Questions about temperature, pot size, etc

[aihpcfl]

I took over care of a phaleonopsis maybe close to two years ago. I cut away the dead or rotting roots and put it in a terracotta pot with new phalaeonopsis orchid mix.

About pot size, when browsing the forum I've seen the advice to use a small pot. The terracotta pot I used is probably too big, but it is working. The plant has grown multiple leaves and is now producing a flower spike. I'm wondering about the reason for a smaller pot when it comes to orchids. I know for rooted plants, particular those a higher risk from too much watering, the idea is a large pot will stay wetter longer, and maybe too wet for two long. However, I tend to large pots, and I'm doing well with my snake plants.

About temperature, I have been keeping this orchid outside on the back porch and mostly away from direct sunlight. I was initially bringing the orchid in when temperatures were forecast to drop below 60F, but then I read once when researching that the safe low temperature is 50F. So this winter I've left the orchid out unless the forecast low temperature is below 52 or 53F. The orchid has done well. I should note that in these cases the high for the day is in the 60s or 70s F and the time at the low temp is relatively brief. I would not leave the plant out if the sustained temperature was the low. I could bring the orchid in at lows that are higher, but it is my understanding the temperature swings are partly needed to cause the plant to flower.

Browsing the forum I've seen advice to keep the phalaenopsis warm, and recommended allowed lows of 65 F. Are temperature swings necessary for any reason? What I'm doing seems to be working, but I am always concerned with thinking I know something when I really don't.

[Roberta]

Welcome!

If it is growing roots and spiking, it is happy, don't overthink...

The reason for not overpotting orchids is that if the pot is too large, you can get a wet, airless area in the middle of the pot, and "airless" is the bad part, because orchid roots need air. If the mix is airy (medium/large bark, lava rock, etc) then you don't need to worry much about pot size. You do want to have room for those roots.

You can get away with too-low temeperatures best if the hours are minimal, and the day warms up. Also, if the plant is acclimated to that situation, it will be more tolerant than to take a nursery-grown plant and put it into a harsh situation. (So if you aquire an orchid in winter that mgiht handle outdoor tempeatures, you should probably pamper it inside, then put it out when night temps get about 55 deg or so in the spring, and let it experience the natural weather cycle, by next winter it will be acclimated.)

For Phals, the tempeature swings aren't necessary for flowering, but the commercial growers manipulate light and temperature to time blooming to holidays and such. You no doubt get enough natural variation to be fine.

[aihpcfl]

Thanks. Doubt and overthinking is hard to fight sometimes.

Yes, the orchid is happy. I should trust the plant.

[Roberta]

Another note on cold-tolerance... a dry plant will tolerate lower themperatures than a wet one. So when it is cool, water in the morning so it can pretty much dry out before evening. In summer, evening watering is great because the plant can absorb the water before it evaporates in the heat of the day.

[tmoney]

howdy, and welcome to the OB!!

all else equal, in phals (and others) you can probly get away with a larger size pot if it is clay. they dry faster than plastic due to the porosity, so you won't have a lot of wet media for too long. especially if you grow outdoors, which causes the plants to dry much faster anyway regardless of the pot material (with all the air movement and light and such).

the few we grow in clay pots do quite well...we should probly grow more in clay. but, because we are still new orchid growers, we feel more comfortable with clear plastic just so we can see the roots. but, keep plastic pots smaller.

and while you can get a general temp range, even in a single genus like the phals there is quite a range. some can handle and grow well in colder temps, some cant. our old place would get down to 55 or lower at night inside, and we have several species that do fine even with those colder temps. others gave up the ghost in a single winter. and that's just the phals, as with some genera you need to give them even colder winters to get it grow and bloom. so don't worry about how temps affect blooms and such, you are right to focus on temps just to keep the plants growing at first.

so how do you know what temps your plant can handle?? well, just keep growing it and keeping an eye on it. give it 6 month intervals at any location or change before you change it again (unless the plants suffers immediately, which orchids will do even if the web says otherwise). start at the lowest temp and light you can give it (within reason), and slowly push it into higher temps and light.

anyways, good luck with your phals!!

[aihpcfl]

Thanks for the additional advice about watering. I have several epiphytic cactus species and succulents in addition to the orchid, and it has been my habit to water in the morning in case I get any water on the plant itself, allowing that to evaporate away during the day. Anyway, something to think about.

@tmoney Thanks for the advice. I may have a dilema; something to think about, anyway. I've ordered pretty cutout ceramic pots with slotted plastic liners. My plan was to eventually repot the current orchid and a new one I just purchased into these. I suppose I'll go ahead with the plan and watch the plants closely for distress for a while.

I should have mentioned earlier that it gets quite warm here in summer, high 90s in the hottest part of the day, sometimes 100+. I hope this will work in favor of these new pots.

The new orchid is inside for now. I'll move it outside after the nights warm up some more.

[estación seca]

Welcome to the Orchid Board!

You are sailing close to the edge with those temperatures. You've gotten away with it, probably because you have kept it relatively dry. But if you had a group of Phals. and kept them like that, an occasional Winter loss would be routine and expected. I have very similar temperatures most of the Winter, but I keep mine inside.

It will love your Summers outdoors. Remember Phals. are full shade plants that never need sun on their leaves.

The most important consideration for potting Phals. is that their roots must have plenty of air at the roots. Your epiphytic cacti and succulents tolerate much finer and denser media than do Phals. The slotted pots let the medium dry faster, and will probably be fine in your humid, wet summers outdoors. Note that unlike many other orchids, Phals. can be repotted at any time.

One comment on 'Phalaenopsis mix' - the Miracle Gro brand Phal. mix contains a lot of very fine material. Most of us here wouldn't use it because of the risk of poorly aerated zones in the pot. No reason to repot if you water thoughtfully, but when it's time to repot again, consider using a more uniform medium that will leave large air spaces throughout the pot. A lot of people use medium to large bark, scoria/cinders, or LECA clay balls from a hydroponics shop.

Have a look at two sticky threads here. From the left yellow menu click Forums then Beginners. Near the top is The Phal. abuse stops here. Read through until it becomes repetitive. From Forums click on Phalaenopsis - Hybrids. Read the post at the top of the page.

[aihpcfl]

@estación seca Thanks for the tips.

The orchid location outside is under the roof of a porch back against the wall of the house. It is shaded but for around sunset when the sun is low and behind big live oaks. At worst, the orchid may see filtered light from a low sun for a short period of time at the end of the day. Anyway, as I say, it has been working out.

I may be on the edge with the low temperatures. Based on what I've learned in this thread about temperatures swings not being a important as I though, I'll probably step away from the edge.

I don't use Miracle Grow potting mix. I've been using mixes from rePotme for a few years now for all of my plants. Expensive, I know, but it works really well for me. For the planned orchid repotting I've purchased the Phalaenopsis Monterey Dark Imperial Orchid Potting Mix.