?? Please watch the video??

[NatalieS]

Wow, what a contentious thread. I'm probably going to get absolutely blasted for jumping in here, but I myself have pruned good, healthy, roots to get the plant into a smaller pot. The reason for this was because the roots were long and leggy, so if I'd put the plant into a bigger pot simply to accommodate the roots, then the pot would've been too big for the plant and its root system would've been more likely to rot. There were no ill-effects, in fact, the plant bloomed the following year when it hadn't bloomed for two years prior to that.

The roots are there to support the plant, not vice versa. Sometimes a plant produces too big a root system and becomes unbalanced i.e. it's starts expending too much energy on maintaining its root system. If a plant looked unhealthy and was spiking, you wouldn't hesitate to cut the spike, would you? You are trying to keep the plant healthy by balancing out the way it expends its energy.

As an example, say you had a sick orchid, a relatively large plant with many leaves which had suffered with some severe root rot. What would you do to keep that plant alive and give it a better chance to survive? You start by removing the rotten roots (bare with me, I know I'm talking about rotten roots and not healthy ones at the moment), and if it had a flower spike, you'd cut that too. Then what else can you do? You can remove some of the leaves - even if they are healthy! Why? Because a drastically reduced root mass will not be able to support the same number of leaves that the previously healthy root mass did. It's all about balance. An orchid will try to do this naturally itself too - you will see sick orchids drop leaves, and you will see it allow roots to die, which although seemingly still provide food for the plant, are not acting efficiently.

As Leafmite said earlier, research your plant and make sure it's not root sensitive. Some plants detest having their roots disturbed - we normally mount those types and leave them alone. But certainly in most cases, especially with more robust hybrids, it will not hurt the plant to trim roots as long as it still has enough to support the plant. When you have a plant that's grown far away from its media, it makes it difficult to give it the humidity it needs. That's what the media is there for, it anchors the plant in the pot, but mainly it's for keeping humidity around the roots.

If you think about it, we already do some drastic stuff to orchids. Someone who grows cyms wouldn't hesitate when repotting to go for a serrated blade or even a saw to divide the root mass. Even if you're just dividing the plant in two, you've halved the plants root mass. Similarly, you wouldn't hesitate to divide a sympodial orchid. Again, you are drastically reducing the existing plant's root mass. Why does that 3-4 pbulb division survive? Because it has just enough roots to allow the small division to grow on and re-establish.

And to answer the question about why bonsai growing might be relevant to orchid growing - in both cases you are taking a plant out of its natural habitat and attempting to grow it in a pot. Just as trees become large in nature, so do orchids. By growing them in pots you are changing their culture, just the same as with bonsai. In a lot of cases you will read that species orchids in particular will change their flowering habits when cultured as opposed to when they flower in nature.

Having said all of that, I've read through the entire thread and no one is advocating just hacking off roots for no good reason. Nor has anyone encouraged beginners to use this technique. I don't think anyone is being 'irresponsible' in simply discussing techniques for orchid growing - even if not everyone agrees with it.

[Shinnok]

Hi all,

I initiately post the video cause i have no idea if this can be done. True enough people have their opinion which is fair... but i feel like quite a number of people got offended by only seeing a part of the repotting and quickly jump to the conclusion. I know i post a 2nd part of what happen to the phal after round about 4 months later. So let me REPOST it but please keep an open mind about it. Again i know everyone understand German, but please look until the end Thank you in advance.

"Orchideen richtig umtopfen + schneiden" ~BONUS-Video~ - YouTube

Being as a beginner, i didn't just inherited 1 Phal as a matter of fact I inherit quite a number of Phal from friends, with only some still being in a good condition, I am still in the learning process and have loads to learn.

My very first (bought) mini Phal for example, have yet to spike since 2009 and it's still surviving except putting out new leaves. It's sitting next to the window sill with plenty of light and when temperature drop it sure get it cause i literally have my window open slightly even during winter, i even took a chance repotting it during January this year with sphagnum moss and set it on a Tealight candle cup (don't know how it's call) if look carefully the mini phal is actually leaning forward which got really heavy without the cup... I really can't find another pot that is slightly bigger for this as you know there aren't a lot of the miniature pot in the market. Well even if there is, i sure as hell don't know where to get it...

I am wondering what happen when this mini Phal continue to grow out of the pot. what should i do then since i can't find any pot bigger than this? I also need to mention that i break more roots trying to pack the sphagnum moss into this tiny pot with the amount of roots it have and it is still growing recently putting out the 8th leaf. I can't even provide the right growing condition nor can i get rain water.

I've taken more picture of my phal.

Roots showing.


Back view of my mini Phal. Just notice that a new roots might be popping out.


Side view. Look how the Phal is arching?


Last but not least Posing with a mini Aloe sitting in it's tea light cup LOL

Shin...

