Phal root and repotting question

[OrchidPhoenix]

update:
I just got home from the greenhouse (told you I was going to go dorothy, lol. didn buy anything YET. did get to meet my first catt, and dren. today though). The gentlemen there was very kind and knowledgable. He basicly told me everything that you guys said here and repotted my babies for me into fresh sphag moss. He was very impressed with the bamboo skewers and said that the moss was the best bet for these guys. I told him that i really liked the clear pots they were in and would buy bigger ones from him if they needed, guess what? they didnt. after al the trimming etc. they fit just fine back in thier nice clear pots

And guess what???? The phal thats been in question, had pretty bad rot! He showed me where the plant had been in a 4 inch pot and just shoved in the bigger one without being "massaged" clean.

So, all is well here in OP land. I will fertilize tomorrow. OH! He told me something i hadnt read before you may be interested in......to clean the leaves with a cotton ball moistened with SPRITE.

Attatched is a picture of the newly renovated plants with a vase of some cuttings i was givin at one of the greenhouses. ahhhh the land of orchids.......

[CodiMN]

I would re-use the current pot you have. Looks like a good one.
When you (or the local orchid club helps) repot, be careful, but try to be deligent to get rid of the old moss that's tangled up in the roots. Moss can be benificial on the TOP of the medium (loosely sheilding the exposed roots), but when it's burried within the medium, it can't dry out properly and can lead to mushy roots (rot, etc.).
Otherwise, I think you have a good "gut" there...your instincts seem to be in alignment with your inner orchid-guru-ness!
Keep us posted!

[OrchidPhoenix]

Well hmm, lets try this again. I had a reply and thought i posted it but didnt see it so if this duplicates i apologize...
I just got back from a greenhouse where the gentle man there was very nice and repotted my phals for me. (I didnt buy anything YET, but i did get to meet my first catt. and dren.)

He was very knowledgable and basicly told me everything that was said here. He was very impressed wth the bamboo skewers and said that the sphag moss was the best bet for these guys so thats what he repotted them both with.

They were in 5 inch clear pots and I stated that i would gladly pay him for larger pots if they needed, guess what? They didnt, after all the trimming they fit just right back in thier nice clear pots.
The phal in question did have a sigifigant amount of rot and he showed me where they were repotted and hadnt been massaged clean before being stuffed into another pot. So, yes, there was a decent amount of decompsing in the meduim...

So, all is well here in OP land! Thank you so much for all the help! He was very impressed that i actualy knew a few things about the plants, and i told him that i had just found you guys and was going orchid crazy, he jsut smiled and giggled, with a nod of his head like he knew EXACTLY what i meant.
Just as the "val lady" told me yesterday, we arent buying plants , we're buying a hobby.....

OH! Something he did tell me that you guys might be interested in, he said to clean the leaves with SPRITE!

I have attempted to atatch a pic of the newly renovated plants, with thier new bamboo trelace, they are accompanied by a vase of blooms that was givin to me at the val. greenhouse yesterday

[philoserenus]

ya, pretty much i never need to upside for my phals. they just keep on going round and round and round. and since i use clay pellets, they dun breakdown over time so i dun need to repot for a while. but once in a blue moon, i'll need to give them a shake and loosen up things in there.

and moss being IN the pot is a little iffy... i never have good experience with moss, but nonetheless if u get the handle of it, they are right, itz a good medium for phals, but dun overwater, honestly they will rot the roots in no time. moss stays wetter than bark on the inside for longer; the top could be dried in the matter of hours.

i love clear pots too, and if i cant find something the right size, i go to the dollar store and pic up a tupperware and burn a few holes and slits here and there and then in goes my baby ^^

[OrchidPhoenix]

LOL @ the tupperware, i LOVE it!!

SO maybe i should just let the lil guys settle for a day or so and put the bark in the middle. Im worried about disturbing the roots too much, as they both were clipped a little today and the one in question was clipped alot as he had alot of rot.

so maybe wait a day or so and shake the moss out of the midle, put the bark in, and moss on top?

Its just been a few hrs and i see what everyone is saying about the moss.....