Pot size / Orchids size

[Pinoychids]

I am completely confused regarding the sizing of orchids. Most orchids' prices are determined by their pot sizes??? Example: (same kinds of orchid)2.5" pot sized orchid= $15.00 3" pot sized orchid= $20.00. How does this pricing works? Is there a way to determine the sizes of orchids by their pot sizes? Please elaborate this for me as I am very confused and lost regarding this matter.

thanks!

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

Pot sizes actually have no bearing on how many growths or how tall the actual plants are.

They do give the customer a vague idea of what to expect as far as how many growths the plant will have.

An orchid's pot size is generally a good way to roughly determine the root mass of an orchid, because if the epiphytical orchids are over potted, (some terrestrial orchids are a different ball game), they will almost invariably develop root rot over time.

This being the case, there are times when I make a purchase, I will ask for the size of the plant itself.

Does this help?

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

The pricing is kinda arbitrary, btw.

[WhiteRabbit]

I have got some good deals on Paphs this way tho a local hardware store chain sells by pot size, and I have got some nice sized paphs for $10

[Pinoychids]

Originally Posted by King_of_orchid_growing:)

The pricing is kinda arbitrary, btw.

No wonder you call yourself THE KING OF ORCHID. It makes alot of sense when you said the pot size gives you an idea of an orchid"s root mass. I also just learned that oversize pot may result in root rot. can you explain that as why and how it results in root rot? thanks!

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

Originally Posted by WhiteRabbit

I have got some good deals on Paphs this way tho a local hardware store chain sells by pot size, and I have got some nice sized paphs for $10

I agree, because the pot size has no actual bearing on how many growths the plant has or how tall the plant is, occasionally this happens.

Originally Posted by Pinoychids

No wonder you call yourself THE KING OF ORCHID. It makes alot of sense when you said the pot size gives you an idea of an orchid"s root mass. I also just learned that oversize pot may result in root rot. can you explain that as why and how it results in root rot? thanks!

The larger the pot, the more potting media there is. Potting media retains water (or at least should to some degree or another). The more water that's available as a result of the abundance of potting media and the smaller the root mass in relation to the amount of moisture being held by the media, means the possibility of an over abundance of water is quite high. When there is too much water, the root's ability for gas exchange is limited (the roots have a hard time "breathing"). Thus the cells of the roots suffocate to death. When death occurs on the cellular level, we can't see it without the aid of a microscope and it goes undetected. Because of this, the dead cells start rotting (as it naturally would - dead organisms decay due to bacteria or fungus breaking them down). What we see is the end result of what was briefly described - what we call "root rot".

This is the simplified version.

Basically there needs to be a balance between the water and air available to the orchid's roots in order to avoid the problem of root rot (again, a simplified explanation).