[james mickelso]

You could make a slatted basket or even buy one big enough to plant this phal into. You could even make a basket out of wire like window screen or hardware cloth. The pot doesn't have to be a store bought plastic or clay pot. Or if you wanted to, why not make your own clay pot. This phal looks very healthy. I have seen many phals that don't have any pot or media. They just hang on string in the air. Of course they are misted frequently and emersed in water with fertilizer once a month. And I have seen many phals with no pot or media that have gorgeous blooms. The pot or even the media don't really matter as long as the orchid (or most any plant) gets what it needs as far as water, air, and food. I'm sorry your original thread deteriorated into such a quagmire. Stay here with us and you'll learn a lot.

[james mickelso]

Thankyou Natalie. Your eloquence is appreciated. This shouldn't have been an argument. Just a discussion of different practices regarding orchids.

[Wynn Dee13]

Shin- I think your plant looks very good. It is okay that the plant is leaning over. Some people actually pot their plants like that so water doesn't sit in the crown. Phalaenopsis also grow with their crown pointing down in the wild for the same reason. Of course if you prefer to have the plant up right you can try and make it grow that way.

I have a hard time finding small pots for my orchids where I live too. I usually have to buy orchid supplies online at a orchid supply store. But I have found a few small sizes of clay pots at art and craft supply stores. I don't know if you have art and craft stores where you live but if you do you could try there.

I am also sorry that your thread has turned into what it has. Good luck and we will help you as much as we can.

[Shinnok]

Thank you Wynn Dee13 and James Mikelso,

I just enjoy this thread and people's imput. Some of you have reasons to prune roots base on experience whereas others refuse to accept it. It is understandable that big roots mean healthy plant.

I can't really judge which is right as people are entitle to their own opinion but i wouldn't want to end up with bigger pot too due to the fact that limited space. I am not thinking about repotting just yet and to get to a big pot take years

It's a forum where people here discuss how they care for their Phal and etc. Beginners like me, i would say would like to try out different things to see if it works for me. I alway say for example, i read up on informations but it doesn't mean that all i read can be apply real life. Just like the song: you say poteto, I say potato. (don't really know the song)

Another scenario, someone keep their phal in Vases with media... Most of you would actually disagree with this method, as there is no drainage holes and for the roots to breathe but guess what... it works even though most of you would disagree.

Here in Europe, i am not sure over there in America, they been selling a 'Special' Vase made out of glass for Phal... Almost like a bowl with a fold inward to trap water in it when it evaporate . All you have to do is remove the Phal from the media and pot and place it bear roots into the vase. They recommend pouring around 1inch for the phal and roots sits in the water till it dry up. i have 1 vase given to me with tiny dendro something. It was so tiny that i can't stand it add some media in it as i can't bear the roots to sit in the water. It is recently putting out new growth as you are about to see the picture. Sorry if i am being long winded with the pictures.

from the top


from the side



Shin...

[mattryan]

By gosh just read through this whole thread...It is very upsetting watching the video. I don't agree with cutting anything viable off of a phal. If the orchid has rotted roots or yellowing leaves yes. NataliaS you have completely proved what most have been saying all along. If an phal is failing it will let roots die and leaves yellow, there is absolutely no reason to start hacking almost all the viable roots and leaves off to save it. I don't understand why we are comparing bonsai's to orchids that arguement is non-comparable (apples to oranges). Same as different types of orchids you prune differently. What really bothered me was the personal attacks, because some people have different opinions. We all grow orchids from all around the world and what works for 1 might not for others, but there is no reason to get rude and unpleasant about it. Why post this video unless you are looking for an opinion. This thread proves that orchid growers are passionate and really care about them.
I have rescue orchids so I don't lop anything off. It was a cringe-worthy video for me, and my orchids. They not gonna wanna put out any roots after seeing that video.

[Shinnok]

Originally Posted by mattryan

By gosh just read through this whole thread...It is very upsetting watching the video. I don't agree with cutting anything viable off of a phal. If the orchid has rotted roots or yellowing leaves yes. NataliaS you have completely proved what most have been saying all along. If an phal is failing it will let roots die and leaves yellow, there is absolutely no reason to start hacking almost all the viable roots and leaves off to save it. I don't understand why we are comparing bonsai's to orchids that arguement is non-comparable (apples to oranges). Same as different types of orchids you prune differently. What really bothered me was the personal attacks, because some people have different opinions. We all grow orchids from all around the world and what works for 1 might not for others, but there is no reason to get rude and unpleasant about it. Why post this video unless you are looking for an opinion. This thread proves that orchid growers are passionate and really care about them.
I have rescue orchids so I don't lop anything off. It was a cringe-worthy video for me, and my orchids. They not gonna wanna put out any roots after seeing that video.

I know and i am sorry if i cause the problem.

[Wynn Dee13]

Originally Posted by Shinnok

I know and i am sorry if i cause the problem.

Shin you did not cause any problems! You were asking a question! That is fine. This is what Orchid Board is for! Ask away!

[james mickelso]

I showed the video to someone who understands some german (they're austrian)and they told me it was just a demo. The second part was apparently phals 6 mos after the treatment. But it was just a demo. Someones opinion. Can't really argue with someones successes. Just my opinion.