Phalanopsis Orchid repotting concerns...

[betwixtimes]

So, I told my grandmother about my new interest in orchids and she told me about her phalanopsis. It's been growing in the same pot for over 4 years. For the first three years she had steady blooming and for the past year it's just grown, and grown---out of it's own pot and creeping into the neighboring pots trying to 'escape' as she said. But no blooms---which she's been disappointed about.

If I recall, the orchid is growing in a 6" terracotta pot---she wants to repot it, and I'm wondering if doing it now would have adversed effects? She really wants to get it to bloom again and I thought maybe repotting it would help.

I'll get a full idea of what's happening with it, in a few days/week. Take some photos? Maybe that would help?

I've never seen a bigger than 6" orchid pot, is it possible that the orchid could be divided into two pots?
Would orchid soil be ok for it?
Any suggestions?

Thanks.

[Vanessa]

If it's just one phal go ahead and repot it. I have a huge speciman phal I repotted in a 10 inch pot and it's blooming beautifully. Four years is a long time for potting medium...I'm sure it's quite broken down. Also the bigger phals get they can take more light to help them bloom.

[betwixtimes]

Hrm, where am I going to find a 10" pot? Hehe.

Yeah, that's what I was thinking---especially with her crowding her neighbors (an Ivy Plant). THANKS

[jkofferdahl]

My guess is that a 6" pot will be sufficient. It takes a pretty large Phal to need more space than that. A Phal. can be repotted virtually any time without harm, so I'd say go for it.

[JennS]

Just match the pot size to the roots. You need to take the plant out of the medium and remove as much old medium from the roots as possible. If some roots have attached to a piece, you can just leave the piece of medium.

I know that it is easier said then done about matching the pot to the roots if you don't have a bunch of vaious pots in a variety of sizes laying around. You can go ahead and unpot the plant, remove all old medium and then soak the plant in some water while you go put hunting. You can also skip the soak and just leave it bare root and it will be fine for awhile.

As for seperating it...you will know if it can be seperated. Each Phal will have a crown of it's own with it's own set of leaves. I know this is sounding confusing, but basically you probably cannot seperate. If you get to repotting and think there is more then one plant, then you can take Pics and someone can tell you exactly what you do have there.

Regular Orhid medium (not soil) like bark or something similar should work just fine. If you go with bark or a similar bark mix, you can soak it first for a couple of hours to a couple of days. I usually do 8 hours or so (overnight usually). You could also go with Spagnum moss. It depends on your needs. How much does your grandmother water? Spaghnum will hold water much longer then bark. If you go with bark she will need to water (probably) more often then she has been because the fresh bark will retain less water then old bark or another old medium (usually). For my Phals (because I grow outdoors in hot sunny Florida) I use mainly bark/charcoal/perlite commercial mix with some spaghnum mixed throughout (I let it soak with the bark and it just ends up where it ends up) to add extra moisture retention.

Anyway, to make a long post even longer....Yes, I would repot! 4 years is a very long time (unless she used something that doesn't break down like Lava Rock). Repotting should definitely help the Phal rebloom next year along with a regular watering and fertilizing routine.