This Forum will close on Wednesday 27 March, 2024. Please refer to the announcement on the Discussions page for further detail.
Repotting an Orchid
Meomye
Posts: 949
Hi, I was given an Orchid in April that now needs repotting, do I really need to use the special see through pots and special soil ?
0
Posts
I'm rather fond of orchids too but I don't repot them often, about every 2-3 years. I fill the pots with moss from the garden, which I sun dry and keep for that purpose. I do much the same for my potted bromeliads.
The BBC has much useful information:
http://www.gardenersworld.com/how-to/projects/video-projects/how-to-care-for-orchids/225.html
there are tens of thousands of orchids. Surely we need to know which we're talking about ?
" an orchid" , really , means nothing.
but should it have been?
I'm just sitting on the fence.
Too little information to go on. IMHO
I've had phalaenopsis orchids in the same pots for years , and have never felt they needed to repotted,and they flower wonderfully.
Thank you for replies, I have no idea what type it is as it was a gift (no label that I recall)
It is currently in a transparent pot but has become rather poorly looking. It dropped all its flowers. I checked the root system and to me, it did look rather crowded, but never having had an Orchid before I have no idea what they should look like.
They sound like phalaenopsis to me.
When they're potbound, they'll send roots out above the "soil" level. They can draw moisture from the air.
I use a Baby Bio orchid liquid feed when I water mine, about once a month . I give them a good soak for about 10 mins. (I use the ceramic pots they often come in and fill them to the brim). then leave on the draining board to drain right through.
Hope this is of some help.
As I have already said, I like orchids quite a lot. Mine are the phalaenopsis kind. I water them once a week - usually on a Sunday, so I don't forget! I turn on the cold tap gently and give them a rinse through. I never leave them sitting in water.
When they are in flower, I dilute a drop of ordinary liquid flower fertilizer and feed them, but not when they're not flowering. I do this once a week during the period they're flowering.
All my orchids were presents too. They all came in transparent pots. However, in time they grew huge aerial "roots" and when I potted them on, I left these exposed. I put them in ordinary pots (plastic black to be precise), into which they just fitted, filled the space around them with moss and then placed the pots on a north facing windowsill. They have been flowering beautifully for years.
I should love to be able to propagate them - just for the fun of it - but I believe that's rather complicated and I only have very basic facilities. Moreover, I've never met anyone who ever tried it!
I agree with pansyface about the re-potting, what makes you think they need re-potting? I would only re-pot a phalaenopsis (moth orchid) if the bark medium was rotted, old and it smelled bad or was mouldy, with regard to the clear plastic pots I was lead to believe they are in these so you can see whether the bark and roots were to dry or roots were rotten.
But if you feel that the plant needs re-potting I'd use orchid bark chips not anything else as the plant can become to wet. personally I only use proprietary orchid bark. about the id could you show a photo
Hope this help a bit
Wow, 5 years?? Impressive.
We had one put in the hotel room of a friend the night before her wedding.That was June 31st 2012 and it's never been without flowers ever since. At one count it had 43 blooms on it.
I've managed neither , but always have a few in flower, the rest live in the utility room until ,as they say in India " they do the needful"