Too big of a pot?

[Jadeco]

I accidentally bought a huge pot for my very small oncidium twinkle to be repotted in. To give you an idea how big the pots are the pot the twinkle is currently in is 3" wide and 2.5" deep. The new pot is 5" wide and 5" deep.

Is it okay to repot it in this large of a pot?

[bonsai1504]

it is probably too large. could you post a pic of both pots to compare them?

[kiki-do]

I think it's too big a pot also. Perhaps you can get a clay pot at a local box store that is smaller.

[Jadeco]

Actually I just found a clay pot that will probably be perfect. It's just that every time I have a plat in a clay pot, white stuff builds up on the sides.

[Ross]

That's a huge difference, but I like the clear pots over clay as you can check the status of the medium. I've potted up big like that a couple times, and while I don't recommend it, I think the clear pot might be the savior for you since you can monitor the wetness/dryness easily. If all goes well, then you can skip next years repotting!

[Shirley]

Jadeco, I think that if you want bloom it's better to go to larger pots gradually, maybe an inch larger with each move. Otherwise the plant will put it's energy into roots and leaves. Also, if you're getting a lot of white stuff on the sides of the pot, it could be an indication that you're fertilizing too much or not flushing well enough. Good luck!

[Brooke]

A trick to use when you pot something in a pot that might be too large is to fill the bottom with inert material. Shallow planting in too big of a pot will work just fine - it is the deep soggy medium when you can run into trouble.

I spent my first years in orchid growing have to repot too often because of the fear of over potting and rotting the roots. Using a large amount of inert material in the bottom permitted me to not repot as often for less root disturbance.

Brooke

[nenella]

Jadeco, the "white stuff" on the outside of your clay pots could also have something to do with what type of 'water' you are using as well as fertilizer as said above by Shirley.

[Jadeco]

Apparently our water is very soft (6-11 ppm).

[caseydoll]

I would use the clear pot too. It looks like it's pretty packed into that little pot anyway. I overpot with no ill affects all the time. I do as Brooke does and just put something like white packing peanuts at the bottom. It works like a charm!