Potting Mix and Re-Blooming

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Question about Phal orchids. Most of my orchids are rescues from Lowe's. At first I would immediately re-pot them in a bark mix (Better Gro Special Orchid Mix) with mixed results. After reading the forums, I started leaving the plants in the original spag moss to allow them to acclimatize to their new environment first.

What I have found is the plants in the original spag moss seem to re-bloom nicely while my plants in bark are not re-blooming.

I water/feed the plants in bark about every 7 to 10 days and the spag moss when it dries out (could be several weeks).

I wanted to see what others have experienced with re-blooming and the type of potting mix. Also could it have to do with the watering cycle. This Winter I had two plants to develop root rot in the bark mix which made me think I was either over watering or over potting. I am working with reducing the pot sizes but afraid I may be under watering?

Any thoughts?
Bob

[tucker85]

Whatever medium works best for you, is probably the right medium. Everyone grows orchids in their own mini-environment and with certain culture habits, so what works for one grower may not work for another. It takes some experimenting to come up with the culture techniques that work best for you. Some growers like sphagnum moss for phals, especially for small plants in very small pots. But many people find it difficult to grow in sphagnum. My personal opinion is that bark or coconut husk chips are more forgiving. I've found that using the smallest pot that the roots will comfortably fit in, will increase your chances of success. The pot should have good drainage also. One other point, some orchids bloom well when they are in distress. It's their way of trying to reproduce before dying. I'm not saying that's what happened with the plants that you didn't repot, but it's a possibility.

[Paddle_grl]

Most of my Phal's are also Lowe's rescues...I am so happy they mark them down and don't dump them!! As soon as I get them home, I pick off all the white fuzzy bugs (drawing a blank on what they are called.) Anyways, I just chop off all the dead roots and plant them Semi Hydroponically..Eh, mixed results. One re spiked a couple months later....two waited 2 1/2 years to re-bloom! I would say whatever works best for you. There are a bunch of different ways. I personally love the S/h way of growing them....but that's just me.

[Bud]

Better Gro special orchid mix= I have seen them being sold at Lowes, walmart and home depot... is not for Phalaenopsis; but for Cymbidiums(its composed of very small particles it can pass as a regular potting mix)small wonder it is rotting your roots...if you look at a real honest to goodness Phal mix: it is composed of large coarse bark with a combination of charcoal, lava rock, hydroton and some chopped moss(at least 7 to 10 mm in diameter in coarseness and largeness) =I have seen some of the latest in media mix combinations at repotme.com...altho I have my own mixture that works for me...
you can rebloom on sphagnum moss...then good for you! you must have mastered the skewer method

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Thanks for the comments. I have been playing with orchids for about 1.5 years and it seems that just when you think you are starting to understand orchids, something bites you.

Bob

[james mickelso]

I have found that like most other orchids repotting at the right time is a must if you are to get the maximum out of them. Catts need to be repotted when there is new root growth. Phals are no different. People get these rescue phals and then bring them home and either just water them in the moss they come in causing root rot, or they repot them in whatever. But few wait until they acclimatize to their new environment or when new roots are developing. Again, let them acclimate to your conditions and don't water them a lot. I usually take them out of the pot, carefully tease out the spagnum moss, cut off any shriveled or damaged roots, seal the cuts with cinnamon, dust with Rootone, and then plant in my rescue mix. In it I put more medium and fine bark as the phals like to be slightly more damp than my usual catts and laelias. When they are ready to bloom, they do. When they are ready to put out new leaves and roots, they do. What is most important to me is that I am very careful with the roots and since I live at the damp, cool beach, I don't water them much. If I could keep them warmer they would do much better. Try it next time you do a rescue. Here is a look at some of my rescue phals. The one with the one with all the roots is a very old rescue that has seen good times and bad depending on where I have lived. But still alive and putting out very nice flowers. I don't know the names of any of them. Just noids. And notice the media. Since the catts like to dry thoroughtly and the phals like to stay a little on the damp side, I mix in more of the medium and fine bark. Then I can water at the same time.

[Wynn Dee13]

Just to clear up about the Better Gro special orchid mix it is made of fir bark, charcoal, and sponge rock. It isn't the mix that is soil like, that is Miricle Grow Orchid mix. It is made of peat moss and composted bark. Stay away from the Miricle Grow. The Better Gro special orchid mix is fine.

As for the plants not blooming after being repotted, I think it might have to do with the plant being disturbed and repotted. It takes a while for an orchid to establish itself again after being repotted. It also could be the timing of repotting too like James said. You also mentioned that you were not sure if you are over potting and watering right. If the plant isn't getting what it needs in the new pot and meadium it won't bloom. If you have root rot you are either over potting or over watering or both which is leaving the meadium wet for too long. If the plant doesn't have healthy roots it probably won't bloom. Sometimes they will bloom if they think they are dying though. So work on your repotting skills and the plants should do better after being repotted. One more tip on repotting, make sure the plant isn't wobbly in the pot. You want the plant to be anchored well until it establishes itself so its new root tips won't be damaged when they are growing.

How long have you given those plants that have been repotted to bloom again? Are the plants that are still in the moss blooming from the old spikes at a node or are they growing new spikes all together? Some Phals only bloom once a year and some might more. If you repot one it might set it back a while and not bloom on the next cycle. Especially if it isn't potted right.

When I started growing orchids it took me a long time to re-bloom them so I think your doing good for only growing for a year and a half. I also have orchids that have bloomed regularly for years then all of a sudden one year they don't. Some also bloom better than others. Good luck!

[Ray]

When you relocate a plant, if the conditions are different, the plant will need time to acclimate to the new environment. The degree of acclimation necessary is determined by the degree of difference between old and new environments.

When one repots a plant - or does anything that changes the root zone environment, like mounting - it must grow new roots that are tailored to the new root zone environment, and that may take time, as well, especially if you did not time it right, as Jim mentioned.

Put the two transitions together, and it's no wonder there can be a delay in reblooming.

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James, thanks for the pictures and the tips. I have started to think more about timing, pot size, mix and watering.

Wynn, the plants that were re-potted have about 4 to 10 months depending on when I got them. The ones in moss that re-bloomed were both from new spikes and from existing spikes that were cut after the bloom just below the blooms. I may need to be more patient with the re-pots.

Ray, I am sure the change from greenhouse (possible forced blooming) to retail store is quite a shock and it will take some time for them to adjust. This is why I am trying to give them some time before the shock of re-potting.

Thanks to all those who responded to my post. You help with the learning curve is greatly appreciated. The greatest lesson orchids have taught is patients.

[Ray]

The potential problems with waiting to repot are twofold: 1) You really don't know the current condition of the roots, and 2) the from-the-greenhouse potting medium might be totally inappropriate for your conditions and habits.

Getting used to the new- versus the optimal conditions of the wholesale grower can take as much as a couple of years.