Repot when spiking?

[katesgrey]

Hi! I'm taking care of a big beautiful phal that someone left. It has a wonderful healthy root system but it hasn't been repotted for a very long time, because whoever left it never repotted it after they got it and it's been at my house for a year or so. I started watering it more often(it had been neglected and was very droopy) and fertilizing it and it has now sent out 2 spikes. However I noticed that since I'm watering it more, some of the roots seem to be shriveled up and rotting. However if I hold off on watering it, it's leaves get droopy. So I think it probably needs fresh medium. I am wondering if I should repot while it still has so many healthy roots, even tho it's in spike? Also it's potted in fir bark. I have new bark for it. Do I need to soak the bark overnight before using it?

You can see in the pics that the leaves are dessicated, I didn't water it for about 2 weeks cuz I was worried how the roots were shriveled up. Thank you so much!

[Dusty Ol' Man]

From what I can see the roots look fine. The bark in the pot also appears to be in good shape. Where is it growing? What are your temps day and night? How often and how are you watering? What is your water source? How much h and how often do you fertilize?
If you have been caring for it for more than a year you are obviously doing something right. I would just keep doing what you are doing. Water with running water (pour through if you are using rain water or some other purified source). I would water it twice a week to start, if you are watering less. Keep it in shaded light with no direct sunlight. In a North facing window would work well.
Let us know how things progress. I'm sure others will weigh in for you.

[Roberta]

Phals can be repotted when in spike or in bloom... they don't seem to be particularly sensitive. If there is medium stuck to the roots that doesn't come off easily, just leave it, just remove what comes off easily. Handle it gently and it will do fine with repotting any time.

[Shadeflower]

I'll put in a vote for repotting.
The best time is when you as the grower watching for a year feel like it is the time.

There are a good amount of healthy roots.

Soak the whole pot well, rub all around the outside of the pot to loosen all the roots stuck to the outside, then gently pull it out.

The main reason I put a big vote in for repotting is that I suspect there is something in the middle of the pot causing the problems, considering it has never been repotted there could very well be a jiffy plug still in there.

These cause a soggy state around the stem of the orchid - arguably the worst place for sogginess to accumulate so just to make sure the base of the stem can be inspected I'd opt for repotting.

Remove any roots that can be pressed and feel hollow, you can just gently tub on these and the outer coating should slide right off. You want to remove any hollow roots like these, otherwise this one like you have said has been well looked after so far.

[katesgrey]

Well I have been caring for it for maybe 4 months. When I first got it it wasn't being watered regularly at all. Basically it was in a corner of a room that gets lots of sun but it wasn't in a window. I started watering it once a week and fertilizing it with MSUs orchid fertilizer I'd have to check what specific numbers it is. I use tap water. I also use superthrive. I have used fertilizer mixed somewhat on the light side and a drop of superthrive per gallon for every watering, and then moved it to a shady east window. It started spiking about 2 weeks ago. I feel like if I water it enough so it's leaves don't get dessicated, it promotes the roots turning brown and shriveled. So I do think I will repot it but I might hold off a while. Thabk you for all the info.

[Shadeflower]

I feel like if I water it enough so it's leaves don't get dessicated, it promotes the roots turning brown and shriveled.

You might be using too much fertilizer which can discolor roots brown and cause the symptoms you are experiencing.

Superthrive is quite powerful. I wouldn't use it on every single watering. It should be stopped as soon as a plant starts to flower as well. Says so on the label.

If you are following the recommended dosage for the superthrive then it might be that you are following the dosage on the msu bottle too which would be far too strong. I honestly don't know why they do it - to make peope buy more? but the recommended dosage is always too strong on the fertilizer bottles.

If I was you I would feed the superthrive every 4th watering (but not during flowering) and reduce your fertilizer by 4 if you are using the bottles recommended dose.

[Roberta]

I would also go easy on the Superthrive. I have seen it cause mutations in flowers when used over a long time, or at too high of a concentration. (I personally have stopped using it completely, the problems with distorted flowers went away and the plants continue to do well.) When you do a treatment, think "What problem am I solving?" Using a bit to jump-start roots is OK, but more is not necessarily better.

[estación seca]

Phals are warm-growing plants. It's best to repot them during warm weather. If it's been at least 2 years since it was repotted, I would repot now, even if the bark does look OK. It will cool down soon, and your next repotting opportunity would open up in April or May. The bark might not last that long.

[Shadeflower]

yes lkike ES I chose a day when the moon and the sun are out, a frog is sitting croaking on a lilly pad and a shooting star is passing over in the sky.

Any other day is less good. If you can get a unicorn to peeon a bush nearby that would give you the best chances

[katesgrey]

Thank you all for the input and the advice on superthrive I had been using it to try to start my other small orchid growing some roots. But I mixed it all in one container and used it on the bigger one too, so I will stop doing that now and also dilute the fertilizer. I'm going to repot it I think but I need to get another pot. The one I have is like 1.5 inch bigger diameter than it's current one so it's quite a lot bigger. I think it's too much bigger, do other people agree?