clear pots for phals

[JerseyGirlBecky]

I was watering my phals this morning and got thinking maybe I will see if I can find some clear plastic containers that can have holes drilled for drainage.
I want to see the roots and wonder if the roots would do better if they had some light.
In the wild the roots get as much light as the leaves.
Has anyone ever read anything about the roots doing better if light can get to them? Surely I am not the first to think this up with my old almost 70 year old mind?

[Jennyfleur]

Hi, yes, all my phals are in clear pots and growing this way is quite common. Like you say, it gives the roots a chance to photosynthesize, you can easily check their condition and monitor water levels - all very handy!

[camille1585]

I was reading up on the use of clear pots in scientific journals about a month back, and you'd be surprised to know that root photosynthesis is NOT the main reason growers have phals in clear pots. The reason why they're used is to encourage the roots to grow down into the pot. In opaque pots the roots don't like growing down into the dark, and growers had problems that included poor root systems and excessive aerial roots. This is backed up by several scientific articles. Furthermore, I also read that there is little evidence that root photosynthesis significantly contributes to the plants overall photosynthesis.

I'm trying to find one of the articles about root growth in clear vs opaque pots, and I'll post the interesting tidbits here.

[Jennyfleur]

Hey Camille, look forward to hearing anything you find out

[RosieC]

Most orchid stores and even plain garden stores sell clear plastic pots as 'Orchid Pots' and it's ones like Phals that they are really aimed at.

I grow all my phals in clear pots and I've always understood it to be better for them. Even the outer pots I use are mostly a cloudy translucent glass which had a stickers on them when new saying 'ideal for orchids, allows light to the roots'.

[RosieC]

Originally Posted by camille1585

I was reading up on the use of clear pots in scientific journals about a month back, and you'd be surprised to know that root photosynthesis is NOT the main reason growers have phals in clear pots. The reason why they're used is to encourage the roots to grow down into the pot. In opaque pots the roots don't like growing down into the dark, and growers had problems that included poor root systems and excessive aerial roots. This is backed up by several scientific articles. Furthermore, I also read that there is little evidence that root photosynthesis significantly contributes to the plants overall photosynthesis.

I'm trying to find one of the articles about root growth in clear vs opaque pots, and I'll post the interesting tidbits here.

Really interesting. The roots obviously like the light even if they don't contribute much to the photosynthesis. This reminds me of the thread where we were talking about arial roots growing upwards. I'm not just wondering if my one doing that is in an opaque pot

[camille1585]

Here's the abstract for one of the articles, for some reason I lost access to the other one I had in mind, on how clear pots = better root system in the pot.

Abstract
Two experiments were performed to determine the effects of container opacity and different media components on rooting and vegetative growth of several clones of Phalaenopsis and one clone of Doritaenopsis hybrid orchids. Doritaenopsis White Moon and Phalaenopsis Sharon Bay were grown in 12 cm translucent or opaque pots containing a bark-based media. After 30 weeks at 29°C, plants in opaque pots had formed >7 roots outside of each container, whereas <2 roots per pot had developed outside the translucent containers. In a second experiment, Phalaenopsis Brother Showpiece, Brother Wild Thing, and Pink Twilight were grown in opaque 12 cm plastic pots containing different ratio of medium-grade Douglas fir bark, medium-grade coconut coir, long-fibered sphagnum moss, coarse perlite, chunky peat, and fine-grade charcoal. Plants were grown for 33 weeks at 29°C with a maximum light intensity of 300 μmol m−2 s−1. In general, plants grown in a medium consisting of 1:1 (by volume) chunky peat : perlite or 2:1:1 perlite : chunky peat:coconut coir had fewer aerial roots than plants grown in a bark-based or 1:1 perlite : charcoal media. In addition, plants grown in the chunky peat : perlite mix or chunky peat : charcoal mix had the greatest increase in leaf span compared to the other medias. These studies provide scientific evidence for the advantages of translucent pots, and also indicate that chunky peat can be used as an alternative to a bark-based media.

From: Blanchard, M., and E. Runkle. 2007. Container opacity and media components influence rooting of potted Phalaenopsis and Doritaenopsis orchids, pp. 115-120. ISHS.

[camille1585]

If you are interested in the entire article, PM me with your email address and I'll send it. It's short, but it's against copyright for me to put the entire thing here.

[JerseyGirlBecky]

Ah, Thank you all. I am going to do it for sure. Can't hurt and I will feel better seeing the roots. Now I have to find them on line. Nothing in my neck of the woods here. I am in the boondocks.
thanks Becky
Oh, and got another phal today. Could not resist. pale yellow, looks pale green in some light. Had to have it although it is just one from the Home Depot.

[scy]

I have my orchid in a clear plastic pot. It's so much easier to see if the medium is still wet. I got mine off ebay for a few dollars.

Oh, please post a picture of your new phal. It sounds beautiful!

Susan