repotting question... with-holding water after?

[Lady Tottington]

Hi all! Ok, I repotted my two cattleyas that I had overpotted, and I potted the phal-dends that I got (one of which after I untangled the roots and separated the keiki's, I ended up with five plants!

Anyhoo... I soaked the bark prior to repotting, and I soaked my plants as well, which greened up the mass of roots, so I am good to go there, but I was reading somewhere on here that you want to wait to water after repotting? Can someone explain this to me? I don't think I have the full understanding behind this logic. It seems to me that you would want to water regularly, but I think I was reading that you wanted to with-hold water to encourage the roots to search out water and grab hold of the medium?

Thanks for your help!

[PaphMadMan]

Right after repotting is a vulnerable time for the roots. They unavoidably get banged up, bruised, cracked, etc. no matter how careful you are. And orchids roots are thick and juicy, and most are really adapted to be in open air, not deep inside a pot of soggy bark. It can be an easy time for rot to set in, so keeping things a little dry for a while lets the roots heal without sitting in a puddle.

[Lady Tottington]

Originally Posted by PaphMadMan

Right after repotting is a vulnerable time for the roots. They unavoidably get banged up, bruised, cracked, etc. no matter how careful you are. And orchids roots are thick and juicy, and most are really adapted to be in open air, not deep inside a pot of soggy bark. It can be an easy time for rot to set in, so keeping things a little dry for a while lets the roots heal without sitting in a puddle.

THANK YOU!!! That makes perfect sense now! I see! How long should I let them heal till watering? I use skewers in my pots, what am I looking for with them?

[peeweelovesbooks]

I've never followed this advice, and I don't have problems with root rot. As a matter of fact, I make it a point to water anything I repot.

FTR, I pot in Hydroton, so that may be the big difference.

[WhiteRabbit]

I haven't worried too much about it either, and haven't really had any problems (that I know of anyway). But, if you pre-soaked the bark, you don't need to water immediately after.

[RosieC]

For Phals, Dens and Oncidiam Alliance I've not woried about withholding water and just watered as normal. On my Cym I repotted recently I did withhold water for a while.

One thing I've heard was that withholding water prompts a plant to grow new roots seeking out the water the plant is lacking... you need a healthy plant to start with for this to be a good thing though. That's whey I did it with the Cym, as it's roots had got rather bashed and hacked arround so I wanted to try and make sure it got going with new ones.

[Izzie]

I like how PMM explained it, and Rosie- I've heard the same as them, that keeping the roots a little drier allows the cracked/broken ones to heal, and that witholding water spurs the plant into making new roots.

I'm too nervous to depend on the later, but I'm tempted to agree with the former.
I see what Sonya is saying though, that if the bark has been presoaked well, it shouldn't be a problem.


Just repotted my Epi. ibaguense, and was sad to hear a lot of "crunches" when I was stabilizing it into the pot/media. It seems that you and I both will be learning this month, Lady T!

[Call_Me_Bob]

someone from parkside orchids said to hold of water on newly mounted plants for a few days, to stimulate roots

[Lady Tottington]

thanks everyone for your help and answers. I will see how my skewers are doing and hope for the best!

[Orchid126]

Cattleyas like to be watered and then go dry before wanting water again. Keeping the medium moist after repotting will not be good for them.