Phal - Top heavy and unwieldy roots

[J9barda]

My phalaenopsis is so top heavy I am having difficulty keeping it upright. It has been blooming for a few months and I am still waiting for the final blossom to open. There are so many ‘air’ roots it is just unwieldy. I move it to water it and I am afraid it is going to break. What do I do to make it more manageable? I am assuming I should wait to do anything until it is done blooming, right? Thank you for any advice.

[aliceinwl]

I'd wait until its done blooming unless your frustration over how unwieldy it is out ways your desire to enjoy every last flower (this has been my experience a few times). With orchids like this, I just get a bigger pot and upsize.

I admit to sometimes just including the air roots in the pot if they're part of what's making the plant unmanageable and I can do so without breaking them. I like to use a fairly open bark mix, so the air roots survive the transition fine (this may not be the case if you use a denser more moisture retentive mix).

I also cut the spikes on plants when they're part of the weight issue. I have one Phal that kept producing one flower at a time from an ever lengthening spike. After over a year of this, I couldn't keep the plant upright because of the weight of the spike. I cut the spike off despite the presence of yet another flower and bud. The plant responded by sending up two nice new spikes with over 10 flowers apiece.

It's a nice problem to have when a plant is just too happy :-)

[Paphluvr]

Definitely overdue for a repot. The base of the lowest leaf should be just above the top of the media. Try a clay pot that is more cylindrical rather than one with so much taper. The wider stance is less prone to tipping. Clay pots with slots in the side for orchids are available. Phals can be repotted at any time but are easier to manage when not in bloom.

[fishmom]

I agree with aliceinwl about the decision on when to repot. I suspect that when you take the plant out of the pot, you will find that there are not many roots in the pot that are healthy. You may find a stub of the main stalk that has died back, and you can trim that back to the bottom of where the good roots start.



A good soaking will make the "air roots" flexible enough to twirl around and fit in the pot. They will adapt just fine if they are able get plenty of air within the medium, so chunky bark. I wouldn't assume that the blooms will be lost if you repot soon; many times a phal just continues on without missing a beat, and your's looks like it will be grateful for having more roots in the pot, to make it easier to retain moisture.

[Orchid Whisperer]

Welcome to Orchidboard

A few things. 1). Many Phalaenopsis in nature grow with their crowns pointed to one side instead of up. This is because they often grow on the side of tree trunks. So, your plant may just be doing what comes naturally.

2) Your plant has probably been growing in that pot long enough that the oldest part of the stem has few or no live roots, therefore it needs repotting. If there is a dead section of stem at the bottom you can usually snap it off with just fingers. Re-pot into a pot just large enough to accommodate the roots. I recommend an unglazed terracotta pot with good drainage for stability with a larger plant. Be sure to incorporate some inert material (styrofoam chips or packing "peanuts", or gravel) into the lower half of the pot.

3) You can re-pot even while there are blooms still on the plant.

[J9barda]

Many thanks for the replies! I will repot it. Anxious to see what the roots in the pot look like- if there are any.