New roots and repotting

[DaytripperEleanor]

Hello! I recently repotted my Phals and I should have asked this question before doing so *face palm* but oh well! I am a beginner and am learning.

I brought some of my Phals back to life a bit after repotting them a year ago. The one in the attached picture's new roots and new leaves are the result of repotting it a year ago. As you can see, its original system is not the greatest (at least to my novice eye).

I repotted this little buddy so its new roots are still above the potting medium. But now I am worried that because the really good, healthy roots are above the potting medium that the Phal won't be getting enough water/nutrients. I do a light misting of my orchids once a day, but that's not the same as a good watering, I imagine.

My questions are:
1) Should I have tried to get the new roots under the potting medium?
2) If I should have done that, how soon can I repot again?
3) For that long root in the picture that is missing part of its membrane - should I have cut that off? I have heard conflicting information on this. One source said cut off any roots that don't have the membrane on it anymore, the other source said keep roots even if they don't have their membrane because it is still a functioning root. I repotted it as shown in this picture because I removed the part of the membrane that was obviously not retaining water anymore, but I kept the remaining part because it was still firm and seemed to be in good shape still. I figured may as well keep it on than take it off!

Thanks!

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[SouthPark]

Originally Posted by DaytripperEleanor

I repotted this little buddy so its new roots are still above the potting medium. But now I am worried that because the really good, healthy roots are above the potting medium that the Phal won't be getting enough water/nutrients. I do a light misting of my orchids once a day, but that's not the same as a good watering, I imagine.

Misting is ok as long as the environment conditions are suitable for misting. Eg. temperatures being suitable (not overly high temperature), and gentle air-movement around the plant's leaves and stem. The air-movement cuts down on certain unwanted kinds of fungal activity and/or bacterial activity etc.

If humidity is satisfactory, then the phal can grow nice aerial roots - the ones above the media. That's no problem at all. They don't need to have fertiliser added to them.

Your phal appears to look quite good ----- quite alright.

I don't cut off any roots of my orchids, unless a new one arrives (newly become my orchid) ----- and I see clearly dead roots ---- then I will snip off any clearly dead roots that might have just died of age or something.

When watering orchds grown in regular medium, and watering orchids with regular roots ----- my usual aim is to use methods (media, watering schedule etc) that cuts down on (or eliminates) chances of roots drowning in the potting medium - due to running out of oxygen.

The following links could be useful to you in future:
Click Here and Click Here and Click Here and Click Here and Click Here

Also - for repotting - maybe just repot if you see issues - like plant issues (eg. over-grown pot), or orchid having problems despite growing conditions seemingly all ok ....... where maybe medium has probably degraded, or built up too much fertiliser salt etc.