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Orchid

ariadna.bakhmatovaariadna.bakhmatova Posts: 118
in Plants
Hi everyone, would you recommend doing anything with this orchid? Repotting? She feels tight in there 

Posts

  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    edited March 2021
    Orchids rarely need potting on ... I think she's fine.  Just feed and water and when flowers are over cut the flowering stem back to the next 'joint' down.  That's all I do and mine have been doing just fine and flowering regularly for ten years or more. 

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • clarke.bruntclarke.brunt Posts: 215
    Indeed it looks very happy as it is, so it's more 'cosmetic' if you don't like all the 'aerial' stuff and would rather have it a bit lower down (though don't bury entirely - aerial roots is what they do - they're 'epiphytic' - would be growing on trees).

    It's a Phalaenopsis (moth orchid). I struggle with them a bit - nowhere (even the house) really warm enough, so they've previously slowly died out. Maybe I've cracked it though - managed to re-flower a plant which a friend was going to chuck out. I think I was under-doing the watering, and am trying a warmer place. The flower spike opened its flowers in Sep 2020, and they've only just dropped off in Mar 2021 - how many plants have flowers (the same ones) lasting 6 months! In this case, the whole flower stalk shrivelled up, so I haven't got the "do I / don't I" cut it off issue. They sometimes produce new flower stalks, or even plantlets, on the old flower stalks. Now I seem to have got the knack, I'm hoping the whole performance will be repeated this year.
  • amancalledgeorgeamancalledgeorge Posts: 2,736
    They do benefit from repotting at springtime every couple of years if you're using a bark based medium as it degrades and loses its texture over time. It's the perfect time to inspect the roots as you remove all the old medium and to cut off any dead ones and put it back in the same pot when done. 
    To Plant a Garden is to Believe in Tomorrow
  • ariadna.bakhmatovaariadna.bakhmatova Posts: 118
    amancalledgeorge would you be able to guide me through the reporting process a little? So I need to buy new bark, a bigger pot, take out the orchid and place in new bark or transfer the whole thing and just top up with new bark in a bigger pot?

  • Nanny BeachNanny Beach Posts: 8,719
    Clark like Dove, I have lots, some many years old, no, don't warm them up, give them a cooler spell, unheated bedroom or the like, for about 6 weeks, they don't like "dry", I water mine weekly, feed when they are in flower.  As Dove says they rarely need re-potting, i e to a bigger pot, I never do that, because all the outer pots are matching and I have over 20 orchids.(I fact I surcomed this week B & Q, £8 complete with very nice pot, one has 3 stems! I do re-pot every couple of years, only in as much as remove from pot, take out old compost and replace.  Got to be special orchid compost, they like a spray regularly with rain water, especially with central heating.
  • Nanny BeachNanny Beach Posts: 8,719
    The ones with the big all white flowers, flower for longest, but I have a scented Dendrobium which is just now loosing it's very beautiful white/deep mauve flowers after several months, the perfume is really strong.
  • Nanny BeachNanny Beach Posts: 8,719

  • AthelasAthelas Posts: 946
    ariadna.bakhmatova said:
    amancalledgeorge would you be able to guide me through the reporting process a little? So I need to buy new bark, a bigger pot, take out the orchid and place in new bark or transfer the whole thing and just top up with new bark in a bigger pot?

    Hi @ariadna.bakhmatova, this may help: https://www.gardenersworld.com/how-to/grow-plants/how-to-repot-a-moth-orchid/
    Cambridgeshire, UK
  • PianoplayerPianoplayer Posts: 624
    Hi - there are also some very helpful videos on YouTube eg https://youtu.be/cWFyQzJbGDg

    I managed to get mine to reflower following such advice!
  • amancalledgeorgeamancalledgeorge Posts: 2,736
    Just wish the Orchid Girl's voice was less irritating to my ears ;) But hope the above advice is helpful @ariadna.bakhmatova if the orchid is a recent purchase I'd leave it alone for now. Aerial roots may not be the most beautiful feature of orchids, but it's a sign of health. Have fun looking after it. 
    To Plant a Garden is to Believe in Tomorrow
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