Repotting 2 Phalaenopsis with new spikes and buds

[Zoren]

Good morning and Happy New Year, hoping this year will be healthier and safer than 2023. I have 2 Phalaenopsis that I should have repotted long ago now they are in spike with buds. Should or can I re-pot phalaenopsis with new spikes and budding? And, when I do re-pot what should I do with all the air roots (see attachments)? I'll wait for the members' reply, Zoren .

[Roberta]

Phals don't mind being repotted in spike or in bloom, just be gentle so the spikes don't get knocked around.
As far as those unruly roots go, don't worry about getting them all into a pot. Soak the roots first, to gain a bit of flexibility. Then you ban gently rotate the plant as you work it into the pot, to get as many roots as possible in there. The rest can just stay aerial, that's what Phals want to do, I would use medium bark, so that you get lots of air space in the pot. And then remember that you need to water it much more often than you did with broken down medium.

[Dimples]

With roots like those, I’d be making some XL clear pots out of a plastic jug and pot up those monsters with some chunky bark (1/2” or larger).