Pot size.

[Lil_flame33]

I have some phals that I bought at lowes. I repotted them into ceramic pots with slits on the sides for airflow and they are in bark. I've been reading that they need to be in cramped pots and I am starting to get worried that my pots are too big. I blow a fan on them during the day and they are in a western facing window, but I'm pretty sure they're not getting too much sun. I put my finger into the pots and I know they're drying out because I watered this morning and the bark is already almost dry. I have two large phals in my living room that get much less light and ger airflow from a ceiling fan 24/7, they are in large pots. (red square ones with slits) but I have some moss on top of the bark. They were watered 3 days ago and are stullmsemi damp.

So my questions are

1) Do I need to put them in smaller pots, or are they fine as long as they're getting air and drying? The lady at lowes said they would love the bigger pots. Of course this was before I did my own research. They seem happy.

2) should I put moss on top of the pots that dry out too quickly?

3) do the plants which are in the living room need to get rotated to the window periodically? (they're in bloom)

4) I am spraying with fungicide as a preventative since all of my plants are new and some are from the clearance rack at lowes. I am using garden safe fungicide 3. This isn't really a question.... More of a looking for approval statement. Lol. Some of the leaves had some damage and black spots but I cut them off and started spraying them so it hasnt spread.

I guess that's all for now.



I have

[Lil_flame33]

Oh and thanks in advance for the help.

[RosieC]

Rather than just sticking your finger in, try using a wooden skewer so that you can get down deeper. Leave it in a few minutes and if it's damp when you pull it out then you know that even if the edges are drying the center isn't.

Small pots are mainly to get even drying, so testing the center to see if it's damp will tell you if you are getting that.

Generally the advise is not to rotate orchids. I'm not careful about putting them back the same way each time and I get twisted leaves and buds as a result.

Not sure I can really help on the fungicide question as I don't use that.

[Ray]

What fungicide are you using? Some can be damaging, especially with repeated treatments.

[Lil_flame33]

Garden safe 3 in 1. It's in a spray bottle.

I mean rotate them from the dark living room to the window regularly so the ones in the living room get light.

Where can I find a wooden skewer?

[titi_bradley]

I have phals that I`ve actually been rotating so that they don`t grow slanting in one direction. It`s worked for me so far. I also move the ones that don`t get enough light periodically so that the leaves don`t turn too dark green and so they also get more flowers on their spikes. As for your pots, we would need to see a pic. I can show you one of mine, which I thought were fine because they`ve been flowering nicely nicely, until everyone on this forum recently told me that they should be in smaller pots so the roots would be tighter. Aparently they flower more and get less pests and diseases that way. To quote a senior member who helped me, "the pot should be and inch larger than your roots". Here is a pic of a too large pot, so that you can compare to yours. I hope this is helpful.

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

Originally Posted by titi_bradley

I have phals that I`ve actually been rotating so that they don`t grow slanting in one direction.

Phals naturally "slant"/lean in one direction when they're grown potted upright.

Growing a Phal upright is very unnatural to the plant.

‪Phalaenopsis in natural habitat ( in situ)‬‏ - YouTube

‪Visiting Phalaenopsis cornucervi (orchid) habitat in the swamp of Borneo-part 1‬‏ - YouTube

‪Visiting Phalaenopsis cornucervi (orchid) habitat in the swamp of Borneo-part 3‬‏ - YouTube

‪Visiting Phalaenopsis cornucervi (orchid) habitat in the swamp of Borneo-part 4‬‏ - YouTube

‪Visiting Phalaenopsis cornucervi (orchid) habitat in the swamp of Borneo-part 5‬‏ - YouTube

[Lil_flame33]

Of Course I had to add pictures of the flowers too! lol..


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[Lil_flame33]

Can you see the pictures? I haven't gotten a reply ?

[titi_bradley]

Originally Posted by Lil_flame33

Can you see the pictures? I haven't gotten a reply ?

These look like my pots and everyone told me they were too big. So I guess you probably should change them to smaller pots as well. Wait till the flowers pass though. There was one smaller pot that I think is probably ok.