Is my Phal too dry or over potted?

[BKFSRS]

This is the first NOID Phal that I bought over 5 years ago and it just keeps growing and blooming, but I have a question about watering / top roots. When I see pictures of other Phals, they always have green or white colored plump roots at the surface. Mine are brown and shriveled. I recently repotted this Phal because it was falling out of it's previous container, but am wondering if I've overpotted it. The interior roots are healthy, but those on top not so much. The top is bone dry and inside it's still moist, which I check with a Momet meter. I have it on a heat matt because it's cold by the window here in Chicago. Am I letting it get too dry in between waterings, or should I have it in a smaller pot? I have other Phals that are the same way, but not quite so many roots on the surface. Thanks

[Rowangreen]

If you can get it into a smaller pot then it would be a good idea to. Looks like you have a mass of roots though!

Another thing if it is not drying in the centre would be to take the moss out and keep it in plain bark. That might help it dry through better.

[Cattleya17]

Imo Overpotting is not the issue. the exposed roots are probably brown and shriveling because the humidity is too low for them to be exposed the way they are. The plant looks quite healthy and the roots system looks good to me. what you can do is mist the aerial roots to keep them plump and only water the actually pot when the plant needs it, then the mix approaches dryness

when you repot find a pot that is big enough to just hold the root system looking at that pot it actually looks like you need a bigger pot. not alot bigger just a little bigger. big enough to where you can set the roots that are below the lowest leaf completely below the media. the aerial roots can remain exposed but just expect that in times of extended dryness and lower humidity for the roots to shrivel and brown. misting should do the trick for the exposed roots.

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[BKFSRS]

Thanks for the input. It gives me a couple of different things to try. When you say mist the roots, do you mean just the roots or the leaves also? I know I've read that for Phal's the underside of the leaves absorbs the moisture, so I'm hoping that I don't need to mist the leaves also. Ha, sorry, just lazy and messy since I have lots of wood around. Thanks again.

[Cattleya17]

lol. no you dont have to mist the leaves. it might be hard not to though. i have messed up plenty of wood myself with water. you are welcome!