Need help with deciding whether to repot now or wait

[desirue]

Hi everybody! I'm a newbie here and am excited to be a part of this community! I'm also a fairly new orchid owner. I got my first orchid this past January from Trader Joes. I've grown quite attached to her over the past nine months and have recently become interested in learning more about orchid care and orchids in general.

My orchid has not been repotted. I know it needs to be. What I'm struggling with and what I'm hoping you guys can help me with ... is whether right now is a good time to do it. She is sprouting new leaves at the base (is this a basal keiki or just new leaves?) In addition to the leaf growths, my orchid is also sprouting a new flower spike.

Would it be wise to repot right now? Or should I wait? I've already ordered a carousel pot and new medium from repotme that scheduled to be here in a few days.

Any help and/or advice is greatly appreciated! Thank you in advance!

[estación seca]

Welcome to the Orchid Board!

It looks good. You've been taking excellent care of it.

Many Phals produce growths from the base, as your is.

I think the medium looks good enough, and the roots healthy enough, for you to delay repotting for a while. I suggest you do some reading here before repotting. Start in the Beginners forum. Look near the top of the page for a sticky thread The Phal abuse stops here.

[Shadeflower]

It could go another 6 months but it is also ready to be repotted now. I usually decide to do it, then leave it for 3 months till I've left it far too late and it needs to get done. With phals the time doesn't seem to matter too much.

Soak the whole pot in warm water for 30 mins first, then gently pull it out without ripping any roots but it looks like a failry compact ball so shouldn't be a problem.

Then with a shower head rinse the old media out of the center of the roots and gently use your fingers to pull it all out.

Fill the center with fresh media, plop it in the new pot and fill it up.

Generally any bad roots should be removed, I don't see any but if there are any flimsy degraded roots in the center remove them. This should be a failry easy repot.

[K-Sci]

Welcome!

I agree with estación seca. The media doesn't look to be terribly old, the root system is in absolutely beautiful condition, and the plant has branched and is re-spiking. Assuming there isn't a reason or concern that suggests that this plant needs repotting, I would wait? It's doing beautifully.

That said, if you really want to repot now, it may reduce the flower count some, but it isn't likely to seriously set back or kill your plant. Edit: Just be careful not make the mistake of loving your orchid to death. I've done it, and I'd bet most others here have also.

-Keith

[desirue]

Thank you everyone for your replies, it is much appreciated! I think I will hold off on repotting her for now ... just last night I noticed she is sprouting yet another flower stem from a different node.