Help with re-potting a Phal

[estación seca]

Welcome.

There is a great sticky thread here about growing Phalaenopsis orchids. From the left yellow menu choose Forums, then Beginners. Near the top look for a sticky thread The Phal abuse stops here. The first few pages cover most of it.

In brief:
Epiphytic orchids must have lots of air at their roots. They suffocate if the medium particles are too small and there is not enough air.

Phals like being warmer than is comfortable for you. They tolerate home temperatures with attention to watering. They are shade plants that never need sun shining on their leaves. They do best with 10-12 hours of light per day, since they come from near the equator.

Don't cut roots off orchids. If dead roots fall off, that is fine, but don't tug and don't pull hard.

[SDK]

Thank you all for the additional suggestions, and I did read through the sticky thread....

Also already feeling a bit addicted. In the past I have kept reef and hi-tech Dutch style planted aquariums to feed my need for nature indoors. My two kids are both athletes and hitting their teen years, so I just don't have time for complicated aquariums. The terrestrial houseplants have been a great substitute!

I'm in Massachusetts, so similar climate to upstate, NY.

The Phal is currently residing on a plant shelf in a corner of my living room that has a fair number of other plants. There is supplemental full spectrum lighting wired into the shelves that should be a pretty good simulation of the indirect light needs. The lights also somewhat warm the shelves above them and create a warmer and more humid microclimate in contrast to the rest of the room.

My current plan is to put together a glass plant cabinet over the long Thanksgiving weekend. Then dial it in to the needs of this Phal and some other tropical plants I have that will be happier over the winter with some TLC in a greenhouse environment.

In the meantime, I have a thermometer/hygrometer combo coming from Amazon today. The room itself is close to 70 degrees and I am going to confirm the humidity is over 50% in the corner plant area. Hoping this holds me over for a month or two. I will be completing the indoor greenhouse just around the time that the heat will start drying out the room.

I will keep this thread running with updates and most likely more questions...

[SDK]

Thanks again all and making progress. See attached picture.

Phal is repotted with a proper substrate. A good quality commercial mix with a bit of sphagnum added for the dry winter season.

The root system and sphagnum were “packed” into the small pot. I’m amazed the roots are still in such good shape.

My Thermometer/hygrometer combo is registering what seems like pretty good conditions for now. The fall season and lights are combining to give me a decent day/night differential now.

Still have 5 pots and a bag of substrate left. Feel like I am ready to look for more

[Roberta]

Originally Posted by SDK

Still have 5 pots and a bag of substrate left. Feel like I am ready to look for more

Looks good. You definitely need more orchids...

[Relemitty]

Phalaenopsis are the gateway orchid.
Pretty soon you will be looking at the "New Posts" section of this forum and every post showing a new flowering orchid will make you want it.
Right now I want a Cattleya Memoria Federico Ferro and a Monnierara millennium magic 'witchcraft'.

[SDK]

Originally Posted by Relemitty

Phalaenopsis are the gateway orchid.
Pretty soon you will be looking at the "New Posts" section of this forum and every post showing a new flowering orchid will make you want it.

Funny thing is I was doing just that while you were posting!

[tmoney]

roberta strikes again....

oh, and welcome to the ob, sdk!

[Roberta]

We're all enablers...

[Clawhammer]

I keep all of my windowfront phals on a seedling heat matt and they love it. I'm also a big fan of sphag in clay pots for phals. I have quite a few from Lowe's too, enjoy!

[SDK]

A few updates and pictures….

The original Phal got through re-potting just fine and looks great. I did not lose any flowers and the last few buds bloomed. Thank you all for the advice to just get it properly set up asap.

Yesterday I found found another Phal with six leaves and two active spikes at the supermarket of all places. Clearance priced at $6.

This one is/was in bone dry spaghnum packed so tightly it’s like cement. There was also no inner pot for me to see the roots. Based on the healthy looking top half and the $6 price tag I took it home.

I wet the spaghnum and got it on the plant shelf. Going to let the substrate and roots sit hydrating for a bit to soften up and will repot today or tomorrow. The pot is ceramic with no removable inner or drain holes, so I want to correct that asap.

Here are some photos of both orchids and the plant corner I am setting up for winter sanity….