Repot this Phal? - Orchid Board

Connie Star · #1 11-30-2009, 10:28 PM

A friend gave me a phal she's had for a long time. It was in it's original pot which was a plastic pot inside a clay pot, and the roots are numerous, but only 4 leaves. The medium seems pretty broken down, but it seems to have only one sort of new root. I know you're supposed to repot in the spring (I'm in Massachusetts) but it seems like it needs it now.

Connie Star · #2 11-30-2009, 10:30 PM

Hmm. I'm not sure I succeeded in posting the images so I'll insert links (I hope)
http://www.orchidboard.com/community...mail-0185.html

http://www.orchidboard.com/community...mail-0182.html

Zoi2 · #3 11-30-2009, 10:48 PM

The pot is a bit small and the medium looks pretty sad. I'ts got new root growth so you should be fine with a repot now. After you clip the dead roots, it may even fit back into the same pot.
Joann

quiltergal · #4 11-30-2009, 11:24 PM

I'd repot it now too. It's always better to know what your dealing with right away rather than wait. I repotted a whole bunch of orchids on the verge of death last year in the middle of December and I only lost one. It was pretty far gone already so I don't think the repot did it in. All the rest handled it very well.

johnblagg · #5 12-01-2009, 01:30 AM

I would repot it for sure.You may not have any good roots in the pot itself and it has been going all out looking for better medium by sending all those aerial roots out searching for food and water Or LOL even air they like air a lot too as we all know.

Its also more than possible to just mist the aerial roots with weak fertilizer solution every day or so and treat it as if it was mounted untill it perks up a little bit more before you repot if you wanted to wait a while...we tend to forget they pretty much grow this way in nature and are happy with roots hanging in the air as long as humidity levels are high enough to keep them happy between rains,dew,and fogs

Nic100 · #6 12-01-2009, 05:20 PM

I repot anytime - mostly because it's driven by necessity!
I'm currently a bit of a rescue centre for other people's phals that they don't know what to do with. (One of them a friend had re-potted in regular potting soil, and when I pulled it out it was still in the moss she originally got it in 6 months before!)
I wouldn't say any of them are flourishing yet, but they are alive.
Good luck!