Does my phal need a bigger pot?

[sheiman]

I bought this amazing phal the other day at Home Depot and I'm wondering if I need to place it in a bigger pot. The leaves stand up straight - is this a sign that it needs repotting? I feel like it's kind of squished in there because of how the leaves stand up. Here is a photo:



Thanks in advance!

[Ray]

The leaves are not standing up because of the pot. More likely that is a remnant of how they were packed for shipping, or how cramped they were on the commercial grower's bench.

A seedling in a 2" pot can easily have leaves extending sideways 4"- to 6"!

As ro phal pot size, there are lots of "schools-of-thought" on that. Many here recommend keeping them pot-bound, whereas I (in semi-hydroponics) tend to use pots that are about 75% or more of the total leaf span.

I have deduced that overpotting is only an issue if your medium choice, coupled with your growing conditions and watering regimen, stifles the air flow to the root system.

Think about it - a phal in nature will have it's roots extending literally meters in all directions on a tree branch. That's hardly "bound".

[camille1585]

The reason it's kind of upright is that to transport it from the grower to thestore, the plants are packed in plastic sleeves that force the leaves upright. The best indicator of whether or not a phal needs repotting is the roots. If yours is in a clear plastic pot, have a look at the amount of roots. Phals, like many orchids, like to be root bound in their pots. Post a photo if you are unsure.

[en3rmax]

Hi there, the pot looks big enough to me, and to answer the question about the leaves, you say you brought your phal the other day, was it wrapped in plastic? because the leaves tend to stand up like that when it's wrapped up they will soon bend over a bit and go where they want to, so i'd say it's alright.

Hope this helps you

[sheiman]

Originally Posted by camille1585

The reason it's kind of upright is that to transport it from the grower to thestore, the plants are packed in plastic sleeves that force the leaves upright. The best indicator of whether or not a phal needs repotting is the roots. If yours is in a clear plastic pot, have a look at the amount of roots. Phals, like many orchids, like to be root bound in their pots. Post a photo if you are unsure.

I looked at the roots yesterday, it's in a clear plastic pot inside the decorative pot. I'll have to take a pic and post it because I can't tell if the root system has gotten too big for the pot or not. All I know is that the roots are starting to grow out of the holes at the bottom of the clear pot.

[sheiman]

Originally Posted by en3rmax

Hi there, the pot looks big enough to me, and to answer the question about the leaves, you say you brought your phal the other day, was it wrapped in plastic? because the leaves tend to stand up like that when it's wrapped up they will soon bend over a bit and go where they want to, so i'd say it's alright.

Hope this helps you

Yes, it was wrapped in plastic so that makes sense. Thanks!

[KathyKayserKonig]

It's very pretty!

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

If it's potted in the original pot, is it completely potted in moss?

If so, I don't recommend growing them fully potted up in moss, the media stays too wet for much too long. Sphagnum moss can also compact and they're usually packed in tight. So the air movement is severely limited.

In nature, the roots are not only extensive and grow all over the trees they're on, but those trees usually are barren of moss or if there is it's not very noticeable. The moisture it gets is from rain, humidity in the air, and humidity from the rivers, streams, and swamps they grow near.

[Call_Me_Bob]

make sure that the support sticks that hold up th spikes are not holding up the leaves