How dry do you go with your phals?

[james mickelso]

Here are a few more pics from this operation. Pic 1 shows the thin wire-like root and next to it is the root with velamin surrounding it. Pic 2 is the amount of moss pulled out of this rootball. Pic 3 shows how most of the roots grow in a radial mass around the outside of the pot. Pic 4 shows the looks of the roots at the surface. But down under the surface of the pot they become nice fat healthy roots. pic 6 is another phal I did yesterday which again shows how the roots circle to outside of the pot. I hope this helps some of you who haven't repotted too many orchids. Remember that in their natural habitat most orchids that we collect grow on trees and branches and go from wet to dry quickly. We put them in our media mixes to help us control their environment better. Thanks for looking.

[james mickelso]

StyliPat, going from sphagnum moss to sphagnum moss is fine. No problem. What starts the problems are when the moss stays too wet, for too long, and don't have enough air movement to dry the rootball out. I don't usually pot in spag because I live at the beach which has high humidity and spag doesn't dry quickly enough for my tastes. But when I do I put in the spag loosely. Very loosely. I don't try and stabilize the plant with the spag. I use a plant clip/skewer to stabilize the plant and put the moss in loosely. Just enough moss to keep the roots humid but never wet. Then I let the whole thing dry to nearly desert like conditions before watering again. Once the plant has started to grow well again I increase the watering a little at a time until I'm satisfied it has enough moisture to grow well.

[stylingpat]

Oh wow so your against growing in sphag in humid conditions? I'm in north louisiana and the temps are in the 80s with 80% humidity! I figured the sphag would keep the plants from drying out too quick! Maybe next week I'll switch my phals over to bark instead

[james mickelso]

Just leave them where they are. Make sure you give them lots of air movement. A fan moving the air around them will keep them happy.

[NYCorchidman]

Moss is an amazing stuff to use because it provides even moisture level and allow air. It just have to be packed loosely.

Bark is excellent for allowing air obviously, but it tends to dry too fast because of that.
I still deal with that fine, but much more work for me as I water more often and mist the exposed roots everyday.

The ones in the moss, I lift the pots and feel the wieght. I do not mist them and do not water as often as the ones planted in bark.

[stylingpat]

Originally Posted by james mickelso

Just leave them where they are. Make sure you give them lots of air movement. A fan moving the air around them will keep them happy.

Alright, they are outside hanging on a wall so they get plenty of air movement!