra drainage," per se.
However, with the proper selection of medium in relation to the particular
needs of the plant and the cultural specifics that you routinely provide,
providing those extra slots is unnecessary.

It's all a balancing act between air flow, medium water retention, and your
conditions and watering tendencies. Coarser media provide better air flow,
but may dry out faster - good for a cattleya, but bad for a phalaenopsis.
So, if I am trying to grow both, I'd probably tailor the media a bit and use
different pots - more water retention for the phal by using a plastic pot
and/or adding something to the medium to make it hold more moisture - so I
could water them the same but get different in-pot conditions.

Also, as practical advice, I find that starting with a coarse, airy medium
and adding sphagnum or other moisture-holding ingredients is a better
approach for me than starting with a wet medium and trying to open it up.
--

Ray Barkalow - First Rays Orchids - www.firstrays.com
Plants, Supplies, Artwork, Books and Lots of Free Info!


wrote in message
...
On Thu, 26 May 2005 20:26:31 -0400, "Ray"
wrote:

Could be a mixture based upon chunky peat, which mostly comes from Canada
anyway...

--

Ray Barkalow - First Rays Orchids - www.firstrays.com
Plants, Supplies, Artwork, Books and Lots of Free Info!



After looking at the list of growing media at
http://www.vex.net/~jyd/TAVS/Docs/orchids.htm and viewing the photos
at http://www.kkorchid.com/1medium_potting.asp I'd have to guess that
you're right and it is some type of peat mix.

So where is the best place to buy some more or can I just use regular
old peat moss? Will any old nursery or do I have to find some orchid
specialist? If so, can anybody recommend one in the Toronto or
Kitchener-Waterloo area? I know there are a some very reputable,
online vendors in the group here, but I still prefer to shop in
person.

Ray, I took a look at the supplies on your site, and I've got a
question for you. The pots that you show look like the regular plant
pots that I'm used to. The clay pot that came with the phal is
different. In addition to the bottom drainage hole, it has four long,
skinny, vertical slats/drainage holes that run half the height of the
pot itself. I guess this lets more air into the roots, and helps in
the drainage -- or am I just deluding myself? It wouldn't be the first
time. g
--Vic

After looking at the list of growing media at
http://www.vex.net/~jyd/TAVS/Docs/orchids.htm and viewing the photos
at http://www.kkorchid.com/1medium_potting.asp I'd have to guess that
you're right and it is some type of peat mix.

Your mix sounds somewhat like the "mud" on Rob's site.
http://www.msu.edu/user/harveyb/mud.htm
I have been testing this mixture for about 8 months now and so far it is
out performing all the other "normal" media that I use. Much to my
surprise! When I pot up new seedlings I put a few into this mud and the
others I pot in normal media for the plant. It is still to early in
this test to declare a winner but so far the mud is way ahead.
Thanks Rob!
I am in southern Ontario as well, so my growing conditions may be
somewhat like yours.
All the best
Don

On Fri, 27 May 2005 23:03:15 -0400, Don wrote:

After looking at the list of growing media at
http://www.vex.net/~jyd/TAVS/Docs/orchids.htm and viewing the photos
at http://www.kkorchid.com/1medium_potting.asp I'd have to guess that
you're right and it is some type of peat mix.

Your mix sounds somewhat like the "mud" on Rob's site.
http://www.msu.edu/user/harveyb/mud.htm
I have been testing this mixture for about 8 months now and so far it is
out performing all the other "normal" media that I use. Much to my
surprise! When I pot up new seedlings I put a few into this mud and the
others I pot in normal media for the plant. It is still to early in
this test to declare a winner but so far the mud is way ahead.
Thanks Rob!
I am in southern Ontario as well, so my growing conditions may be
somewhat like yours.
All the best
Don

It certainly does sound like my plant is in mud. g Now I just need
to find a supplier who will sell me an amount slightly smaller than
your average dumptruck load. I'm guessing all I need is a handful or
two, so that means the mixture probably comes in 10 pound bags.
--Vic