phals and pot size

[JerseyGirlBecky]

O.K. here goes. I can see that I have my phals is pots that are too large. They are doing very well, but if they are in too large a pot, I want to repot them.
Also, do you trim even the healthy roots when repotting? this is the reason that I put mine in the larger pots. When I repotted they had so many roots it was hard to get them in smaller pots.
Now the smaller plants are in smaller pots that are tall but not big around. I like the tall ones.
Becky

[CTB]

If your orchids are doing well, why distrub them, if you are not overwatering because of a big pot your o.k., I don't trim any roots but my nursery store says to trim anything over 4 inches. Watch your small tall pots. Hopefully you have used peanut foam to take up the bottom room.

[JerseyGirlBecky]

Thank you Carol. No I did not use anything in the bottom, but do have a screen about one third of the way up with the spag in the bottom?
Becky

[Royal]

Only trim the dead roots. I never trim a live, healthy root!

I may be in the minority on this one, but Phals seem to do ok for me in big pots. Only just accommodate the roots, but if the root system is huge, it'll go into a huge pot. The bigger the pot, the larger the particle size of the media. I use sphag or seedling bark for little guys up to 4" pots. 4-5" get medium bark, sometimes with a little sphag mixed in. Anything 6" or bigger gets bark mix only. ALL sizes get a nice layer of styro peanuts in the bottom for drainage.

So, besides having sphag in the bottom of the pots, it sounds like you're doing fine. Good luck!

[JerseyGirlBecky]

They are in the bigger bark,stone and charcoal mixture. The spag is in the very bottom and the roots connot touch it. I just tried that hoping for more humidity. I do have dishes with small stone and water also. This time of year the heater runs all night. In the 30's now her in Jersey.
Becky

[Ray]

What you do in the pot isn't going to have any appreciable effect on the humidity. Ditto for pebble trays - read this: Evaporation.

The primary reason folks avoid large pots has to do with the drying rate of the medium. With most natural media components (bark, CHC, charcoal, moss, etc.) they do little wicking, so all of the drying occurs from the top (and sides if in slotted and/or clay pots). That leaves a wet "core" in the middle of the root ball, which can suffocate the roots and will break down faster than the surrounding medium. That can be remedied by the use of air-cone pots, by placing a small, inverted net pot in the center before adding medium, or by switching to a medium that 1) wicks quickly and/or 2) does not decompose.

I grow my phals in semi-hydroponic pots that are roughly the same diameter as the leaf span, and they love it.

[grasshopper]

I followed Ray's advice from his website regarding larger pots for phals (especially in S/H) and I haven't had any problems at all. Regardless of whether the phal is in S/H or bark, I pot in a pot that is at least 70-80% of the leaf span (if not as wide as the leaf span). If it's in bark, I use large bark and I also nestle an inverted pot inside the larger pot (for better drainage).

I don't have it in me to cut a healthy root and this potting method accommodates the large root systems that result from not trimming the roots.

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

Can't comment too much on the pot size because I haven't seen your plants in pots.

However, Ray brings up many good points. That is exactly the reason why to avoid too large a pot for any orchid. Ray's solution to the problem is excellent and inexpensive.

You may also do what I do if there's not much you can do about the pot size...

Add styrofoam peanuts.

As you can see, anything you can think of that does the job is fair game.


As for trimming roots. This is definitely something I discourage, especially with Phals!

I've found that growing Phals for whatever level of hobbyist can put you on the edge of your seat at times, all throughout the time you have one. They're not the easiest group of orchids to grow, and they tend give a lot of people heartaches more often than not as they're not as forgiving in comparison to Laelias or Cattleyas, for example.

To avoid an unforeseeable and possible misstep, take out one unnecessary cultural practice and just don't trim the roots.

Btw, somebody posted a thread in the Phalaenopsis forum about how Phals can keiki from the roots. I recommend finding it and checking it out. It's really cool!

[JerseyGirlBecky]

Thank you all. Since I have had them only a short time, and repotted them right away, I am going to have to do some repotting. I do have one in bloom and two with two spikes each. So will wait to do them.
Have to get out there and get 9 pots. Dangerous, I will come home with another, I just know it.
Becky