Root mass & Phal's age?

[cbuchman]

I can't say anything about commercial growing for the mass market. As a consumer, I have noticed that many of the orchids at large stores have nice blooms but are generally not very healthy. I have noticed that larger plants (i.e. ones that fill the pot and have good root systems and healthy growth) almost always need re-potting promptly as the medium is in a bad way. I think that growers send them for sale rather than go through the re-potting time and expense. Just my thoughts.