Should I Repot this Phal.?

[icedtea2008]

Hello! I'm fairly new to orchids, though I have been working in a local greenhouse for two yars now, and have had plenty of time to enjoy their beauty. I received an orchid as a gift from my boyfriend some months back that he ordered through a floral shop's distributer. It was a purple viened Phal. with lots of blooms and buds, and seemed to be very healthy. The only thing I noticed was that the medium was very old - it had plenty of greenish mossy stuff and was a sphagnum/bark mix. Well for the next month or so I watered it every week plus a couple days like I read I should, but the pant started losing its flowers, and then its buds. I asked the horticulturist at my work what i was doing wrong, and he said not to worry, sometimes when they are transported alot orchids will drop their buds. Well after the plant dropped all of its buds, I decided to cut back the spike and repot the orchid in a new bark mixture. When I was repotting, I noticed almost all of the roots were mushy and the base of the plant where the roots connected was soft. this isn't good right? After trimming away all of the most obviously mushy roots and repotting it, I hoped for the best. Sadly, however, it lost 2 leaves and became loose in the joint where the leaves join the root base. It soon after died. This all happened in the span of a couple weeks. After my boyfriend told the floral department about this quick death however they generously offered to replace my orchid in full. I now have a beautiful new white showy Phal. that is a lot older with more leaves and two spikes coming off of an original spike. It too, however, has very old medium with fuzzy moss (or mold?), but noticably healthy roots mixed in with older dead ones. Should I repot this orchid even though its blooming? I hate to have the same thing happen to this one as to my last one (which I'm thinking I might have been overwatering..) Any advice?

[Ross]

Yes. Since you are from Michigan, I will suggest dumping the moss mix, stay with very coarse bark. There are coarse bark mixes with Ag charcoal in the blend. These are good because the charcoal holds back the decay of the bark (which is inevitable). If you don't have a clear pot, I would recommend getting one same size as the plant is in right now. It will help with determining when mix needs to be rewetted. Keep the plant in a shaded south window or an unshaded east window for a while after repotting. Don't water with softened water (I'm sure you knew that, right?) If you can, use distilled or rain or R.O. water (Reverse Osmosis). Phals like lots of nitrogen, so pick one meant for orchids in growth cycle or purchase something on-line. Here is a good primer on fertilizers Plant Nutrition Hope this helps. Oh, and I just repotted one of mine in bloom.

[Swamper]

Don't repot while blooming.
When trimming dead roots, make sure they are dead (squishy could be just overwatered and not dead) Hey Im an optimist.
Are you repotting cause the medium is no good anymore ,you said old (doesn't hold moisture)?
When you water are you soaking the leaves? Is water building up and remaining on leaves and stem. Tilt it so no water stays on the leaves (that little space between the leaf and the stem. Or it will rot. Good luck. You'll get more help here soon

[Swamper]

Thanks Ross

[icedtea2008]

Ok. Ross says to go ahead and repot it and swamper says to not repot it... I guess i could give a few more details. The orchid is in a sphagnum/bark mixture like my old one, it is very greenish with fuzzy mold or moss growing visibley on top. It is damp to the touch but not soaking. My old orchid with this same mixture issue seemed to be holding too much water, but I've only had this orchid for a day now, so i'mnot sure if this is mixture is holding too much water or not. It is ina clear 6" pot, there are 5 leaves, one spike with two branches, one blossom with 8 buds (total) and I can see some dry shriveled roots on the surface. Like I said, I really don't want the same thing that happened to my old orchid to happen to this one, but i'm not sure if i'm jumping the gun by wanting to repot it... Will it really hurt it if I do repot it when its blooming?

[Ross]

You face a far more serious problem by not repotting than a remote chance of bud-blast by repotting. The flowers may last a long time - long enough to rot the roots if the mix is as bad as you say (really common here in michigan stores.) I really don't like moss in the Phal bark here. I know others have pretty good luck, but our humidity runs reasonably high indoors most of growing season and things tend to stay wet. I have a real problem switching to summer mode after watering so often in winter with central heat. Lots of folks say wait to repot Phals, but I prefer to save the plant and wait till next bloom. I've been known to purchase a Phal in bloom, cut off the spike and then repot. Susanne (cb977) says she always repots everything she buys. Maybe this helps explain differing opinions.

[Swamper]

When in doubt always go with whoever has similar growing conditions. That would be Ross
You would only hurt the blooms not the plant. I too would rather save the plant then the blooms if I had to choose. I wouldn't even think about it. Without seeing any pics I would do as Ross recommends who by the way has a lot more experience with them.

[icedtea2008]

Thanks you guys. I'm going to soak my mixture tonight so i can replant it tomorrow, and i'm hoping everything works out good (i.e. i get to keep the buds and the plant's health =)) I'll take some pictures tomorrow as i'm repotting and keep posting on its condition.

[justatypn]

Repotting is the best suggestion, conditions or not the potting medium does not sound so comforting to me. I have repotted phals once they are brought into my home and have had great rewards...gl 2 u