Phal growing out of pot

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Hi

I have a phal that keeps growing to the side so much that it is difficult to fit it in a pot. Its hard to explain, but the plant is growing across the medium, with its loots long the part where there used to be leaves. I repotted it into a 5" pot. The roots are in the bark, but most of the base of the phal is sticking out of the pot. I had it in a larger pot, but it was too big, and took too long to dry out.

I will post a picture later on today. ( cause I can't explain this properly)

Cam

[Bird Song Farm]

Hi Cam,
It sounds like your Phal is trying to do what is natural for a Phal. That is to grow with the crown down. In nature this prevents water from standing in the crown which causes crown rot. The roots, of course, grow up and attach to a tree or branch.
A larger pot isn't necessarily the answer. You could hang the pot at an angle or give the plant a good root trimming and repot in a smaller pot.
Here is a link that might help you with repotting a phal that is trying to do the 'natural thing'.

Al

Easy Orchids - Re Potting A Phalaenopsis

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Originally Posted by Bird Song Farm

Hi Cam,
It sounds like your Phal is trying to do what is natural for a Phal. That is to grow with the crown down. In nature this prevents water from standing in the crown which causes crown rot. The roots, of course, grow up and attach to a tree or branch.
A larger pot isn't necessarily the answer. You could hang the pot at an angle or give the plant a good root trimming and repot in a smaller pot.
Here is a link that might help you with repotting a phal that is trying to do the 'natural thing'.

Al

Easy Orchids - Re Potting A Phalaenopsis

see, the roots are all coming from an old part of the 'stem' from where the old leaves used to be. They have to be in the soil, and they are about 4" away from where the leaves are. So now, the underpart of the new growth, where new roots could grow from, is sticking out of the pot..

[Bird Song Farm]

The roots you describe sound like air roots.
Did you go to the site I suggested? It will show you how to get the plant back into a pot.
Good drawing by the way.
Al

[Ross]

Cam, welcome to the world of Phals. That is what they do best! Remember, these guys (gals) are, by nature, epiphytes, so the roots grow all over the place. It really is common bahavior you are listing here. I stick the air roots back into the pot and they grow just fine. Others swear the roots are different. I don't know, but I do get good luck just sticking them into the bark and going from there. Hope this helps.

[Bird Song Farm]

I do the same thing Cam, air roots go back into the pot or into new media in the same size pot. They always seem to adjust.
AL

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nooo nooo lol

Pretend the pot is clear lol.

Its my fault, because my drawing is so darn elaborate lol
The roots I drew are suposidely in the pot

here:


so as you can see, no roots that grow will be able to go into the earth. The roots are coming from, well I don't know what to call it, but its similar to a 'rhyzome' ofmonopodial orchids. Anyways, the roots are comming from the old stem of wher the leaves were. Is there a way to fix this/ trim the roots, so that the plant doesn't need to be overpotted to accomodate the entire plant?

[Lagoon]

Cam, Your mix looks abit big and dry. I often see the lower/ older leaves fall and roots will take their places, as far as the side slanting goes, it's normal for alot of phals to do this. Stronger light direction (from the top) will help the leaves grow in a more upright postion.

[jkofferdahl]

First, the orchid is growing naturally. In nature that's how they hang (or even more lopsided) but in our controlled spaces we like to stand the plants up erect. And that's fine, too.

I agree with Gloria that the medium looks a bit like the chunks are too large, and it's dry. I'd suggest repotting. When you repot you can use the same size of pot - or even the same pot! Use a smaller size of bark. As you set the plant into the pot hold it in the center, and standing as you want it to be. You might try using a bamboo stake with it, tying the plant to the stake to hold it in position. Fill the medium in around the plant and over the roots very firmly. The medium should be pressed in, but not pressed hard enough to crush the roots. Once the repotting is finished you should be able to pick the whole thing up by the plant rather than the pot - that's how secure Phal's like to be.

Good luck!

[susiep]

Hi Cam! Most of my phals (especially the large ones) are growing like that. Except mine look even crazier because I usually don't put the roots back in the pot! My Monster Phal had a huge rhizome thing with 4 (now 5) plants growing on it and about half of this huge thing was out of the pot. See . I had to repot that one and it was a big job. At first it was really unhappy because it was used to being out in the air but it is ok now. It still sends some root straight up into the air (crazy plant). I just leave them.