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Re potting an orchid

Sue PartridgeSue Partridge Posts: 79
in Problem solving
I have an orchid in a pot that has flowered it's heart out this year. I don't know the variety but it has dark pink flowers and is the sort you see for sale as a gift. The roots are now growing up out of the pot and I am after some tips on re-potting. What sort of compost and do I need a special sort of pot? Best time of year to do this? Thanks for any help.

Posts

  • Hampshire HogHampshire Hog Posts: 330
    edited August 2018
    I have had one for a few years, and moved it on last year as it had filled the pot with roots so unless it is realy pot bound I would leave it, they do have aerial roots as well as roots in the compost.

    You can buy special orchid compost and I used a clear pot as apparently the roots in the compost need some light.

    Just pulled it out of the old pot sat it in the new one filled around with the compost gave it a water and that was it.

    I must of done something right as it bloomed all summer  :)

    They also say always use rain water I never have and it seem to do fine, it sits in a dish of gravel I water the compost until it looks wet then drain of any surplus and leave it until its just about dry (the bark in the compost goes dark when wet and light when dry) about every two weeks.
    "A society grows great when old men plant trees whose shade they know they shall never sit in."
  • purplerallimpurplerallim Posts: 5,287
    If it has flowered and is growing aerial roots its doing well. I would leave well alone as if its a moth orchid they thrive on neglect.  Mine was in its pot( no bigger than a large paper cup) and flowered for three years. Then I decided to renew the bark it came in and change the split pot, worse thing I did as its just sat for two years and never flowered. Wouldn't mind but I was careful to only increase pot by 1/2 inch size and used orchid bark, but now it just sits there green, aerial roots growing away but no flower.
  • FireFire Posts: 19,096
    If it has stopped flowering you can cut down the flower spike, if you want. Put it in a cool, light, frost free place and a new spike should grow. The aerial roots are important, don't cut them off or bury them. They help the plant get nutrients from the air. If you are worried, just take the plant out of the pot and have a quick look. Cut off any soggy/rotten (brown) roots. The bark matrix is fine until it disintegrates, which, as it doesn't sit in water, lasts for years. You can feed the plant with diluted orchid feed maybe once a month to help things along, if you fancy.

  • Sue PartridgeSue Partridge Posts: 79
    Thanks to everyone for the good advice.
  • KT53KT53 Posts: 9,016
    We've had moth orchids for several years and never repotted them.  There are even question marks about whether or not they need to be fed.  We had orchid drip feeders in some and not in others and I couldn't see any difference to be honest.
    Ours got a 10 minute dunk in water once a week or so and that was about the most loving care they received.
  • FireFire Posts: 19,096
    I'm not sure feed helps much either. I have mine in bigger pots (about ten years old) and dunk them once a month.
  • ZeroZero1ZeroZero1 Posts: 577
    Phalenopsis flower spikes should not be cut back in whole, they can flower again. 

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BFcE5uuBs9E
  • Hampshire HogHampshire Hog Posts: 330
    Never fed mine and all seems ok they do like to face east I have found and not be in direct sunlight I moved mine across the room and it did not like that at all went into a real sulk.
    "A society grows great when old men plant trees whose shade they know they shall never sit in."
  • FireFire Posts: 19,096
    Flower spikes can be cut back whole, if you want to. They grow back fairly fast.
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