Pot size.

[titi_bradley]

[QUOTE=King_of_orchid_growing;425154]Phals naturally "slant"/lean in one direction when they're grown potted upright.

Growing a Phal upright is very unnatural to the plant.


Hi Phillip. I am aware that it is completely natural for orchids to slant (which any plant does looking for light).

I just prefer the ones I have in pots not to, they look prettier and it doesn`t affect the plant at all. At least mine haven`t been anyway...

[Lil_flame33]

Boo.... I guess I was hoping they would grow into the pots.

[Lil_flame33]

So, if my pots are drying fine by the next week when it's time to water again, then do I still have to change the pots? I'm still blowing my fan on them.

If I don't change the pots will they just grow lots of strong roots then become strong plants?? Lol

I'm a little sad that nobody commented on how pretty the flowers were.

[bnaz]

I'm still very much new to orchid-ownership myself and so I won't risk offering advice on whether or not to repot your plants again. Although I will say, that I've read up a lot about the damage over-potting can do. I overpotted my first orchid (which I bought about a week ago) and the past few days I kept looking at it and fretting and imagining how sad I'd be if I lost it. So I ended up finally repotting it again yesterday and being careful to fit it into a smaller-sized pot. I feel much better, and I hope my 'chid does too! You might want to consider potting your orchids down once they're out of bloom?

Anyway! I do think your collection is quite lovely! I'm jealous of how beautiful they look, all lined up in your picture window like that.

[Lil_flame33]

Thanks!!! Lol!!! Hopefully I have a nice big window in our next house. Were military and due for a move soon.

[RosieC]

The danger is that they are not drying as much as you think in the center. I've had ones in the past which looked really really dry on the outside, but when I un-potted I found it was still pretty damp at the center.

If you are certain (using a skewer or something like that) that they are drying in the center then it should be OK to leave them in the pots, but if you are not certain you could get root rot and the plants will struggle or die as a result.

Also just a comment about the danger of growing them upright. In nature water never collects in the crown of the plant because the angle means it runs out. If water collects in the crown of a phal you can get crown rot which can quickly kill it. If you are growing them upright (and I tend to do that as well) you have to be really careful when watering to not get water in the crown, also if you mist don't let water collect in the crown. If it does use a paper towel to dry it.

[Lil_flame33]

I always use a fresh paper towel on each one to wipe the leaves and the crown. I just started using a skewer so I will know for sure if they're drying!

[Lil_flame33]

I've decided to err on the side of caution. I will be changing the beige ceramic pots. They are 6 inch pots right now. I don't want to get rid of the red ones. I will just have to not water them as much and watch the wooden sticks.