My new orchid - I'm an addict

[butterfly79]

Thanks. Yes I presoaked the medium but not over night. The roots still look green, I'm probably just worried for nothing, it's the top pieces I can feel

FirstRays is awesome. I prefer using natural stuff before chemicals. I was going to order physan 20 to use as a preventative but firstrays has a recipe using cinnamon which I prefer.

Thanks for all the help!

[RosieC]

Looks like a great repotting job. The medium looks good quality from what I can see. I sometimes find that soaking for longer than 24 hours is good (sometimes I soak for a week but that is probably not needed), but 24 will be fine and just judge when it needs watering by either the weight or the colour of the roots/medium down in the lower parts of the pot.

I've repotted in spike before with no problems altough it can depend on the Phal. If I don't think there is anything wrong with the medium it come in I wait until the flowers are finished, but if I don't like the medium (for example when it has come in Moss) I will repot straight away and leave the flowers.

[Call_Me_Bob]

ive agree with every thing above. except, that i have repotted when in bud and when in full blooms and the plants didnt miss a beat. so i wouldnt cut any spike unless it shows bad signs

[grasshopper]

Very pretty phal and the roots look very healthy!

And, just for the record, I also call most of my orchids "she". Of course, I'm a little crazy and give some of my orchids (my favorites or those that surprise me) names.

[butterfly79]

That is great to hear. I don't like the moss, I find that it stays too wet and every orchid I have kept in it has died.
My worst habit has been over watering, so I am holding out to rewater at the end of the week. The only issue with the bark is the fact that it's hard to tell when to rewater.

[butterfly79]

Oh, I have noticed that the one air root has a shriveled look to it? Is this a bad sign?

[grasshopper]

If you tend to overwater, then I would definitely recommend repotting to a bark or non-moss medium. I'm an overwater-er myself...so to keep from drowning the roots, I use bark in clear pots so I can see when the roots turn silvery in color. You can also stick a wooden chopstick into the media (close to the center of the pot) and wait a minute or so. If, when you pull it out, it's cool to the touch or damp, do not water.